Exemption Information for Former Public Office Holders

What you need to know if you plan to apply for an exemption

If you are subject to the two-year lobbying prohibition for former public office holders, you can apply for an exemption by filling out the online "Request for Exemption" form.

You must state the reason(s) on this form why you should be exempt from the prohibition. Each individual will also be responsible for supplying any information to the ORL that will assist the Registrar in determining whether granting an exemption would be "in the public interest."

During the exemption review process, staff at the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists (ORL) will gather and analyze information to determine if there are sufficient grounds to grant you an exemption from the two-year lob­bying prohibition.

Here are the relevant steps:

1. Once you have submitted the form, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
2. An ORL investigator will analyze the information and prepare an Exemption Review Report for the Registrar for his decision.
3. The Registrar will inform each applicant in writing of the decision and the reason(s) supporting the decision.
4. If the Registrar grants an exemption, he will enter the terms or condition of the exemption and the reasons for the exemption into the Lobbyists Registry.
5. We will also post this information on our website (lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca).
6. The Registrar will issue a binding decision based on the application. The decision will be posted on the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists website. 

For more information, check out our additional resources on the exemption review process:

Guidance Document: Exemption process for former public office holders