---
title: Cumberland permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Cumberland, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/cumberland
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Cumberland
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Cumberland permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In the Village of Cumberland a deck needs a building permit unless it has no roof and is no more than 0.6 m above natural grade. A shed needs one unless it is under 10.0 m² and creates no hazard. Garages and carports need a permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Cumberland, https://cumberland.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The Village does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 2673 Dunsmuir Avenue, Cumberland, BC (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-336-2291
- Email: Planner, planning@cumberland.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A permit is required for an accessory building unless it is under 10.0 m² of building area and does not create a hazard (the Building Bylaw does not apply to those).
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(ii)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf)
  - Official wording: "accessory buildings less than 10.0metres² in building area that do not create a hazard;"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Permits, Building and Plumbing Permits page](https://cumberland.ca/building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "construction of a building or a structure, including accessory structures and buildings"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** A permit is required unless the deck has no roof and its floor is no more than 0.6 m (2.0 ft) above natural grade.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(vii)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf)
  - Official wording: "decks without roofs, the floor of which are not more than 0.6metres (2.0feet)" … "above natural grade;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** Yes, a building permit is needed: the Village requires one for any building or structure including accessory buildings, and the only exemption is for accessory buildings under 10.0 m². No separate exemption for garages or carports is listed.
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Permits, Building and Plumbing Permits page](https://cumberland.ca/building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "construction of a building or a structure, including accessory structures and buildings"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(ii)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf)
  - Official wording: "accessory buildings less than 10.0metres² in building area that do not create a hazard;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** R-1 zone accessory buildings: combined floor area at most 50.0 m², height at most 4.5 m; setbacks 3.0 m front, 1.5 m rear and sides, 4.5 m exterior side; lot coverage at most 50% (70% with impermeable surfaces). They cannot contain a dwelling or sleeping unit. R-3 allows 100.0 m² and 6.0 m.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 10.5(2); s. 6.1(3)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Maximum Floor Area 1 50.0 m2 2 50.0 m2 100.0 m2 25.0 m2 50.0 m2 50.0 m2" … "Maximum Height 4.5 m 2 4.5 m 6.0 m 4.5 m 4.5 m 4.5 m" … "No accessory building or structure can contain a dwelling unit or sleeping unit." … "Minimum Exterior Side Setback 4.5 m 4.5 m 4.5 m 3.0 m 3.0 m" … "Maximum Lot Coverage 50% 40% 35% 45% 65% 65%"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012 (as amended by Bylaw No. 1254, 2026); Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Title page](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Cumberland Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, s. 1.1](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Village of Cumberland Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under [Building Bylaw No. 949](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf) the Village requires a permit for any building or structure, including accessory buildings.

- **Shed:** a permit is required unless it is under 10.0 m² of building area and does not create a hazard.
- **Deck:** a permit is required unless the deck has no roof and its floor is no more than 0.6 m (2.0 ft) above natural grade.
- **Garage or carport:** a building permit is needed. The only exemption is for accessory buildings under 10.0 m², and no separate exemption for garages or carports is listed.

Even when no building permit is needed, [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf) still applies.

## Steps

1. Find your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Check the zoning limits below. In the R-1 zone, accessory buildings may have a combined floor area of at most 50.0 m² and a height of at most 4.5 m. Setbacks are 3.0 m front, 1.5 m rear and sides, and 4.5 m exterior side. Lot coverage is at most 50% (70% with impermeable surfaces). The R-3 zone allows 100.0 m² and 6.0 m.
3. If a permit is needed, follow the building-permit answer.

## Good to know

- Accessory buildings cannot contain a dwelling or sleeping unit.
- One accessory building under 10.0 m² may be exempt from the lot coverage calculation in the R-1 zone.
- Other zones were not read; ask the Planner at planning@cumberland.ca or 250-336-2291.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building and Plumbing Permits, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/building-permits/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, consolidated July 27, 2026 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Cumberland building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/building-permit.md)
- [Cumberland building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Cumberland fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/fence-rules.md)
- [Cumberland zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/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)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building and Plumbing Permits, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/building-permits/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Village of Cumberland. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/deck-shed-garage-permit/_