If you are not eligible to transfer to BC from a Canadian jurisdiction whose regulatory body is a signatory to the National Mobility Agreement or Territorial Mobility Agreement, you are still eligible to transfer to BC, but you may have to write a transfer examination.
Examination requirements for transfer
Examinations must be passed within 12 months after approval of your transfer application, and at least 30 days before your intended call and admission date (Law Society Rule 2-79(5) and (6)).
You must be called to the BC Bar within a calendar year from the time the examinations were passed unless you are called within the last four months of the year.
Transfer examination details
- Each examination is three hours long.
- Examinations contain mostly short answer questions with some multiple choice.
- Examinations are open book. You may bring the PLTC Practice Material, additional statutes, the Member's Manual, your own notes and any additional statutes.
- The passing mark is 60 per cent.
The subject areas covered and the assigned corresponding marks for each are as follows:
| Barrister | Solicitor | ||
| Practice Management | 10 marks | Practice Management | 10 marks |
| Civil | 30 marks | Business | 30 marks |
| Criminal Procedure | 30 marks | Real Estate | 30 marks |
| Family | 30 marks | Wills | 30 marks |
| Ethics and Introduction to Indigenous Law | included throughout | Ethics and Introduction to Indigenous Law | included throughout |
Where and when to write
Once your transfer application is approved, you may make arrangements to write the applicable examination at:
- the Law Society of BC office in Vancouver;
- another provincial law society office. You must contact that office to schedule your examinations. Notify the Law Society of BC at least three weeks prior to your first examination; or
- a Bencher's office.
You must make arrangements to schedule your examinations. Notify the Law Society of BC at least three weeks prior to your first examination.
The Solicitor and Barrister Exams of the transfer examination must be written within two weeks of each other.
PLTC Practice Material
The PLTC Practice Material summarizes practice and procedure in core areas of practice in BC. Access the current online version of the Practice Material by selecting the practice subjects below.
Barristers
Solicitors
- Business: Commercial
- Business: Company
- Real Estate
- Wills
Practice
- Professionalism: Ethics
- Professionalism: Practice Management
- Introduction to Indigenous Law
Disclaimer
The main purpose of the Professional Legal Training Course Practice Material is to assist articled students in developing entry-level competence.
While the Professional Legal Training Course staff and volunteer contributors take care to ensure the accuracy of the contents of the Practice Material, the Law Society of BC, the Professional Legal Training Course, the Law Foundation, and volunteer contributors make no warranties as to the accuracy of the information contained on the website version of the Practice Material. Furthermore, all users of this material use it understanding that they must still conduct their own original legal research, analysis and drafting, and refer to the relevant legislation, case law, administrative guidelines, rules and other primary sources.
The Law Society of BC, the Professional Legal Training Course, the Law Foundation, and volunteer contributors specifically disclaim any liability for any loss or damage any user may suffer as a result of information contained on this website version of the Practice Material.
While the information contained in the Practice Material is about legal issues, it is not legal advice. All non-legal professionals are urged to seek legal advice from a lawyer.
Failing transfer examinations
If you fail one or both transfer examinations on the first attempt, you may rewrite the failed examination or examinations at any time. If unsuccessful on the second attempt, you must wait one year before re-writing both examinations, unless the Credentials Committee grants permission (Rule 2-79(7)(c)).
You may review your failed examination at the offices of the Law Society or, with permission, the office of a Bencher of the Law Society. Re-reads of a failed examination are available on written request and payment of a fee.