We know the fees for these applications can be a significant barrier. Community advocates have asked the Government of British Columbia to review and remove these fees. 

If your net income is close to or below $20,000 or you have other extenuating circumstances that affect your ability to pay, you can ask the Vital Statistics Agency to waive the fee for your British Columbia name change ($137) and/or gender change ($27) application.

To do this:

• Add a letter with the application asking for a fee waiver that includes proof of income.
• The application should be submitted directly to Vital Statistics or through Service BC.
• Be prepared for Vital Statistics to contact you for further information, as they may request your most recent Notice of Assessment from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) or other documents.

Please, also note…

• Requests for a fee waiver without proof of income are not usually granted.
• Applying for a waiver could delay your application.