---
title: Clearwater secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Clearwater, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/clearwater
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Clearwater
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Clearwater secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in Clearwater one secondary suite is allowed inside a single family home in the RL-1, SH-1, CR-1, R-1, R-2 and MX-1 zones. A carriage or garden suite is allowed only in the RL-1 zone, on lots over 2 ha outside the Agricultural Land Reserve.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Clearwater, https://www.districtofclearwater.com)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The processing time is not stated. See the building-permit answer.  
**Where:**
- Phone: TNRD Planning and Building Inspection (contracted by the District), 250-377-8673 (Email planning@tnrd.ca or building@tnrd.ca.)
- Phone: District of Clearwater office, 250-674-2257 (209 Dutch Lake Road. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes, one secondary suite inside a single family dwelling, only in zones that expressly allow it. It is an accessory use in the RL-1 (Rural), SH-1 (Small Holding), CR-1 (Country Residential), R-1, R-2 and MX-1 (Riverside Centre Mixed Use) zones.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 5.22](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "A maximum of one secondary suite is permitted within a single family dwelling, only" … "where expressly permitted within a zone"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 7.1.2 (RL-1)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "m) home based business; n) commercial kennel; and o) secondary suite."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 7.2.2 (SH-1)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "f) home based business; g) secondary suite; and h) keeping of a limited number of animals"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 8.1.2 (R-1)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "e) home based business; and f) secondary suite."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 8.2.2 (R-2)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "e) home based business; f) secondary suite; and g) one accessory building per lot."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 9.5.2 (MX-1)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "v) accessory building; w) secondary suite; and x) home based business."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** A carriage suite or garden suite is allowed in the RL-1 (Rural) zone only: one, on lots larger than 2 ha (5 acres) where the land is not in the Agricultural Land Reserve. In the ALR an extra dwelling needs approval from the Agricultural Land Commission.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 7.1.2(l)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "l) one carriage suite or garden suite on lots larger than 2 ha (5 acres) where land is not within" … "the ALR;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 4.4.2(a)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "any additional dwelling, duplex, carriage suite, or garden suite is not permitted on lands"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** One suite per single family dwelling; wholly inside the primary dwelling with a separate entrance; up to 40% of the building's habitable floor area and no more than 90 m² (969 sq. ft.); must meet the BC Building Code; supplementary utility charges apply where bylaws set them.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 5.22(a), (b), (c), (d)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "a) must be wholly within the primary dwelling unit with a separate and distinct entrance;" … "b) must meet the BC Building Code and all other applicable local and Provincial enactments;" … "d) must be located in and not exceed 40% of the habitable gross floor area of the building, to" … "maximum of 90 square metres (969 sqft);"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** One off-street space per dwelling unit or sleeping unit for an accessory residential use, which includes a secondary suite, on the same lot (Table 3). The main dwelling needs 2 spaces.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 5.22(e); Table 3](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "e) must provide parking upon the lot in conformance with Part 6 of this Bylaw; and" … "Accessory residential use" … "(boarding, bed and breakfast, secondary suite)" … "1 per dwelling unit or sleeping unit" … "2 per dwelling unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit (processed by the TNRD) is needed for interior work such as partitions and for a change of occupancy or use. The suite must meet the BC Building Code, be registered with the District and be inspected by the Building Inspector before anyone lives in it. No development permit rule for suites was found.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), s. 5.22(f)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "must be registered with the District and inspected by the Building Inspector prior to"
  - Source: [Building Permits and Inspections, District page](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/developers/building-permits-inspections/)
  - Official wording: "change of occupancy or use of a building or part thereof" … "undertake any interior work such as partitions, etc.;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Clearwater Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 5.22; Building Regulations Bylaw 129, 2014
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025), cover](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 133, 2016"
  - Source: [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 129, 2014 (PDF, consolidated to May 4, 2021), s. 1.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/55537/)
  - Official wording: "District of Clearwater Building Regulations Bylaw 129, 2014"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Zoning Bylaw No. 133](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/) allows one secondary suite inside a single family dwelling, but only in zones that expressly allow it: RL-1 (Rural), SH-1 (Small Holding), CR-1 (Country Residential), R-1, R-2 and MX-1 (Riverside Centre Mixed Use). The R-3, MHP-1 and commercial zones do not list a suite.

A **carriage suite or garden suite** is allowed in the RL-1 zone only: one, on lots larger than 2 ha (5 acres) that are not in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). In the ALR an extra dwelling needs approval from the Agricultural Land Commission. A carriage suite is a self-contained two-storey unit with a footprint up to 80 square metres and up to 95 square metres of living space.

Suite limits (section 5.22):
- one suite per single family dwelling, wholly inside the main home, with a separate entrance
- up to 40% of the building's habitable floor area and no more than 90 m² (969 sq. ft.)
- must meet the BC Building Code
- one off-street parking space for the suite, on the same lot (the main home needs 2)

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows a suite (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Apply for a building permit through the TNRD for the interior work and change of use (see the building-permit answer).
3. Register the suite with the District.
4. Have the Building Inspector inspect it before anyone lives in it.

## Good to know

- Supplementary utility charges apply where District bylaws set them.
- We found no owner-occupancy requirement for suites. We found no development permit rule for suites either.
- The District's 2026 Official Community Plan says it will update zoning to allow more secondary suites and additional dwelling units. The update is in progress, so rules may change. Ask TNRD Planning for the current status.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 5.22 (consolidated)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 129, 2014 (consolidated)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/55537/)

## Related questions

- [Clearwater building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/building-permit.md)
- [Clearwater building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Clearwater zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Clearwater home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/secondary-suite.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/secondary-suite.md)
- [Clinton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clinton/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF, consolidated to April 1, 2025)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 129, 2014 (PDF, consolidated to May 4, 2021)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/55537/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits and Inspections, District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/developers/building-permits-inspections/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Clearwater. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/secondary-suite/_