Creston permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

Creston, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 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). Decks are handled under the Home Additions or Renovations 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. 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. 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 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.