{"title":"Courtenay 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/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","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":"City of Courtenay","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca"},"short_answer":"In Courtenay, garages and carports need a building permit. So do accessory buildings of 10 m² or more and decks, except a roofless deck less than 0.6 m above grade. Zoning rules on height and setbacks still apply to exempt work.","aliases":["shed permit courtenay","deck permit courtenay","garage permit courtenay","carport permit courtenay","accessory building courtenay"],"cost":"Application fee $150 or 25% of the permit fee, whichever is highest; permit fee $150 plus 1% of the value of construction (Building Bylaw 3114, Appendix A).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"online","label":"Building permit application form","value":"https://digitalsmartforms.ca/f/s/CourtenayBuildingPermitApplication"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building - Development Services","value":"250-703-4862"},{"type":"email","label":"Building - Development Services","value":"building@courtenay.ca"},{"type":"email","label":"Planning (zoning and setbacks)","value":"planning@courtenay.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Guide to residential deck construction (PDF)","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/residential-deck-guide"},{"title":"Building and plumbing permits","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/building-services"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 3114 (consolidated October 2025, PDF)","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 3203 (consolidated July 21, 2026, PDF)","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Courtenay building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Courtenay building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Courtenay fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Courtenay zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Courtenay secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/powell-river","name":"Powell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/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":"An accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² is outside the Building Bylaw (no building permit). Accessory buildings and structures of 10 m² or more need a building permit.","short":"No if under 10 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3114, section 3.3 (PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"s. 3.3(b)","quotes":["an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;"]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/building-services","title":"Building and plumbing permits, City of Courtenay","section":"Building permits","quotes":["accessory buildings and structures"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":"No permit for a deck without a roof that is less than 0.6 m above grade. Otherwise a building permit is required for a new deck, or for changes to structural elements, guards or railings of an existing deck.","short":"Yes, unless roofless and under 0.6 m above grade","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3114, section 3.3 (PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"s. 3.3(c)","quotes":["platforms or decks without roofs less than 0.6 meters above grade;"]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/residential-deck-guide","title":"Guide to Residential Deck Construction (PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"General information","quotes":["A building permit is required for a new deck or for changes to structural elements, guards and railings of an existing deck."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":"Yes. Garages and carports need a building permit.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/building-services","title":"Building and plumbing permits, City of Courtenay","section":"Building permits","quotes":["- accessory buildings and structures - deck construction or alterations - garages and carports - secondary suites ## Plumbing permits"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Unless a zone says otherwise, accessory buildings: max 4.5 m high; at least 1.5 m from side and rear lot lines (4.5 m where the yard flanks a street); not in front of the principal building; max 50 m² or 10% of the rear yard, whichever is greater; no living quarters. Lot coverage is set by each zone.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 2 (consolidated July 21, 2026, PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"ss. 6.2.3 to 6.2.6","quotes":["Accessory buildings and accessory structures are permitted a maximum height of 4.5 m, other","not be located within 1.5 m from the side and rear lot line except where the side or rear","not permitted to be located at the front of a principal building; and","not have a total building area exceeding 50.0 m2 or 10% of the rear yard, whichever is","No part of an accessory building shall be used for human habitation."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Building Bylaw No. 3114 and Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, 2026","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3114, section 3.3 (PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as “Building Bylaw No. 3114”."]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 2 (consolidated July 21, 2026, PDF), City of Courtenay","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw shall be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, 2026”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Building Bylaw No. 3114](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025) does not apply to an accessory building with a floor area under 10 m², or to a deck without a roof that is less than 0.6 m above grade. Accessory buildings of 10 m² or more, garages, carports, and new decks or changes to the structure, guards or railings of an existing deck need a building permit.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone and setbacks with Planning or on CourtenayMap before you design.\n2. If the work is not exempt, prepare drawings for the online building permit application.\n3. Submit the application and pay fees when the permit is issued.\n4. Book inspections by emailing inspections@courtenay.ca.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Unless your zone says otherwise, [Zoning Bylaw No. 3203](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1) limits accessory buildings to 4.5 m high, at least 1.5 m from side and rear lot lines (4.5 m where the yard flanks a street), and not in front of the principal building.\n- Accessory buildings: maximum 50 m² or 10% of the rear yard, whichever is greater, with no living quarters. Lot coverage is set by each zone.\n- A deck under 0.6 m high may extend 2 m into the rear yard setback.\n- Industrial One and Two zones allow 6.0 m height.\n- The deck guide is an older City handout; the online application and email inspection booking are current.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/building-services","title":"Building and plumbing permits, City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-no-3114-consolidated-october-2025","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3114, section 3.3 (PDF), City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/residential-deck-guide","title":"Guide to Residential Deck Construction (PDF), City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-3203-consolidated-july-21-2026-1","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 3203, Part 2 (consolidated July 21, 2026, PDF), City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}