{"id":2432,"date":"2026-11-12T06:22:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T06:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/missed-wills-variation-deadline-bc\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T06:22:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T06:22:12","slug":"missed-wills-variation-deadline-bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/missed-wills-variation-deadline-bc\/","title":{"rendered":"Missed the 180-day wills variation deadline? What’s still possible in BC"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 11, 2026<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 11, 2026: the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (ss. 61, 121) and the court decisions cited below checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The deadline:<\/strong> a wills variation claim must be started within 180 days of the date the grant is issued, and served on the executor within 30 days after that (WESA s. 61).<\/p>\n

No extensions:<\/strong> WESA gives the court no power to extend the 180 days.<\/p>\n

Still possible:<\/strong> another person’s claim, estoppel, a grant revoked for lack of notice, or other claims that have their own limits.<\/p>\n

Narrow exceptions<\/a> \u00b7 Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who handle these estate files<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and practises probate, estate litigation and immigration. He has represented clients in the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia, from chambers applications to contested trials.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is a probate, estates and immigration lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

The 180-day limit for a wills variation claim is one of the strictest deadlines in BC estate law. It runs from the date the grant of probate (or administration with will annexed) is issued, not from the date of death or the date you learned about the will, and WESA has no provision letting the court extend it. If you’re past it, the usual route to vary the will is likely closed. But it isn’t always the end. If another spouse or child started a claim in time, that claim generally counts for everyone. If the executor or beneficiaries led you to believe you’d be looked after, or that the dispute would be resolved another way, a court may stop them relying on the deadline. If you were never given the required notice of the probate application, the grant may be revoked, which can restart the clock. And other claims, such as a challenge to the will’s validity, a resulting trust over a jointly held asset, or a claim for unpaid care, aren’t governed by the 180 days.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, a probate and estate litigation law firm with offices in Surrey<\/a>, Abbotsford<\/a> and Vancouver, BC, reviews late and time-sensitive estate claims; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.<\/p>\n

How the 180 days are counted<\/h2>\n