On 13 October 2026 the Mortgage Services Act replaces the Mortgage Brokers Act in British Columbia. Registration becomes licensing, the designated individual becomes the principal broker, and every licensee operates in defined categories of dealing, trading or administering mortgages. If you are thinking about switching brokerages this fall, the move sits right on top of that change, and the timing matters more than usual.
First, the transition education
Existing registrants had until 22 September 2026 to complete BCFSA's mandatory transition education so their registration carries into a licence. If that is not done, it is the first thing to fix, before any conversation about a new brokerage. A broker who arrives at a new brokerage without it has a bigger problem than a pending transfer.
What actually changes for a switch
- You transfer as a licensee, not a registrant. After 13 October your licence, and its categories, move with you. Confirm the new brokerage is licensed for the categories you work in.
- The principal broker signs for you. Under the MSA the principal broker carries regulatory responsibility for everyone at the brokerage. Ask who that person is at the brokerage you are joining and how compliance actually runs day to day.
- Files in flight still need a home. Nothing in the Act changes the practical rule: agree in writing with both brokerages how live files are handled before you give notice.
Timing it
There is no rule that says do not move in October. There is a practical rule that says do not move in the same week you are finishing transition education, or with a file funding on the fourteenth. Brokers who move cleanly do three things: finish the education, give notice with a written file handling agreement, and let the receiving brokerage run the transfer with BCFSA so the licence never sits in limbo.
What we tell brokers moving to A.I.M.I. Collective
We onboard licensed brokers only, and our compliance team runs the transfer. Read our guide on switching brokerages: the mechanics and our explainer on what changes for BC brokers on 13 October 2026, then book a call with your maturity list in hand. Current as of 10 September 2026; BCFSA publishes the transition rules at bcfsa.ca.
Two questions brokers ask most before a move: what happens to my clients if I leave, and can I take my client database with me.