Authorization to receive confidential property information

​​​​IMPORTANT - What you need to know before proceeding with this form:

• Section 16(4) of the Assessment Act permits BC Assessment to release confidential property information to persons other than property owners in specific circumstances.
• Use this form when you want to designate someone else (i.e. your agent) to have access to your confidential property information.
• Please ensure that ALL sections of the form are completed, and that your form is signed. Incomplete forms will not be accepted. Follow the instructions provided below to ensure your form is completed correctly.

What is the Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information Form (Authorization Form)?

Section 16(4) of the Assessment Act authorizes BC Assessment to provide confidential information to a property owner's agent if such disclosure has been authorized in a prescribed form by the property owner. The Assessment Act Regulation (B.C. Reg. 433/98) refers to this form as being the Authorization to Receive Confidential Information Form.​

When is the Authorization Form required?

The Authorization Form is to be completed and signed by the property owner (or authorized signatory) before BC Assessment may release confidential property information to the owner's agent. This form is required for all property types, except residential properties that accommodate fewer than three families.

When is the Authorization Form not required?

A completed Authorization Form is not required for property information requests in the following circumstances:

• Properties are residential and accommodate fewer than three families. In such cases, the owner provides written authority to release confidential information;
• The information required is not confidential information (see details and examples of what types of property information is not confidential below); or
• The requestor is a lawyer acting on behalf of the owner in a real estate matter. In such cases, the requesting lawyer must provide the request in writing.
  

What property information is NOT confidential?

Property information that is readily available to the public and includes:

• Basic property assessment information available through our online assessment search service. This free service enables members of the public to search and compare property assessments and sales in their neighbourhood or for anywhere in British Columbia.
• Detailed property assessment information (i.e. information that appears on the annual assessment roll), including:
• property address
• area number/school district/ jurisdiction number
• assessment roll number
• property classification
• actual value/assessed values
• property identification
• previous roll assessment value
• actual use code
• neighbourhood code
• dimensions
• Information available to the public under section 3.2 of the Assessment Act Regulation, B.C. Reg. 433/98 (Disclosure of physical inventory information). This includes:
• ​the land area or dimensions
• land location and components of the building, including general description
• total finished area
• year built/effective year
• number of storeys and bedrooms
• basement area and outbuildings
  
• Information available in such forms as Property Value Summary (PVS) Reports. Information contained in a PVS for a residential property includes:
  
• the property's address
• year built
• number of bedrooms and bathrooms

Is there a fee charged to access property information that is not confidential?

There may be a fee required to access non-confidential information for non-property owners. For additional information, please refer to the Public Information Fee Schedule.

Please visit the Request a Property Value Summary (PVS) Reports page for detailed information on the request process for Commercial Properties. This includes both single and batch requests.

What property information is confidential?

Confidential property information includes, but is not be limited to:

• property income and expense statements;
• property details required for valuations, which may include actual income, expense and vacancy data;
• third party information that has been used to assist with the assessment of a property and the release of which would concern the third party; and
• information about the physical characteristics of a property which are not required to be disclosed under section 3.1 of the Assessment Act regulation and which would not be apparent to a person viewing the property from a public vantage point.

What if BC Assessment cannot verify the Authorization Form?

If BC Assessment is unable to confirm the signatory listed on either BC Registry or on Corporations Canada, we will ask for the following additional information to complete your request:

• Confirmation that the signing party on the form is the signing authority for corporate owner including that the owner is approving the appointment with this provided statement: “I, [Enter Name], hereby confirm that I have signing authority on behalf of the corporate ownership group to appoint [Enter Name] as our representative in all matters relating to our property assessments in British Columbia."
• Confirmations can be submitted to BC Assessment by either:
• email originating from your corporate client's email domain sent to connect@bcassessment.ca with the subject line “Confirmation of signing authority"
• A letter on company letterhead indicating specific authorized property information

On the Authorization Form, the property owner is asked to specify what type of confidential property information the person may receive. That recipient is entitled to access the specified information free of charge.

Authorizations for property assessment appeal purposes

If you want someone to represent you in your assessment appeal and want to authorize that person to be granted access to your confidential property information, then the same Authorization Form should be submitted. You do not need to authorize someone else to appeal your assessment on your behalf, but only need to authorize the access to receive confidential property information on your behalf. 

How to complete the Authorization Form

Completing this form correctly is the only way to legally enable BC Assessment to share your property's specific confidential information with someone else. Before submitting this form, please note the following:

• All sections of the form must be completed
• The form must be signed
• Incomplete or unsigned forms will not be accepted

Follow these instructions to ensure your form is completed correctly:

A. General Property Information (required section):

1. All properties must include:
   1. the assessment roll number; and
   2. ii. a description of the property (either civic address or legal description, if no civic address exists. A civic address is typically a street address.)​

B.​ Agent Information (required section):

1. All fields required, including email address, phone, and company (if applicable)​
   

C. Owner/Authorized Signatory (if Corporate Owner) Information (required section):

   Owner Identity:

1. Verify the owner on the Authorization Form is consistent for:
   1. Sections C & E ; and​​
      
   2. the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA) records
2. Confirm the signature in Section E is that of the owner as per LTSA records.

   Company Representation:

1. Confirm the signature in Section E is that of the owner, director, or officer of the company as indicated in the corporate registry
2. Attach a company search no older than two weeks from the date of submission
   

D. Delegation by the Owner:

   Third-Party Signing Authority:

1. Verified that the individual listed as either the owner or a company representative in a directing role or an equivalent managerial role, involved in overseeing operations associated with or adjacent to property management, is granting signing authority to a third party by way of a letter containing the required information, or
2. Verified that a lawyer for the listed owner is granting signing authority to a third party by way of a letter containing required information, or
3. Confirmed that the property manager is signing the Authorization Form and that the property management contract has been provided, showing that the property manager has authority to sign on the owner’s behalf.
   

How to submit the Authorization Form?

Who should I contact if I have questions?

If you have questions about the Authorization Form, please contact Administrative Services or call toll-free 1-866-valueBC (1-866-825-8322).