{"title":"Bowen Island permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Bowen Island Municipality","url":"https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca"},"short_answer":"On Bowen Island you need a building permit for an accessory building over 10 m² (about 108 ft²) and for a deck more than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above grade. Smaller sheds and low decks need no building permit but must still follow the Land Use Bylaw.","aliases":["shed permit bowen island","deck permit bowen island","garage permit bowen island","carport permit bowen island"],"cost":"Building permit application fee is the greater of $150 or 0.25% of the value of work. See the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"The Municipality gives two to three months as the current processing time for complete building permit applications.","where":[{"type":"email","label":"Building Department","value":"building@bimbc.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"604-947-4255 ext. 1"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning Department","value":"604-947-4255 ext. 6"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Offices (in the Community Centre)","value":"580 Bowen Island Trunk Road, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays)"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF)","url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF)","url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/"},{"title":"Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF)","url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Bowen Island building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Bowen Island building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Bowen Island fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Bowen Island zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vancouver","name":"Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"topic":{"title":"Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},"facts":{"shed":{"label":"Sheds","value":"A building permit is needed for an accessory building greater than 10 m² (about 108 ft²); the Building Bylaw exempts those with a floor area of less than 10 m². At exactly 10 m² the bylaw and the guide differ, so ask the Building Department. Small buildings must still follow the Land Use Bylaw.","short":"Yes, if greater than 10 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/","title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality","section":"Application guide, p. 1-2","quotes":["Building an accessory building greater","An accessory building not more than","The above exemptions must still comply with the Land Use Bylaw"]},{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025)","section":"s. 3.3(b)","quotes":["an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":"A building permit is needed for a deck more than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above grade. Decks or patios less than 0.6 m above grade do not need one.","short":"Yes, if more than 0.6 m above grade","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/","title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality","section":"Application guide, p. 1","quotes":["Building a deck more than 0.6m (2ft)","Decks or patios that are less than","0.6m (approx 2ft) above grade"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_published","note":"The permit guide does not say whether a garage or carport counts as an accessory building.","sources":[]},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Total floor area of all buildings accessory to a dwelling is capped by lot area: up to 0.4 ha, 160 m²; over 0.4 ha to under 4 ha, 4.0% of lot area to a maximum of 400 m²; 4 ha and over, 4.0% to a maximum of 1,000 m². Other limits (height, setbacks, lot coverage, number of accessory buildings) depend on the zone; in RR1 to RR3, height is 9 m and setback from all lot lines is 7.5 m.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/","title":"Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)","section":"s. 3.13, Table 3-1","quotes":["Up to 0.4 ha.","160 square metres","4.0% of lot area to a maximum of 400 square metres","4.0% of lot area to a maximum of 1,000 square metres"]},{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/","title":"Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)","section":"s. 4.1.2 (RR 1, RR 2, RR 3)","quotes":["Maximum height of a permitted building or structure","Minimum setback from all lot lines (metres)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019; Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025)","section":"Title page","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 489, 2019"]},{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/","title":"Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)","section":"Title page","quotes":["Land Use Bylaw (Consolidated November 2025)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nBowen Island Municipality's [permit application guide](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/) says a building permit is needed for an accessory building greater than 10 m² (about 108 ft²) and for a deck more than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above grade. Decks or patios less than 0.6 m above grade do not need one. The [Building Bylaw](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/) (s. 3.3) exempts an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres. Exempt structures must still follow the [Land Use Bylaw](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/).\n\nThe guide does not say whether a garage or carport is an accessory building, and the Building Bylaw does not treat them as a separate permit category. Ask the Building Department.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Measure the floor area and, for a deck, the height above grade.\n2. If a permit is needed, follow the building-permit answer: email a complete PDF application to building@bimbc.ca.\n3. Check the zone limits below with Planning (604-947-4255 ext. 6) before you build.\n4. A deck needing a permit also has its guardrails inspected.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- At exactly 10 m², the guide (\"not more than 10 m²\") and the bylaw (\"less than 10 square metres\") differ, so ask the Building Department.\n- The Land Use Bylaw (s. 3.31) lets a small accessory building (maximum 2.5 m high, with a 10 m² footprint and floor area) sit 0 m from a lot line, subject to setbacks from water and highways.\n- The total floor area of all buildings accessory to a dwelling is capped by lot area: up to 0.4 ha, 160 m²; over 0.4 ha to under 4 ha, 4.0% of lot area to a maximum of 400 m²; 4 ha and over, 4.0% to a maximum of 1,000 m² (s. 3.13).\n- Other limits (height, setbacks, lot coverage, number of accessory buildings) depend on your zone. In the RR1 to RR3 zones, height is 9 m and the setback from all lot lines is 7.5 m.\n- Decks may project up to 1.25 m into a required setback, to a maximum of 20% of the required side yard setback (s. 3.23.2).\n- A development permit may also be needed if your property is in a development permit area.","sources":[{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/","title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/","title":"Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/building-renovating/inspections-occupancy/","title":"Inspections and Occupancy, Bowen Island Municipality","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}