---
title: Belcarra permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Belcarra, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/belcarra
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Belcarra
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Belcarra permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

**Question:** Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?

**Short answer:** In Belcarra a building permit is needed for most decks, garages and carports. Only an accessory building under 10 m² on a parcel zoned for simple buildings is exempt, if it meets zoning setbacks.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Belcarra, https://belcarra.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer. Permit fees start at $102.  
**How long:** The bylaw does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Hall, 4084 Bedwell Bay Road, Belcarra, BC V3H 4P8 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed statutory holidays).)
- Phone: Village Office, 604-937-4100
- Email: Village Office, belcarra@belcarra.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** An accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² on a parcel zoned for simple buildings is outside the Building Bylaw if it meets zoning lot line setbacks, so a permit is needed for larger ones.
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 14(2)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area less than 10 square metres, a trellis, an arbour, a retaining structure less than 1.22 metres height"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 76(1)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** No height threshold is stated. A permit is needed before constructing, repairing or altering any building or structure (s. 76). Outside the bylaw: accessory buildings under 10 m², trellises, arbours and retaining structures under 1.22 m that meet setbacks; replacing deck membranes.
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), ss. 76(1), 14(2), 14(6)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure" … "an accessory building with a floor area less than 10 square metres, a trellis, an arbour, a retaining structure less than 1.22 metres height"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** Yes, in general. A building permit is needed before constructing a building or structure (s. 76). The only exempt accessory building is one under 10 m² on a parcel zoned for simple buildings that meets lot line setbacks (s. 14(2)).
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), ss. 76(1), 14(2)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure" … "an accessory building with a floor area less than 10 square metres, a trellis, an arbour, a retaining structure less than 1.22 metres height"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** RS-1 zone: accessory buildings together up to 150 m² floor area and 92.9 m² footprint; not nearer the front lot line than the house, except garages and coach houses up to 4 m high (not within 3 m of it). Rear and interior side setbacks 1.5 m, exterior side 3 m. Site coverage 40%.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 302.4(d), 302.6, 302.7](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The maximum Gross Floor Area of all Accessory Buildings on a parcel shall not exceed 150 square metres (1,615 square feet) and the maximum building footprint of all Accessory Buildings on a parcel shall not exceed 92.9 square metres (1,000 square feet)" … "No Accessory Building shall be located nearer to the Front Lot Line than the front wall of the Principal Building, except Garages and Accessory Coach Houses with a maximum height not greater than 4 metres (13 feet) above Average Natural Grade" … "See(b) 1.5 m 3m 1.5 m 3m" … "302.6 Site Coverage a) Maximum 40%"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003; Village of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), title page](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING AND PLUMBING CODE REGULATION BYLAW No. 355, 2003"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 101](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Village of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Belcarra's [Building Bylaw No. 355](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf) requires a permit before constructing, repairing or altering any building or structure (s. 76). The bylaw does not mention sheds, decks, garages or carports by name.

- **Shed or other accessory building:** an accessory building under 10 m² on a parcel zoned for simple buildings is outside the bylaw if it meets zoning lot line setbacks. Larger ones need a permit.
- **Deck:** no height or size threshold is stated. Replacing deck membranes is exempt. A trellis, an arbour or a retaining structure under 1.22 m that meets setbacks is also exempt.
- **Garage or carport:** a permit is needed in general. The only exempt accessory building is one under 10 m².

## Good to know

- In the RS-1 zone, [Zoning Bylaw No. 510](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf) allows accessory buildings up to 150 m² of floor area together and 92.9 m² of footprint, with site coverage of 40%.
- Accessory buildings may not be nearer the front lot line than the house, except garages and coach houses up to 4 m high, which may not be within 3 m of it. Rear and interior side setbacks are 1.5 m; exterior side 3 m.
- No building may be within 7.5 m of the sea or a watercourse.
- The RM-1, RM-2 and RM-3 zones have their own tables. Ask the Building Department, 604-937-4100, which applies to you.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permit Application Package (PDF)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2024/07/Building-Permit-Application-Package-2024.pdf)
- [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permit Application Package 2024 (PDF), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2024/07/Building-Permit-Application-Package-2024.pdf) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Belcarra. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/deck-shed-garage-permit/_