How to create a BC rental agreement online
The generator uses a short guided form on the left and a live PDF preview on the right. A typical tenancy agreement takes about five minutes.
- Describe the rental unit. Enter the address, unit number and type of home, whether it is a Vancouver condo, a Surrey basement suite or a house in Kamloops.
- Choose the term. Pick a fixed term with an end date or a month-to-month (periodic) tenancy.
- Set the rent. Enter the amount, due date, payment method and an optional late fee.
- Add deposits and services. Record the security deposit, any pet damage deposit and the utilities that are included.
- Add the parties and house rules. List every landlord and tenant, then choose pet, smoking and parking rules.
- Review and download. Check the preview, then download the PDF to print or sign electronically.
BC standard terms: what every tenancy agreement must include
British Columbia is different from most provinces because the Residential Tenancy Act requires a set of government standard terms to be part of every tenancy agreement. Even when a landlord writes their own agreement the standard terms must be included, and if an agreement is not in writing the standard terms still apply. The Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) publishes the Residential Tenancy Agreement, Form RTB-1, which contains all of the standard terms and is the safest way to make sure none are missing.
This generator creates a clear, plain-language agreement covering the details you decide: the parties, premises, rent, deposits, services and house rules. We recommend you attach or refer to the official standard terms from the RTB with your signed copy. Nothing in an agreement can override the Act or the standard terms.
The landlord must prepare a written agreement, both parties must sign and date it, and the landlord must give the tenant a copy within 21 days of signing.
Security deposits and pet damage deposits in BC
A landlord can ask for a security deposit of up to half of one month's rent, based on the rent in the original agreement. If pets are allowed, a separate pet damage deposit of up to another half month's rent can be collected, however many pets are permitted. Guide and service dogs are not treated as pets for this purpose.
Each deposit is due within 30 days of the agreement being signed, or within 30 days of when a tenant gets a pet. Landlords cannot charge a monthly pet fee or other pet charges beyond the deposit. Once the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a written forwarding address, the landlord has 15 days to return the deposit with interest if there are no issues. The generator has fields for both deposits and reminds you of the limits as you type.
Rent increases and ending a tenancy in BC
Rent can only be increased once every 12 months, with at least three full months' written notice on the RTB's Notice of Rent Increase (Form RTB-7), and never by more than the annual limit set by the province. The limit for 2026 is 2.3 per cent. Increases above the limit need approval from the RTB.
A tenant who wants to move out gives the landlord one full month's written notice before the day rent is due, in a month-to-month tenancy or when leaving at the end of a fixed term. Ending a fixed term early without a valid basis is breaking the lease and may mean owing the landlord compensation. Landlords can only end a tenancy for reasons the Act allows and must use the proper notice.
Entry, late fees and other rules landlords should know
A landlord generally must give written notice at least 24 hours, and no more than 30 days, before entering the unit, stating the date, a reason and a time between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Entry without notice is only allowed in an emergency, with the tenant's consent when the tenant is home, or under an order.
A late-rent fee must be written into the agreement and cannot exceed $25. Application fees, fees for returning a deposit and charges for the only key or access device are not allowed, and parking or storage fees included in the agreement cannot rise by more than the annual allowable rent increase. The additional-terms step lets you add your own clauses, as long as they are consistent with the law.
Who can use this BC lease template?
The generator suits landlords renting a suite, condo, house or townhouse anywhere in the province, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince George, and tenants who want the arrangement written down clearly. It is not intended for manufactured home park sites, co-op housing or commercial space. If a dispute arises, the Residential Tenancy Branch provides dispute resolution.