1. When is the annual registration fee renewal period?
Registration fees are paid between early November and January 15th. BCIA Bylaws require that annual renewal fee payments be received no later than January 15, 2025.
2. What are the 2025 Annual Registration fees? Is there PST or GST added?
The Board approved the current fee structure for registrants and on leave categories on September 21, 2024. All fees are non-refundable. No PST or GST is applied.
- Practicing Registrants - PAg and TAg $700.00; LLAg - $700.00; AAg and ATAg - $640.00
- Non-Practicing Registrants - On Leave, all categories $125.00; PAg(Ret) $50.00
- Others - Student $0.00; PAg(Ret 75+) $0.00
3. I am a practicing registrant or on leave, why have my fees increased?
Renewal fees for practicing registrants and those on leave have increased by $100.00 and $50.00 respectively. For further details, please reference the CEO/Registrar Message - BCIA Board Approves 2025 Registrant Fee Increase
4. What is the Late PD Filing Fee?
The Board approved a late PD filing fee for registrants on February 3, 2021. This $75.00 fee is enforced and applied if a PD Report is not finalized by January 15th. All 2024 PD activities are to be claimed plus the Practice Area(s) for 2024 must be declared to be considered a finalized PD Report.
Those registrants with '0' PDH as of January 16th, the fee will be applied to:
- Practicing Registrants - $75.00
- Non-Practicing Registrants - On Leave, all categories - $75.00
- Students and retirees - PD Report is not required
5. Will I get an invoice?
An announcement/reminder will be sent via email with access to the invoice available in the BCIA profile at www.bcia.com > log-in > Invoices & Receipts. You will receive a "reminder" email of fees prior to the start of the renewal period and several more after that up to January 15th.
6. What are my payment options?
Credit Card (VISA or MASTERCARD) or Debit/Credit (VISA DEBIT or DEBIT MASTERCARD). Log in to your BCIA account > profile at www.bcia.com. Go to Invoices & Receipts then click on the 2025 invoice. Scroll down to see if there are green button(s) to satisfy. Follow the instructions to complete the payment process.
Cheque. Payable to the BC Institute of Agrologists (BCIA). Include your name and registration number on the cheque if someone else is paying on your behalf. Cheques may be post-dated up to January 15th.
BCIA will not process phone-in or cheque payments until all declarations and the PD Report are complete. Ensure that your claimed annual and three-year reporting PD hours are accurate and complete, including your declared Practice.
Retirees are only required to complete a status declaration.
7. Will I receive a receipt?
Online payments generate an immediate automated email processing receipt. Official BCIA receipts are available online in the BCIA profile under 'Invoices & Receipts,' of which can be downloaded.
8. What if I did not receive an invoice?
Check your BCIA profile under 'Invoices & Receipts'. If the 2025 invoice is missing, contact the BCIA office before January 15th, to ensure an invoice is generated. This will avoid a late fee.
9. What if my status has changed and I am no longer practicing agrology in BC?
If you are no longer practicing agrology, your registration status will change. Complete a change of status form found online, which includes a declaration stating that you are not working in agrology in any capacity. This form ensures your current situation is accurate in the database and are taken out of the annual PD Audit pool while on leave.
10. What are my Professional Development obligations as a BCIA Registrant?
Recorded professional development (PD) will demonstrate continuing competence. PD reporting allows registrants to record activities under the categories. The PD Guidelines provide registrants with more detailed information on reporting PD and the minimum of PDH with equivalents. Practicing registrants (PAg/TAg & AAg/ATAg & LLAg) are required to complete and accurately report a minimum of 125 PDH over three years (ending with the current reporting year) with no less than 30 PDH annually. On-leave registrants must complete and accurately report PD hours at a minimum of 50% of the annual PDH requirement, and the reduction is only during the time on leave. On-leave registrants must also declare their Practice Area(s) annually. If accepted mid-year, the PD hours are pro-rated; the required minimums are waived for the first year only.
11. Is there a late fee if I don't report my professional development activities on time?
As mentioned under item 3, a late PD filing fee may be applied for a PD report not received by January 15th. Under the direction of the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance, all registrants must be compliant with entering a complete and accurate report AND meet the required annual and three-year reporting PD hour minimums. The January 15th deadline allows a two-week grace period to submit reporting year claims occurring between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year.
12. Can anyone else pay my annual renewal fees?
Yes, third parties such as your employer can pay on your behalf. Payment can be made by credit card or by cheque. Make sure your name and registration number are indicated in the payment for tracking purposes. Your mandatory items such as the relevant declarations, and PD report for the reporting year must be completed and claimed accurately before processing your payment.
