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

# Bowen Island permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Bowen Island Municipality, https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca)  
**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:**
- Email: Building Department, building@bimbc.ca
- Phone: Building Department, 604-947-4255 ext. 1
- Phone: Planning Department, 604-947-4255 ext. 6
- In person: Municipal Offices (in the Community Centre), 580 Bowen Island Trunk Road, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays))

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** 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.
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Guide, Bowen Island Municipality, Application guide, p. 1-2](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/)
  - Official wording: "Building an accessory building greater" … "An accessory building not more than" … "The above exemptions must still comply with the Land Use Bylaw"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025), s. 3.3(b)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** 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.
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Guide, Bowen Island Municipality, Application guide, p. 1](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/)
  - Official wording: "Building a deck more than 0.6m (2ft)" … "Decks or patios that are less than" … "0.6m (approx 2ft) above grade"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** Not confirmed. The permit guide does not say whether a garage or carport counts as an accessory building.
- **Zoning limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), s. 3.13, Table 3-1](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), s. 4.1.2 (RR 1, RR 2, RR 3)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "Maximum height of a permitted building or structure" … "Minimum setback from all lot lines (metres)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019; Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025), Title page](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING BYLAW NO. 489, 2019"
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), Title page](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "Land Use Bylaw (Consolidated November 2025)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Bowen 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/).

The 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.

## Steps

1. Measure the floor area and, for a deck, the height above grade.
2. If a permit is needed, follow the building-permit answer: email a complete PDF application to building@bimbc.ca.
3. Check the zone limits below with Planning (604-947-4255 ext. 6) before you build.
4. A deck needing a permit also has its guardrails inspected.

## Good to know

- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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).
- A development permit may also be needed if your property is in a development permit area.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permit Application Guide (PDF)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/)
- [Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)

## Related questions

- [Bowen Island building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/building-permit.md)
- [Bowen Island building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Bowen Island fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fence-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/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)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/320439/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 489, 2019 (PDF, consolidated for convenience to November 24, 2025)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/341697/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Inspections and Occupancy, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/building-renovating/inspections-occupancy/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Bowen Island Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit/_