---
title: Armstrong secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/armstrong
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Armstrong
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Armstrong secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

**Short answer:** In the City of Armstrong, a new secondary suite needs a building permit, and the zoning must allow it. Zoning Bylaw 1921, 2024 lists no separate suite use; a suite counts as a dwelling unit under the unit limits for each zone (3 or 4 per lot in R.1 and R.2). Confirm with Planning.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Armstrong, https://www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca)  
**Cost:** Building permit fees apply (see the building permit fees answer). The Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw lists a sewer user fee for a secondary suite at 50% of the residential rate.  
**Where:**
- Email: Manager of Planning Services, planner@cityofarmstrong.bc.ca
- Email: Building Official, inspector@cityofarmstrong.bc.ca
- Phone: City Hall, 250-546-3023

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** No zone lists 'secondary suite' as its own use; it is defined as a dwelling unit inside another dwelling unit. R.1 and R.2 allow Dwelling Units: 3 per lot under 280 m², 4 above. CR.1 allows 2, and under 1 ha without City sewer 1 principal plus 1 suite. Confirm with the City.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), s. 9.1.2, 9.1.3(c), 2](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained, dwelling unit located within, and subordinate to," … "Dwelling Units, maximum per lot 3 units on parcels under 280m2." … "4 units for parcels greater than 280m2." … "Dwelling Units, maximum per lot" … "2 (1 principal and 1" … "secondary suite within the"
  - Source: [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021), Info sheet (Jan 2021)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856)
  - Official wording: "Confirm the zoning of your" … "property allows for secondary"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Zoning Bylaw 1921 has no coach house or garden suite use. R.1 and R.2 allow 3 or 4 dwelling units per lot and up to 2 accessory buildings, and an accessory building may be a dwelling only if it is a permitted Dwelling Unit. Confirm with Planning.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), s. 9.1.3(c), (e)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "Dwelling Units, maximum per lot 3 units on parcels under 280m2." … "Accessory buildings and structures, maximum per lot 2" … "An accessory building or structure shall not be used as a dwelling, unless" … "it is a permitted Dwelling Unit." … "Accessory buildings and structures, maximum per lot"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Zoning: R.1 and R.2 allow 3 dwelling units per lot under 280 m² and 4 above; CR.1 allows 2. A suite counts as a dwelling unit. No suite size or owner-occupancy rule found. The older 2021 info sheet says 1 suite per dwelling, no strata subdivision. (Sources differ: The info sheet (Jan 2021, before the 2024 zoning bylaw) says one suite per dwelling; Zoning Bylaw 1921 allows 3 or 4 dwelling units per lot in R.1. Zoning bylaw followed for density.)
  - Source: [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021), Info sheet (Jan 2021)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856)
  - Official wording: "Not more than 1 secondary suite" … "is within the dwelling" … "The building with the secondary" … "suite will not be subdivided" … "pursuant to the Strata Properties"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), s. 9.1.3(c)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "Dwelling Units, maximum per lot 3 units on parcels under 280m2." … "4 units for parcels greater than 280m2." … "Dwelling Units, maximum per lot" … "4 units for parcels greater" … "Dwelling Unit, maximum per lot 2 units"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** Zoning Table 6.1: 1 space per 1-bedroom dwelling unit, 1.5 per 2-bedroom, 2 per unit with 3 or more bedrooms; fractions in the total are rounded up. The 2021 info sheet says 1 off-street space for a 1-bedroom suite and 2 for 2 or more bedrooms.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), Table 6.1; s. 6.3.3(b)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "1 per 1-bedroom dwelling unit" … "1.5 per 2-bedroom dwelling unit" … "2 per 3-or-more bedroom dwelling unit" … "the required number of spaces shall be the next highest whole number" … "number, the required number of spaces shall be the next highest whole"
  - Source: [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021), Info sheet (Jan 2021)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856)
  - Official wording: "with 1 bedroom requires 1 off-" … "more bedrooms requires 2 off-"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** A building permit is required to construct a new secondary or accessory suite. The 2021 info sheet adds an inspection by the Building Inspector (fee applies), a yearly business licence with an owner declaration, and higher utility fees.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1903, 2022, s. 7.1(q)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/164102)
  - Official wording: "constructing a new secondary or accessory suite;"
  - Source: [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021), Info sheet (Jan 2021)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856)
  - Official wording: "An inspection fee will apply." … "A business license with a" … "reduced fee is required if your" … "The sewer fixed fee, water fixed"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024; Building Bylaw No. 1903, 2022
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), s. 1.1.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be referred to as “Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024”."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1903, 2022, s. 1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/164102)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as “City of Armstrong Building Bylaw No. 1903, 2022”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under [Zoning Bylaw 1921, 2024](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358), no zone lists "secondary suite" as its own use. A suite is a dwelling unit inside another dwelling unit, so it counts toward the limit on dwelling units per lot. R.1 and R.2 allow 3 dwelling units on a lot under 280 m² and 4 on a larger lot. CR.1 allows 2, and a lot under 1 ha without City sewer may have 1 principal dwelling plus 1 suite.

The bylaw has no coach house or garden suite use. An accessory building may be a dwelling only if it is a permitted dwelling unit. A new secondary or accessory suite needs a building permit under [Building Bylaw 1903](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/164102).

## Steps

1. Ask Planning whether your zone and lot allow the suite or carriage house, and whether a development permit is needed.
2. Contact the Building Official about Building Code requirements.
3. Apply for a building permit (see the building permit answer).
4. Arrange the required inspections.

## Good to know

- Parking: Zoning Table 6.1 requires 1 space per 1-bedroom dwelling unit, 1.5 per 2-bedroom unit and 2 per unit with 3 or more bedrooms. Fractions in the total are rounded up. The bylaw does not say whether suite spaces are in addition to the main house's.
- The City's 2021 suite info sheet and 2023 building guide predate the 2024 zoning bylaw. The info sheet says one suite per dwelling, no strata subdivision, 1 space for a 1-bedroom suite and 2 for larger suites, plus an inspection (fee applies), a yearly business licence with an owner declaration and higher utility fees. Zoning Bylaw 1921 is followed here; confirm with the City.
- No suite size or owner-occupancy rule was found.
- The Regional District of North Okanagan offers pre-approved secondary dwelling designs.

## Official forms and pages

- [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021) (PDF)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856)
- [RDNO pre-approved secondary dwelling designs](https://www.rdno.ca/purchaseplans)
- [Zoning Bylaw 1921, 2024 (PDF)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358)

## Related questions

- [Armstrong building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/building-permit.md)
- [Armstrong zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Armstrong building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/building-permit-fees.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/secondary-suite.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/secondary-suite.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/secondary-suite.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/secondary-suite.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/secondary-suite.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1921, 2024 (PDF, consolidated to Bylaw 1928, 2024), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/181358) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1903, 2022 (PDF), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/164102) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Secondary Suite Info Sheet and Checklist (updated Jan 11, 2021), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165856) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1916, 2023 (PDF, consolidated), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/172744) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Housing Catalogues, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/purchaseplans) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Armstrong. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/secondary-suite/_