GovHandbook

Cumberland permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

Cumberland, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

ShedsA 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).Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(ii); Building and Plumbing Permits, Building and Plumbing Permits page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
accessory buildings less than 10.0metres² in building area that do not create a hazard;
construction of a building or a structure, including accessory structures and buildings
DecksA 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.Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(vii) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
decks without roofs, the floor of which are not more than 0.6metres (2.0feet)
above natural grade;
Garages and carportsYes, 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.Building and Plumbing Permits, Building and Plumbing Permits page; Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Part C s. 2(b)(ii) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
construction of a building or a structure, including accessory structures and buildings
accessory buildings less than 10.0metres² in building area that do not create a hazard;
Zoning limitsR-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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 10.5(2); s. 6.1(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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%
BylawBuilding Bylaw No. 949, 2012 (as amended by Bylaw No. 1254, 2026); Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020, Title page; Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Cumberland Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012
This Bylaw may be cited as “Village of Cumberland Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025”.

How it works

Under Building Bylaw No. 949 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 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

The same question in other places

Courtenay · Comox · Campbell River · Powell River · Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach

Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Building and Plumbing Permits, Village of Cumberland (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012, consolidated January 2020 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026 (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. How answers are checked.