---
title: Central Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/central-saanich
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Central Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Central Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

**Short answer:** In Central Saanich a secondary suite is allowed inside the Urban Containment Boundary in the residential zones if it is wholly inside the main dwelling. A one-storey cottage or two-storey carriage house is also allowed there. You need a building permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Central Saanich, https://www.centralsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** Based on the value of the work. See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** See the building-permit answer for review times.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning Department, 250-544-4209
- Email: Planning Department, planning@csaanich.ca
- In person: Municipal Hall, 1903 Mount Newton Cross Road, Saanichton, BC V8M 2A9 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Inside the Urban Containment Boundary, a secondary suite is allowed as an accessory use in the residential zones, if it is wholly inside the main dwelling. A suite cannot be in a detached building or one linked only by a breezeway. Outside the boundary, suites are allowed in Agricultural and Rural zones.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.5.4-5, 3.2, 6.23.2](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Where permitted inside the Urban Containment Boundary, Secondary Dwelling Units are permitted in the form of a secondary suite wholly contained within the principal dwelling unit" … "Outside of the Urban Containment Boundary, Secondary Dwelling Units are permitted in Agricultural and Rural zones" … "may not be in a detached accessory structure or in any structure connected only by a breezeway." … "Secondary Dwelling Units in accordance with Section 4.5."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Yes, inside the Urban Containment Boundary: a one-storey cottage or two-storey carriage house. Outside it, in Agricultural and Rural zones: a cottage or carriage house up to 90 m² (basement excluded). In Agricultural zones the main dwelling must be 500 m² or less.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.5.4-6](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Dwelling Unit - Detached in the form of a one-storey Residential - Cottage or two-storey Residential - Carriage House." … "A Residential - Cottage or a Residential - Carriage House shall have a maximum floor area of 90 m²." … "The principal dwelling is 500 m² or less in floor area,"
  - Source: [Residential Building Permits, Cottage or Carriage House](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/home-property-development/building-property-improvements/residential-permits)
  - Official wording: "only one accessory dwelling unit is permitted per lot in either the form of a secondary suite, cottage, or carriage house"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** A suite must be on the same title and cannot be stratified or subdivided. It must be lived in as a home only, rented for more than 30 days, and not used as a bed and breakfast or short-term rental. No set size limit inside the boundary.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.5.1-3](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be occupied for residential purposes only and shall not be used as a Bed and Breakfast or Short-Term Rental Accommodation." … "Secondary Dwelling Units must be rented for an occupancy period of more than 30 days." … "No Residential - Secondary Suite may be stratified, subdivided, or otherwise legally separated from the principal residential dwelling."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** 1 off-street space per secondary dwelling unit, reserved for that unit only, with unobstructed access at all times.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 7.4.3, 7.5](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "1 per Secondary Dwelling" … "Specifically allocated for use of the Secondary Dwelling Unit only;" … "Located so as to allow for Access to and from the parking space at all times by means of an unobstructed driveway;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** A building permit is needed to build a new suite or legalize an existing one, applied for online as a Secondary Suite Permit with a Secondary Suite checklist. A development permit is needed first for infill housing such as cottages on small lots. A septic review may be needed.
  - Source: [Secondary Suites](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/SecondarySuites)
  - Official wording: "You will require a building permit if you want to construct a new suite or legalize an existing non-permitted suite"
  - Source: [Residential Building Permits, Required for Submission](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/home-property-development/building-property-improvements/residential-permits)
  - Official wording: "If a form of infill housing: A Development Permit would be required prior to your building permit application" … "Secondary Suite checklist completed if authorizing an existing suite or building a new one in your home"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (s. 4.5 Secondary Dwelling Units; zones in Part 6) and Building Bylaw No. 2014, 2019
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.5](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Central Saanich Zoning Bylaw No. 2270"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2014 (PDF, consolidated October 23, 2023), s. 1.0](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2024-01/Building%20Bylaw%20No.%202014%20-%20Consolidated%20October%2023%2C%202023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Central Saanich Building Bylaw No. 2014, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf) (s. 4.5) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use in the residential zones inside the Urban Containment Boundary, if it is wholly inside the main dwelling. It cannot be in a detached building or one linked only by a breezeway. Outside the boundary, suites are allowed in Agricultural and Rural zones.

A detached unit is also allowed inside the boundary: a one-storey cottage or two-storey carriage house. Outside it, in Agricultural and Rural zones, a cottage or carriage house may be up to 90 m² (basement excluded), and in Agricultural zones the main dwelling must be 500 m² or less. Only one accessory dwelling is allowed per lot outside the boundary.

## Steps

1. Check your zone and the rules below with Planning.
2. For a cottage or carriage house on a small lot, get a development permit (Intensive Residential) first.
3. Apply online for a building permit as a Secondary Suite Permit, with the Secondary Suite checklist. This applies to new suites and to legalizing an existing one. A septic review may be needed.
4. Provide 1 off-street parking space for the suite, reserved for it only and always accessible. The parking table also shows 1 energized electric vehicle space with Level 2 charging per unit.

## Good to know

- The suite must be on the same title and cannot be stratified or subdivided. It must be lived in as a home only, rented for more than 30 days, and not used as a bed and breakfast or short-term rental.
- The bylaw sets no floor-area cap for a suite inside the boundary. Total dwelling units per lot are capped by zone (4 in R-N and R-NS).
- A business licence is not issued for a property with bylaw infractions, including an unauthorized secondary suite.
- The District's older Secondary Suite Guide (2023) states a minimum lot size that is not in the current bylaw. Confirm with Planning.

## Official forms and pages

- [Secondary Suites, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/SecondarySuites)
- [Residential Building Permits, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/home-property-development/building-property-improvements/residential-permits)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Central Saanich building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/building-permit.md)
- [Central Saanich building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Central Saanich short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/short-term-rental.md)
- [Central Saanich zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/secondary-suite.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/secondary-suite.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/secondary-suite.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/secondary-suite.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/secondary-suite.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Secondary Suites, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/SecondarySuites) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Residential Building Permits, District of Central Saanich](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/home-property-development/building-property-improvements/residential-permits) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Bylaw No. 2014 (PDF, consolidated October 23, 2023)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2024-01/Building%20Bylaw%20No.%202014%20-%20Consolidated%20October%2023%2C%202023.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 District of Central Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/secondary-suite/_