---
title: Creston permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Creston?"
place: Creston, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/creston
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Creston
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Creston permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Creston a building permit is required for any change, alteration or addition to a structure, and the Town lists detached sheds, garages and workshops as a permit type. No size below which a shed or deck is exempt is stated. Zoning limits also apply.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Creston, https://www.creston.ca)  
**Cost:** Permit fee based on the value of the work, $100 minimum. Schedule 3A lists $50 per sq. ft. for a garage, $30 carport, $25 uncovered deck.  
**How long:** The Town states no processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: Town Hall, 238 - 10th Ave. N., Creston, BC (Pay in person Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Town Hall, 250-428-2214
- Email: Building Department, building@creston.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** The Town lists 'Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops' as a building permit type, and says a permit is required for any changes, alterations or additions to a structure. No size below which a shed is exempt is stated.
  - Source: [Apply for a Building Permit, Apply for a Building Permit page](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit)
  - Official wording: "A building permit is required for any changes, alterations, or additions to a structure." … "Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops"
  - Source: [Building permit: detached sheds, garages and workshops, Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops page](https://www.creston.ca/node/420)
  - Official wording: "For more information, please review the Accessory Building Checklist"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** Decks are handled under the 'Home Additions or Renovations' building permit page, which points to the BC Housing guide for safe and durable decks. No height below which a deck is exempt is stated.
  - Source: [Building permit: home additions or renovations, Home Additions or Renovations page](https://www.creston.ca/node/418)
  - Official wording: "For information about decks, please review BC Housing Illustrated Guide for safe and durable decks"
  - Source: [Apply for a Building Permit, Apply for a Building Permit page](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit)
  - Official wording: "A building permit is required for any changes, alterations, or additions to a structure."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** Garages need a building permit: the Town lists 'Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops' as a permit type. No separate carport rule was found; the fee schedule lists a carport construction value.
  - Source: [Apply for a Building Permit, Apply for a Building Permit page](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit)
  - Official wording: "Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1763 (PDF, consolidated to May 12, 2026), Schedule 3A](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Fees%20and%20Charges-1763.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Attached or Detached Garage $50.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** In R1, an accessory building may be up to 5.0 m high, with setbacks of 6.1 m front, 1.5 m rear, 1.5 m interior side and 3.7 m exterior side, within 50% lot coverage. Accessory buildings under 10.0 sq. m. are exempt from interior side and rear setbacks. Uncovered decks may project up to 2.0 m into front and rear setbacks, never within 1 m of a property line.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022 (PDF, consolidated to June 16, 2026), R1 zone s. 7.2.4.2, 7.2.5.6, 7.2.3.4](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf)
  - Official wording: "7.2.4.2 Accessory buildings" … "6.1m 1.5m 1.5m 3.7m" … "7.2.3.4 Maximum Lot Coverage: 50%" … "7.2.5.6 Accessory buildings and Structures" … "9.2m 11.0m 11.0m 9.2m 5.0m 7.5m"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022 (PDF, consolidated to June 16, 2026), s. 3.5.3 (ii), (vi), (vii)](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf)
  - Official wording: "building or Structure having an area of less than 10.0 sq. m. on a Lot is exempt from the Interior side and Rear setback requirements" … "Uncovered decks are permitted to project into the Front setback and Rear setback a maximum of 2.0 metres." … "be located closer than 1 metre from any property line."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw Number 1394, 1997; Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1394, 1997 (PDF, consolidated to June 28, 2022), s. 1.1](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2023-07/Building-1394.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Building Bylaw Number 1394, 1997"."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022 (PDF, consolidated to June 16, 2026), s. 1.1](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as "Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The Town says a building permit is required for any changes, alterations or additions to a structure, and lists "Detached Sheds, Garages & Workshops" as a permit type ([sheds, garages and workshops page](https://www.creston.ca/node/420)). Decks are handled under the [Home Additions or Renovations](https://www.creston.ca/node/418) page, which points to the BC Housing guide for safe and durable decks. No size or height below which a shed or deck is exempt is stated in the [Building Bylaw](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2023-07/Building-1394.pdf). No separate carport rule was found, but the fee schedule lists a carport value.

Zoning limits apply as well. In the R1 zone, an accessory building may be up to 5.0 m high, with setbacks of 6.1 m front, 1.5 m rear, 1.5 m interior side and 3.7 m exterior side, within 50% lot coverage. Uncovered decks may project up to 2.0 m into front and rear setbacks, never within 1 m of a property line.

## Steps

1. Check your zone and setbacks in the [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf). Other zones differ; for example R5 has accessory height 5.0 m and setbacks of 7.6 m, 7.6 m, 1.8 m and 7.6 m.
2. Ask the Building Department whether your project needs a permit (250-428-2214, building@creston.ca).
3. Use the checklist on the [Apply for a Building Permit](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit) page: application form, owner's authorization, title, scaled drawings and site plan.
4. Pay the fee when the permit is issued and book inspections.

## Good to know

- Accessory buildings under 10.0 sq. m. are exempt from the interior side and rear setbacks. That is a zoning point, not a permit exemption.
- Shipping containers used for storage are accessory buildings (Zoning s. 4.4; Building Bylaw s. 18).
- Fee schedule construction values per sq. ft. include garage $50, carport $30, deck with roof $30 and deck with no roof $25.

## Official forms and pages

- [Apply for a Building Permit, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit)
- [Building permit: detached sheds, garages and workshops, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/node/420)
- [Building permit: home additions or renovations, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/node/418)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022 (PDF, consolidated to June 16, 2026)](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Creston building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/building-permit.md)
- [Creston building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Creston fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/fence-rules.md)
- [Creston zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/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)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Apply for a Building Permit, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/apply-building-permit) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building permit: home additions or renovations, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/node/418) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building permit: detached sheds, garages and workshops, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/node/420) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1394, 1997 (PDF, consolidated to June 28, 2022)](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2023-07/Building-1394.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1958, 2022 (PDF, consolidated to June 16, 2026)](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Zoning-1958.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1763 (PDF, consolidated to May 12, 2026)](https://www.creston.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Fees%20and%20Charges-1763.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Contact Directory, Town of Creston](https://www.creston.ca/contact-directory-0) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Creston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/deck-shed-garage-permit/_