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Barriere permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Barriere?

Barriere, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Barriere a shed or garage needs a District building permit if it is over 20 m² (215 sq. ft.). A sundeck needs one too, unless it is unroofed, beside a one- or two-family home and 600 mm (24 in) or less above the ground. The guide does not mention carports.

Key facts

ShedsA building permit is needed for an accessory building such as a shed or garage greater than 20 m² (215 sq. ft.). Single-storey accessory buildings under 20 m² are outside the building bylaw. A storage container counts as an accessory building and cannot be stacked.Guide to Building Permits and application package; Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, s. 1.3.2.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Construct a new accessory building
such as a garage or storage shed
greater than 20 square metres (215
containers (C-Cans) are considered an accessory building, cannot be stacked,
Single-storey accessory buildings less than 20 m² (215 ft²) in building area;
DecksA sundeck needs a building permit, as does roofing over or enclosing a deck. An unroofed deck beside a one- or two-family home does not if its surface is 600 mm (24 in) or less above the adjacent ground.Guide to Building Permits and application package; Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, s. 1.3.2.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Construct a sundeck;
Enclose a porch or roof over a
Unroofed decks attached to or adjacent to single and two-family
dwellings if the deck surface is 600 mm (24 in) or less above the adjacent ground level.
Garages and carportsA garage is an accessory building: a permit is needed when it is greater than 20 m² (215 sq. ft.). Carports are not mentioned in the guide or the bylaw.Guide to Building Permits and application package · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
such as a garage or storage shed
greater than 20 square metres (215
Zoning limitsAccessory buildings: 65 m² maximum floor area unless the parcel is 4,000 m² or larger; front and exterior side setbacks as for the house. In the R zone: rear setback 1.5 m, height 5 m, lot coverage 25% (40% with community water and wastewater). Storage containers: 3 m high unless peaked roof.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.5 and R zone ss. 6.3 to 6.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
The maximum floor area of an accessory building is 65 square metres except where
the parcel size is 4,000 square metres or greater.
Accessory buildings must meet minimum setback requirements for the principal use
in relation to front and exterior side lot lines
Rear - 6 metres, except in the case of accessory buildings where it shall be 1.5
5 metres for any accessory building.
The maximum height for a storage container used as an accessory
shall be 3 metres, unless provided with a
the maximum lot coverage shall be 40 percent.
BylawBuilding Regulations Bylaw No. 128 (permits); Zoning Bylaw No. 111, s. 3.5 and the zone divisions (limits)Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, title; Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
District of Barriere Building Regulations
3.5 ACCESSORY BUILDINGS AND USES

How it works

Under the District of Barriere's Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, a shed or garage is an accessory building. Single-storey accessory buildings under 20 m² are outside the bylaw, and the District's guide says a permit is needed for one greater than 20 m² (215 sq. ft.). A storage container counts as an accessory building and cannot be stacked.

A sundeck needs a building permit, as does roofing over or enclosing a deck. An unroofed deck beside a one- or two-family home does not need one if its surface is 600 mm (24 in) or less above the adjacent ground. Additions to an existing building need a permit. Carports are not mentioned in the guide or the bylaw, so ask the Building Inspector.

Steps

  1. Check your zone and the zoning limits below with the District Office.
  2. Call the Building Inspector (250-214-3508) to confirm whether your building needs a permit.
  3. If it does, follow the steps in the building-permit answer.

Good to know

  • Zoning rules apply even to buildings that need no permit. Under Zoning Bylaw No. 111, an accessory building may be up to 65 m² unless the parcel is 4,000 m² or larger, with front and exterior side setbacks as for the house.
  • In the R zone, the rear setback is 1.5 m, the height limit is 5 m, and lot coverage is 25% (40% with community water and wastewater). SH and CR zones also have 25% lot coverage and a 1.5 m rear setback for accessory buildings. Storage containers are limited to 3 m high unless they have a peaked roof.
  • An accessory building may not be built before the principal building.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Sun Peaks · Chase · Clearwater · Kamloops · Sicamous · Cache Creek

Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Guide to Building Permits and application package, District of Barriere (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258) (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.