Proper Invoice Requirements in British Columbia
Under the Construction Prompt Payment Act, SBC 2025, c. 24
A proper invoice is the single document that starts the British Columbia payment clock under the Construction Prompt Payment Act (SBC 2025, c. 24). Get it right and every downstream deadline is anchored and defensible; get it wrong and a payer can argue the clock never started.
In British Columbia, if the payer does not flag a defect within 7 days (BC CPPA s. 7(2) (enacted, not in force)), the invoice is deemed a proper invoice and the payment clock runs from receipt.
British Columbia proper invoice deadlines
The statutory clocks for this topic in British Columbia, with section citations.
| Clock | Value | Statute |
|---|---|---|
Deemed-proper review window If the payer does not flag a defect in the invoice, it is deemed a proper invoice. BC CPPA Section 7 | 7 days | BC CPPA Section 7 |
What a proper invoice must contain
British Columbia proper invoices identify the contractor and the payer, describe the work or materials supplied, state the amount payable and the period covered, give the contract or project reference, and set out the payment terms. Any additional content the contract requires must also be present.
Tiercord validates each invoice against these requirements in real time and generates a PDF whose footer carries a SHA-256 verification hash and QR code, so the recipient can confirm it has not been altered.
The 7-day deemed-proper window
British Columbia is a deeming province. If the payer wants to reject an invoice as not proper, it has 7 days (BC CPPA s. 7(2) (enacted, not in force)) to say so. Stay silent past that window and the invoice is treated as proper, which starts the 28-day owner-payment clock whether or not anyone reviewed it.
Why the receipt date anchors every BC clock
Every British Columbia prompt-payment deadline is measured from the date the proper invoice is received, not the date it is dated or sent. Recording and preserving that receipt date determines when the owner must pay and when every downstream clock expires.
A note on status
British Columbia's Act is not yet in force (commencement by regulation, s. 59), so Tiercord computes these clocks from the Act as passed and flags each one as pending proclamation; the regulations that follow may add prescribed forms and manner-of-giving rules, and Tiercord will adopt them the day they issue.
Proper invoice in British Columbia: FAQ
Does British Columbia deem an invoice proper if the payer stays silent?
Yes. If the payer does not raise a defect within 7 days (BC CPPA s. 7(2) (enacted, not in force)), the invoice is deemed a proper invoice.
When does the payment clock start in British Columbia?
On the date a proper invoice is received (BC CPPA s. 9(1)(a) (enacted, not in force)). If the invoice is missing required information it may not qualify, and the clock may not start until the defect is cured.
See the full British Columbia guide
Every deadline, notice and adjudication rule in one place.