Register, check your status, or finish a missing step
- New application: start at the official Fair PharmaCare page or call 1-800-663-7100. Gather the household information and income figures listed there. MSP enrolment is separate.
- Not sure you’re registered? Check your registration status with the province before applying again.
- Applied but not finished? Return the CRA consent form within 30 days. If it never arrived or you need a replacement, use the province’s coverage and consent links.
Temporary coverage can start when you register online or by phone. It is not a guarantee that your specific prescription will be covered; ask the pharmacy to check the exact product and your share of the cost.
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Source links checked November 2, 2026. Enter health or tax identifiers only through the official service.
How do you apply for Fair PharmaCare?
Use the official provincial registration page or call 1-800-663-7100. Registration is free. Prepare the family information and income details requested, then return the CRA consent form within 30 days. For the 2026 coverage year, the normal two-year income lookback is 2024.
MSP enrolment, starting registration and completing income verification are different steps.
Updated October 29, 2026.
What Fair PharmaCare registration is for
Fair PharmaCare is B.C.'s income-based family drug plan. It can help with eligible prescription medicines, dispensing fees and certain supplies. It is not a promise that every prescription is free. Register first, then check the particular medicine and your family's deductible and maximum. The province's calculation guide explains how those amounts work.
Before you start: a registration checklist
Keep the official form open alongside your information, rather than sending sensitive identifiers through an ordinary email or a directory inquiry.
- Personal Health Numbers for the family members being registered.
- Social Insurance Numbers for the adults whose income must be verified.
- Income-tax details requested by the province. For the 2026 coverage year, the calculation normally uses 2024 income, not 2025 income.
- Any Registered Disability Savings Plan income information the application asks for.
- A mailing address where you can receive and return the consent letter.
Apply, return the consent form, then check completion
- Use the provincial application. Follow the current online instructions or the phone registration route. BCMedicalAccess is not the government registration service.
- Review the submitted details. Keep your registration reference and the date. Note any missing information the province asks you to provide.
- Return the CRA consent. The provincial registration instructions require the consent form to be returned within 30 days. This allows income verification and is not an optional newsletter checkbox.
- Confirm the final status. Keep the confirmation and check the deductible and family maximum. If a letter does not arrive or a deadline is close, contact Health Insurance BC instead of starting duplicate applications.
Temporary coverage is not the end of the application
The province describes temporary coverage when you register online or by phone, based on the information supplied. Full registration still needs the required CRA consent and verification. Ask Health Insurance BC about a missing consent form, an address correction or the status of your registration. Do not assume a pharmacy receipt proves that all registration steps are complete. Read the complete registration conditions.
New to Canada, missing a tax return or dealing with lower income?
Use the official instructions for proof of income when a Canadian tax return is not available; do not guess income figures to get through a form. If family income has fallen by at least 10% over the relevant two-year period, you can ask about an income review. A review may change assistance; it is not automatic approval or a refund guarantee.
What to ask the pharmacy after registering
“Can you check whether this exact prescription is a benefit under my plan, whether approval is needed, and what I would pay today?” Bring the confirmation details requested by the pharmacy. Keep the medicine's price, dispensing fee, insurer payment and remaining amount separate when comparing receipts.
Older adults can also qualify for Fair PharmaCare. Plan B is a separate plan for eligible permanent residents of registered long-term-care facilities, not a general plan that starts at age 65. See the official Plan B rules.
Already applied? Check the missing step before applying again
- Registration: keep the date and reference from the official application.
- Consent: confirm that the mailed CRA consent was signed and returned. Request a replacement through the official program if it is missing.
- Verification: review the confirmation letter and current family deductible and maximum; temporary coverage is not proof that verification is finished.
- The prescription: ask the pharmacist about the exact product's benefit status, any approval requirement and your balance.
If your records or mailing address need correction, contact Health Insurance BC. Do not send SINs, PHNs or tax records through a clinic-directory inquiry or an ordinary BCMedicalAccess email.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fair PharmaCare registration automatic when I get MSP?
No. Use the separate provincial registration process and complete the required consent and verification steps.
Which income year is used in 2026?
Fair PharmaCare normally uses family income from two years earlier, so the 2026 calculation uses 2024 income.
Do I pay to register?
Fair PharmaCare registration is free. The amount you pay at the pharmacy depends on the eligible product, your plan and your family's current coverage calculation.