Strata Bylaws for Multiplex Homes
Every BC strata has bylaws: the standard bylaws in the Strata Property Act, plus any changes the strata has filed at the land title office. They decide which pets you can keep, what needs approval before you change your home, and how the owners are fined if a rule is broken. Here is what the standard bylaws say, how a small strata changes them, and what to read before you buy.
Questions about this guide: Gary Paul, REALTOR®, Personal Real Estate Corporation, Grand Central Realty, 778-828-7476
Key Topics
Standard bylaws apply by default
BC's Strata Property Act includes a set of standard bylaws. They apply unless the strata files its own changes at the land title office, so the bylaws for your building may differ.
Pets
The standard bylaws allow one dog or one cat, a reasonable number of small caged mammals and aquarium animals, and up to 2 caged birds. Guide and service dogs are exempt from pet bylaws (section 123).
Changes need 3/4, then filing
A bylaw change needs a 3/4 vote at an owners' meeting and has no effect until it is filed at the land title office (section 128). In a triplex that means all three owners.
Fines have a limit
The standard bylaws set a fine of up to $50 for each breach of a bylaw. A strata's own bylaws can set more, up to the $200 limit in the Strata Property Regulation.
You get a chance to answer
Before fining you, the strata must give you the complaint in writing and a reasonable chance to answer it, including a hearing if you ask for one (section 135).
Renting cannot be restricted
Section 141 says a strata must not screen tenants or otherwise restrict the rental of a strata lot. Your tenant still has to follow the bylaws.
What the Standard Bylaws Say
These apply unless the strata has filed its own version. Always read the bylaws for the building you want.
| Topic | Standard bylaw | What a strata can change |
|---|---|---|
| Pets | One dog or one cat, small caged mammals, up to 2 caged birds, aquarium animals (bylaw 3) | Allow more or fewer pets; guide and service dogs stay exempt |
| Changes to your home | Written approval for changes to the structure or outside (bylaw 5) | Add rules, for example on flooring |
| Changes to shared property | Written approval before any change (bylaw 6) | Add rules |
| Council | All owners if fewer than 4 homes or owners; otherwise 3 to 7 members (bylaw 9) | Change the size |
| Fines | Up to $50 a bylaw breach, $10 a rule breach (bylaw 23) | Up to $200 and $50, the regulation's limit |
Our view
The pet bylaw is the one families ask us about most, and it is the easiest to check. Ask for the bylaws as filed before you make an offer, and look for any change to bylaw 3.
In a triplex, remember that every bylaw change needs all three owners. A rule you dislike today may be hard to change later. Talk to our team if you would like help reading the bylaws for a home you are considering.
Where these rules come from
- Strata Property Act, Schedule of Standard Bylaws (bylaw 9, council size), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 7: Bylaws and rules (sections 119 to 138), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 8: Rentals (section 141), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 4: Governance (sections 25 to 65), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Regulation, section 7.1 (maximum fines), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
General information only. The bylaw rules on this page are as published in BC's Strata Property Act, its standard bylaws and the Strata Property Regulation on the dates noted. Each strata can file its own bylaws. None of this is legal advice. Before you buy, read the bylaws for the home you want and ask a BC real estate lawyer about anything that concerns you.
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Key Takeaways
- The standard bylaws apply unless the strata files its own changes.
- The standard bylaws allow one dog or one cat, small caged mammals, up to 2 caged birds and aquarium animals.
- A bylaw change needs a 3/4 vote and takes effect only once filed: all three owners in a triplex, three of four in a fourplex.
- Standard fines are up to $50 a breach; a strata's own bylaws can go up to $200.
- The strata must let you answer a complaint before it fines you.
- A strata cannot restrict renting your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the standard strata bylaws in BC?
They are a default set of bylaws in the Schedule of Standard Bylaws to BC's Strata Property Act. They cover pets, noise and use of property, alterations, council size, meetings and fines. A strata starts with them and can change them by a 3/4 vote, and a change takes effect once it is filed at the land title office. The bylaws that apply to your building are the standard ones plus any changes filed.
Can I have a dog or cat in a strata multiplex?
Usually one. BC's Standard Bylaw 3(4) allows one dog or one cat, a reasonable number of fish or other small aquarium animals, a reasonable number of small caged mammals, and up to 2 caged birds. A strata can file its own pet bylaws, so read the bylaws as filed for the building. A pet bylaw does not apply to a guide dog or service dog under section 123 of the Strata Property Act.
How does a small strata change a bylaw?
Owners vote at an annual or special general meeting, which needs at least 2 weeks' written notice. In a residential strata the change needs a 3/4 vote of the votes cast, under section 128 of BC's Strata Property Act, and it has no effect until it is filed at the land title office. With every owner voting, a triplex needs all three owners and a fourplex needs three of the four.
How much can a strata fine me for breaking a bylaw?
It depends on the strata's bylaws. BC's standard bylaws set a fine of up to $50 for each breach of a bylaw and $10 for a rule. A strata can set higher fines in its own bylaws, up to the limit in section 7.1 of the Strata Property Regulation: $200 for each breach of a bylaw and $50 for a rule. For a breach that continues, a fine can be repeated no more often than every 7 days.
What must the strata do before it fines me?
Under section 135 of BC's Strata Property Act, the strata must first have received a complaint, give you the details of that complaint in writing, and give you a reasonable opportunity to answer it, including a hearing if you ask for one. Only after that can it impose a fine, charge you for fixing the problem, or deny you use of a shared recreational facility.
Do I need approval to change my own home?
For some changes, yes. Under BC's Standard Bylaw 5, an owner needs the strata's written approval before altering certain parts of a strata lot, such as the structure or the outside of the building, and the strata must not withhold approval unreasonably. Standard Bylaw 6 requires written approval before altering common property. Read the bylaws for the building, since many stratas add their own rules on alterations.
Can the strata stop me from renting my home?
No. Section 141 of BC's Strata Property Act says the strata must not screen tenants or otherwise restrict the rental of a strata lot. If you buy a strata home and later want to rent it out, the other owners cannot forbid that. Your tenant must still follow the bylaws, and you remain responsible to the strata for your home.
When is a strata bylaw not enforceable?
Under section 121 of BC's Strata Property Act, a bylaw cannot be enforced to the extent that it conflicts with the Act, its regulations, human rights law or any other law, or restricts an owner's right to sell, lease or mortgage their home. If you think a bylaw is unfair, read the bylaws as filed and ask a BC real estate lawyer before you rely on it.
What should I check in the bylaws before I buy?
Read the bylaws as filed, including every change, and compare them with how you plan to live: pets, changes you want to make to the home, and any rules about the shared yard or parking. Then read recent meeting minutes for bylaw changes the owners are planning. Make your offer subject to reading these documents, so you can cancel if a bylaw does not suit your family.
Living Articles
Strata for Multiplex Homes
Who decides what in a small strata, and the documents to read.
Strata Documents to Read Before You Buy
How to get the Form B, bylaws, budget, minutes and strata plan.
Strata Council in a Triplex or Fourplex
Who sits on council and how meetings work.
Living in a Multiplex Home
Daily life, pets, parking and renting.
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