Schedule B and Letters of Assurance in BC: What Contractors and Designers Need to Know

Negin Amani
3 hours ago
3 min read

Letters of Assurance are central to professional responsibility under the BC Building Code. For contractors and designers, understanding when Schedule B is required helps avoid permit delays, unclear scope, and construction beginning before the required assurances are in place.

For most of British Columbia, the current framework is the BC Building Code 2024 (BCBC 2024). Projects in the City of Vancouver follow the Vancouver Building By-law 2025 (VBBL 2025), which includes additional circumstances requiring registered professionals and Letters of Assurance.

Two overlapping British Columbia Building Code 2018 Schedule B forms on a light wood desk, with printed lines and headings. — by **Mark Budd**

Purpose of Letters of Assurance in BC

Letters of Assurance are legal accountability documents under Division C of the Building Code. They identify the registered professionals responsible for design and field review and document the assurances required at different project stages.

The four main forms are:

Schedule A — Confirms the owner has retained a Coordinating Registered Professional.
Schedule B — Confirms an RPR’s responsibility for specified design components and commitment to field review.
Schedule C-A — Confirms the CRP fulfilled the obligations under Schedule A.
Schedule C-B — Confirms the RPR fulfilled the obligations under Schedule B.

Schedule B Requirements in BC

BCBC 2024 requires Letters of Assurance for all Part 3 buildings and for certain Part 9 buildings or components. For Part 9 projects, this can include structural components outside Part 9, qualifying geotechnical conditions, NFPA 13 sprinkler systems, and NFPA 14 standpipe systems.

A house, renovation, or small commercial project in Surrey or Kelowna is therefore not automatically subject to Schedule B. The applicable Code provisions and professional scope must be reviewed for the project.

Who Signs a Schedule B

Schedule B is signed and sealed by the Registered Professional of Record responsible for the applicable discipline. Responsibility rests with the individual professional rather than simply the engineering or architectural firm.

For structural work, the structural RPR identifies the items for which responsibility is accepted. At Parsways Inc., defining this scope early helps contractors and designers understand which structural components are covered by the engineer’s Schedule B.

What a Schedule B Confirms

Schedule B is titled “Assurance of Professional Design and Commitment for Field Review.” It is more than confirmation that drawings were stamped.

By signing it, the RPR confirms that the design substantially complies with the applicable Building Code and safety enactments and commits to required field reviews within the identified discipline.

Structural design must still follow BCBC 2024 and its referenced standards, including CSA O86 for wood, CSA S16 for steel, CSA A23.3 for concrete, and CSA S304 for masonry where applicable.

Timing of Schedule B Submission

Schedule B must be submitted to the authority having jurisdiction before construction begins on the components identified in that Schedule. Where building permits are required, Schedule Bs are generally collected as part of the permit process.

Contractors should confirm that required professional documents are in place before proceeding. A sealed drawing alone should not be assumed to satisfy every Letter of Assurance requirement.

Schedule B for Renovations and Tenant Improvements

Letters of Assurance do not automatically apply to every simple alteration or tenant improvement. They are required where the work falls within the professional design and review provisions of Division C.

Triggers may include structural work outside Part 9, significant changes affecting Part 3 buildings, or other components requiring a registered professional. This distinction is relevant to renovation work in Burnaby, Victoria, and other BC municipalities.

Local Permit Coordination Across British Columbia

Local authorities administer permits and may have different submission procedures for professional documents. Vancouver follows VBBL 2025, while most other BC municipalities apply BCBC 2024.

The Building Code determines when Letters of Assurance are required, while the local authority administers the permit process and submission requirements.

Conclusion

Schedule B establishes professional responsibility for applicable design and field review in British Columbia. Contractors and designers should identify Letter of Assurance requirements early so permit documents, professional scope, and construction sequencing remain coordinated.

At Parsways Inc., we provide structural engineering and Schedule B support for applicable BC projects, coordinating structural scope, sealed design documents, and professional assurance requirements with the BC Building Code and the relevant authority having jurisdiction.