---
title: Elkford secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Elkford, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/elkford
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Elkford
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Elkford secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

**Short answer:** In Elkford a secondary suite is allowed inside a single-unit dwelling in the R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH zones, if it connects to community water and sewer. A detached coach house is allowed in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, but not if the main dwelling has a suite.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Elkford, https://www.elkford.ca)  
**Cost:** No suite-specific fee is stated. A change of occupancy or use is $150; building permit fees also apply.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- Email: Planning and Development Services, planning@elkford.ca
- Phone: District Office, 250-865-4000
- In person: Municipal Hall, 744 Fording Drive, Elkford, BC V0B 1H0

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** As an accessory use to a single-unit dwelling in zones R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH. Must connect to community water and sewer, and not in a mobile home. Not listed in R-3, R-4, R-MP, UR-1 or the commercial, industrial and institutional zones.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 4.4(b) R-1; 4.5(b) R-2; 4.17(b) A-1; 4.19(b) LH](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "The following Accessory Uses of Land, Buildings and Structures and no others shall be permitted: (i) Secondary Suite;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 4.8(b) R-5; 4.9(b) R-MH](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "(i) Secondary Suite, accessory to a Single-Unit Dwelling;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19(a)](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Suites shall be connected to community water and sewer services;" … "Secondary Suites shall not be located in Single-Unit Dwellings that are Mobile"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** A detached Coach House (including a tiny home) is an accessory use in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, not in R-2 or A-1. It needs a clear path from the street (at least 90 cm wide, 2.1 m headroom, 45 m or less), a visible address, cannot be in the front yard, and is not allowed if the main dwelling has a suite.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, definitions](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "Coach House means an Accessory Building used for the purpose of accommodating a Secondary Suite"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 4.4(b) R-1](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "permitted: (i) Secondary Suite; (ii) Coach House; (iii) Home Occupation, including bed and breakfast; (iv) Boarding;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19(b)-(c)](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "a continuous unobstructed pathway of not more than 45 m in length" … "be prohibited where the principal Dwelling contains a Secondary Suite;" … "not be sited in the Front Yard."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** One suite per single-unit dwelling, at most 90 m² or 40% of the dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less. It must form a single real estate entity with the house. A coach house may not exceed 10% of the parcel coverage requirement and counts toward parcel coverage.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19(a)(iv)-(v)](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "shall form a single real estate entity with the principal Single-Unit Dwelling;" … "one such Use per Single-Unit Dwelling," … "a maximum of 90 m2 or 40% of the Gross Floor Area of the Dwelling, whichever is less;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19(c)](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "not exceed 10% of the Parcel Coverage requirements for the Parcel on which it is located;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** 1.0 space for each dwelling unit (the table line for Secondary Suite, Coach House).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 3.1 parking table](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Suite, Coach House 1.0 for each Dwelling Unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit applies to finishing a basement or changing the use of a space. A development permit is needed only if the property is in a Development Permit Area.
  - Source: [Building Permits and Inspections, When Do I Need a Building Permit?](https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/building-permits-inspections)
  - Official wording: "Finishing a basement" … "Changing the occupancy or use of any structure or space"
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, Development Permit Areas](https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/official-community-plan)
  - Official wording: "If you are interested in developing a property within a Development Permit Area, you will require a development permit before development can move forward"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Elkford Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19; Building Bylaw No. 748, 2013
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "2.19 Secondary Suite and Coach House Regulations"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 1](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the “District of Elkford Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Elkford's [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use to a single-unit dwelling in the R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH zones. It must connect to community water and sewer, and cannot be in a mobile home. Suites are not listed in R-3, R-4, R-MP, UR-1 or the commercial, industrial and institutional zones.

A detached coach house (including a tiny home) is an accessory use in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, not in R-2 or A-1. It needs a clear path from the street (at least 90 cm wide, 2.1 m headroom, 45 m or less), a visible address, cannot be in the front yard, and is not allowed if the main dwelling has a suite.

## Good to know

- One suite per single-unit dwelling, at most 90 m² or 40% of the dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less. It must form a single real estate entity with the house.
- A coach house may not exceed 10% of the parcel coverage requirement and counts toward parcel coverage.
- Parking: 1.0 space per suite or coach house, in addition to the 2.0 spaces for the single-unit dwelling.
- Finishing a basement or changing a space's use needs a building permit. A development permit is needed only if the property is in a Development Permit Area. The change of occupancy or use fee is $150.
- Call 250-865-4000 or email planning@elkford.ca before you start. No page describes a suite-specific permit.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF)](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/)

## Related questions

- [Elkford building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/building-permit.md)
- [Elkford building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Elkford zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Elkford home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sparwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/secondary-suite.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/secondary-suite.md)
- [Fernie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/secondary-suite.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/secondary-suite.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits and Inspections, District of Elkford](https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/building-permits-inspections) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Official Community Plan, District of Elkford](https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/official-community-plan) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 838, 2021, Schedule G (PDF), District of Elkford](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/87372/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 District of Elkford. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/secondary-suite/_