13. Is there a late fee if I don't pay on time?
BCIA commits time and money to pursue late renewals. We do this partially as a service to registrants and ensure that anyone practicing is registered as is required currently under the Agrologists Regulation, associated with the Professional Governance Act. Accordingly, a late fee will be added if the annual registration payment is not received by January 15th. This is so that other registrants do not disproportionally bear the costs of those that are late with their payments. The late fee may be reconsidered if a circumstance occurs that is beyond your control and makes timely payment impossible, e.g. a personal medical emergency.
14. What will happen if my annual renewal fees are not paid on time?
Your renewal fee will be considered late, and a late fee of $150.00 ($50.00 for on leave) will be added effective January 15th. If the renewal fee and late fee(s) have not been received by March 1st, your registration will be deemed to have been forfeited, and your registration will be discontinued on March 1st. We initially assume that you did not pay your fees because you are not using the title and practicing agrology in BC. Suppose we cannot reach you with your current email contact in the database. In that case, your name will be removed from the register of active registrants and placed on the 'Former Registrants' listing for up to 10 years, as per directives relating to the Professional Governance Act.
15. Can I pay my annual renewal fees in installments?
The ability to pay the annual renewal fee by instalments is not available at this time.
16. What if I just let my registration lapse? Can I renew some other time?
If you are practicing agrology and wish to use the professional designation, you must remain registered; otherwise, you are practicing illegally and may be subject to legal action. If you allow your registration to lapse and no notice is given to the BCIA office indicating your intentions with registration, your name will be removed from the Register and a letter will be sent with instructions on how to reinstate the registration with appropriate timelines and associated penalties.
17. What do I need to do to become reinstated?
The reinstatement process includes an application via a request form, payment of annual fees for the year that you left BCIA, including a late penalty and a reinstatement fee. If applicable, the annual fees for the returning year will be also added to the total fees. One may reinstate within three years from the date of leaving.
18. How does BCIA protect online renewal information, including credit cards?
BCIA uses a secure, well-known platform to accept and process online payments. The third-party company provides payment, risk management, and authentication solutions to BCIA and some of North America's leading companies and institutions. Financial data transmitted through the payment site is encrypted through an SSL certification process that keeps your credit card and payment information secure.
19. What are the fees for?
Agrology is a regulated profession in BC and all other Canadian provinces. BCIA is the organization that regulates the profession in BC. Professional self-regulation replaces direct governmental regulation and is overseen by the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance, under the Ministry of the Attorney General. The cost of regulation is paid by the registrants of the profession, not by public taxation (the Canada Revenue Agency does recognize your professional fees, read below).
Registration fees are paid to the BC Institute of Agrologists to support meeting the requirements of the Professional Governance Act.
20. Are my fees tax deductible?
The Canada Revenue Agency recognizes professional registration fees required to keep a professional status recognized by law that you paid or for you as tax-deductible if related to the work you do (for complete details, consult the Canada Revenue Agency website: www.cra-arc.gc.ca).
21. What are the benefits of being a BCIA registrant?
By an Order in Council dated September 13, 2021, the government of BC granted practice rights to the profession of agrology within the province.
Those rights, which become enforceable on September 1, 2022, ensure that certain agrology services can only be provided by registrants of BCIA or by a registrant of other professions that have reached an agreement with BCIA concerning overlapping jurisdiction.
Anyone practicing agrology as defined in the Agrologists Regulation must be registered with the BC Institute of Agrologists.
BCIA has consistently maintained that to achieve the primary objective of the Professional Governance Act of protecting the public interest, all agrology professionals must be qualified, competent and accountable through regulated practice.
Please renew your BCIA registration to retain your professional title, demonstrate your commitment to the people of British Columbia and uphold competence and accountability.
22. I am a new registrant in 2024. Do I have to meet the required minimum 30 PDHs per year?
If you are a new registrant joining BCIA mid-year in 2024, the required minimum of 30 PDHs per year is waived in the first year but there has to be a minimum of one claim in the PD Report to progress to the payment area within the invoice.
23. I still have questions:
Please direct your questions to:
- Payment system login difficulties: admin@bcia.com.
- Fee renewals and invoicing: admin@bcia.com
- Submitting a PD Report: PD@bcia.com
- Registration status updates: laurena.olsen@bcia.com
- Compliance with PGA: jennifer.lawrence@bcia.com
Please allow up to 1-7 business days for a response