Secondary Suite Permit

A permit is required for the construction of a new suite or upgrade of an existing suite. There is a lot of information to be aware of when considering constructing or upgrading a suite; you may find many of your questions can be answered in our extensive Secondary Suite Guide. Further information relating to new construction can also be found in the Residential Construction Guide.

• Secondary Suite Guide (PDF)
• Residential Construction Guide (PDF)

The comprehensive 'Secondary Suite Guide' is in the process of being updated to reflect the 2019-DEC-12 changes to the British Columbia Building Code (BCBC). The following documents have been created to assist you in determining the BCBC requirements for your secondary suite and should be read in conjunction with the information in the Secondary Suite Guide.

• Secondary Suite - Building Code and Zoning Requirements
• Secondary Suites in Existing Dwellings

If you have an existing suite in your home and are unsure whether it is legal/authorized or not, please contact our office and we can let you know if the suite was constructed under a building permit. Please note:

• Only one suite is allowed per dwelling (e.g., if you have a suite in your basement, a carriage house is not allowed)
• Utility charges for a suite does not mean a suite is legal. Only a suite created under a building permit is considered legal (or authorized)

Required information

Applications must include the following:

• Building Permit Application
• Appointment of Agent - if you are not the registered owner

And drawings similar to:

• Secondary Suite Example Plans (PDF)
  • Note if window locations are being added or changed, then an elevation drawing showing the new window locations is also required.

Carriage House Permit

Please refer to our Carriage House page.

Related Information

• Installation Guide for Suite/Main Dwelling Alarms (PDF)
• Typical Fire/Sound Separation (PDF)
• Notice On Title (PDF)
• Secondary Suites Building Code Requirements (PDF)
• Secondary Suite Removal Requirements (PDF)