---
title: Dawson Creek secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/dawson-creek
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Dawson Creek
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Dawson Creek secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

**Short answer:** Often yes in Dawson Creek. Zoning Bylaw 4625 allows a secondary suite inside a single detached house or duplex in nine zones, and a separate accessory dwelling unit (the nearest term to a carriage house) in several. A suite needs a building permit and a City business licence.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Dawson Creek, https://www.dawsoncreek.ca)  
**Cost:** Building permit fees depend on project value (see building-permit-fees). The owner's long-term rental licence is $10.49 per unit, minimum $30, under Schedule F of the Fees and Charges Bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Email: Building Inspection (permit applications), buildinginspection@dawsoncreek.ca
- Phone: City Hall, 250-784-3600
- In person: Development Services, temporary offices (City Hall is relocated), Unit 1C, 11000 8 Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4K6 (Counter hours are not published on the pages read.)

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** A secondary suite is an accessory use in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, A, CD-1, CD-2 and CD-3 zones, inside a single detached dwelling or duplex (CD-1 also triplexes and townhouses; CD-3 a triplex unit). RM-1 and RM-2: only on parcels with those.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "Where expressly permitted in a zone, secondary suites shall comply with all of the following regulations:" … "h) in the CD-1 Zone, secondary suites are permitted within duplexes, triplexes," … "28.3.4 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Bylaw, a secondary suite is permitted within"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 6.11.1 (RS-1)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "vi. home occupation vii. secondary suite"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 9.1.1 (RM-1)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "vii. home occupation viii. secondary suite"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 9.3.4 (RM-1)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "Secondary suites and accessory dwelling units are only permitted as accessory uses for parcels containing a single detached dwelling or duplex."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, Definition](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained accessory dwelling unit located within and forms part of a single detached dwelling or duplex."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** An accessory dwelling unit (detached or separate from the house) is an accessory use in RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, RMH-1, INS-1, CD-1 and CD-2 zones. It must be at least 26.0 m², no taller than 8.0 m, on a parcel at least 10.0 m wide, within 90 m of a fire hydrant, and cover no more than 15% of the parcel.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.15.1](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "the floor area of an accessory dwelling unit must be at least 26.0 m²" … "the maximum height of a building containing an accessory dwelling unit is 8.0 m" … "the parcel coverage of the accessory dwelling unit must not exceed 15% of the" … "all portions of an accessory dwelling unit must be:" … "within 7.9 m of the rear parcel line" … "at least 4.9 m from the single detached dwelling or duplex on the parcel"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.15.1(h)-(i)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "an accessory dwelling unit is only permitted if it is located within 90.0 m of a" … "the width of a parcel on which an accessory dwelling unit is situated must be"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Secondary suite: one per single detached dwelling; one per unit of a duplex (two); must meet the BC Building Code; owner must hold a City business licence; cannot be subdivided or strata titled; rented only for one month or longer. No suite size limit or owner-occupancy requirement is stated.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "only one secondary suite is permitted on a parcel occupied by a single detached dwelling" … "a maximum of two secondary suites are permitted on a parcel occupied by a duplex (one per dwelling unit)" … "secondary suites must meet current BC Building Code regulations" … "secondary suites shall not be subdivided or strata titled" … "shall be rented for periods of not less than one month"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** Secondary suite: 1 space per bedroom up to a maximum of 2, in addition to the spaces for the main dwelling. Accessory dwelling unit in residential zones: same, 1 per bedroom up to 2 per unit, in addition.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, Table 5](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "1 per bedroom up to a maximum of 2, in addition to the" … "required spaces for the principal residential dwelling unit" … "1 per bedroom up to a maximum of 2 per accessory"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** A building permit is needed to build a new secondary suite or to legalize an existing one (apply with the Secondary Suite Application Package by email to buildinginspection@dawsoncreek.ca). The owner must also hold a City business licence.
  - Source: [Building and Renovating, Examples of when you need a permit](https://www.dawsoncreek.ca/business-development/building-and-renovating/)
  - Official wording: "building a new secondary suite" … "legalizing an existing secondary suite"
  - Source: [Residential Building Permits, Get started](https://www.dawsoncreek.ca/business-development/building-and-renovating/residential-building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Suite Application Package"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1(d)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "the owner of the parcel on which a secondary suite is being rented is required to hold a City business licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 4625, 2026 (s. 5.14 Secondary Suites, s. 5.15 Accessory Dwelling Units, Table 5); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 4287, 2016
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 1](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “ZONING BYLAW NO. 4625, 2026"
  - Source: [Building Regulation Bylaw 4287 (consolidated), s. 1.1](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/112177)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING REGULATION BYLAW NO. 4287, 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw 4625](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791) (s. 5.14) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, A, CD-1, CD-2 and CD-3 zones, inside a single detached dwelling or duplex. CD-1 also allows suites in triplexes and townhouses, and CD-3 in a triplex unit. RM-1 and RM-2 allow one suite or one accessory dwelling unit per parcel. The bylaw also allows a detached accessory dwelling unit in RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, RMH-1, INS-1, CD-1 and CD-2. "Carriage house" is not a bylaw term. Check your zone on the Official Zoning Map.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows it (see zoning-lookup).
2. Fill out the Secondary Suite Application Package and email it to buildinginspection@dawsoncreek.ca. A permit is needed to build a new suite or legalize an existing one.
3. Get a City business licence as the owner of the rented parcel.
4. Book inspections as work proceeds.

## Good to know

- One suite per single detached dwelling, or one per unit of a duplex. It must meet the BC Building Code, cannot be subdivided or strata titled, and can be rented only for one month or longer.
- The bylaw states no suite size limit and no owner-occupancy requirement.
- Parking: 1 space per bedroom, up to 2, in addition to the main dwelling's spaces.
- A detached accessory dwelling unit must be at least 26.0 m2 and no taller than 8.0 m, on a parcel at least 10.0 m wide, within 90 m of a fire hydrant, and cover no more than 15% of the parcel.
- The bylaw says Development Permit Areas in the Official Community Plan apply in addition.

## Official forms and pages

- [Residential Building Permits (Secondary Suite Application Package)](https://www.dawsoncreek.ca/business-development/building-and-renovating/residential-building-permits/)
- [Zoning Bylaw 4625, sections 5.14 and 5.15 (PDF)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791)

## Related questions

- [Dawson Creek zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Dawson Creek building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/building-permit.md)
- [Dawson Creek building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/building-permit-fees.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/secondary-suite.md)
- [Taylor](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/taylor/secondary-suite.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/secondary-suite.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/secondary-suite.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/secondary-suite.md)
- [Hudson's Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026 (PDF)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/143791) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Residential Building Permits, City of Dawson Creek](https://www.dawsoncreek.ca/business-development/building-and-renovating/residential-building-permits/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building and Renovating, City of Dawson Creek](https://www.dawsoncreek.ca/business-development/building-and-renovating/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw 3932 (consolidated), Schedules E and F (PDF)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/136171) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Regulation Bylaw 4287 (consolidated)](https://dawsoncreek.civicweb.net/document/112177) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Dawson Creek. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/secondary-suite/_