{"title":"Fort St. John permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/fort-st-john","name":"Fort St. John","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Fort St. John","url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca"},"short_answer":"In Fort St. John, every deck needs a Deck Building Permit and a shed larger than 10 m² needs a Shed Building Permit. A garage needs a building permit; the City has a package for garages and accessory buildings. The basic fee for a deck or shed permit is $60. Zoning rules apply to all.","aliases":["deck permit fort st john","shed permit fort st john","garage permit","carport permit","accessory building rules"],"cost":"Basic fee $60 for a deck permit and $60 for a shed permit. For a garage, see the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"Not stated for these permits. A Standard Building Permit takes up to 10 business days to process.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Inspection","value":"250-787-8150"},{"type":"in_person","label":"City Hall","value":"10631 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Building Permit Package - Garage and Accessory Buildings (PDF)","url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-permit-package-garage-and-accessory-buildings"},{"title":"Building Permits page","url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/business-building-and-development/building/building-permits"},{"title":"Building Bylaw 2589, 2024 (PDF)","url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 2470, 2019 (PDF)","url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Fort St. John building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Fort St. John building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Fort St. John fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Fort St. John zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/taylor","name":"Taylor","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/taylor/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/dawson-creek","name":"Dawson Creek","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/pouce-coupe","name":"Pouce Coupe","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hudsons-hope","name":"Hudson's Hope","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/chetwynd","name":"Chetwynd","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/tumbler-ridge","name":"Tumbler Ridge","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"topic":{"title":"Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},"facts":{"shed":{"label":"Sheds","value":"A Shed Building Permit is required for a shed larger than 10 m². The bylaw states no permit rule for smaller sheds.","short":"Yes, if larger than 10 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 31(a), (i)","quotes":["a Shed Building Permit before construction of a shed that is greater than 10m2;","a Building Permit before constructing, reconstructing, repairing or altering a building,","structure, deck, or a shed that is greater than 10m2 in area"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":"A Deck Building Permit is required before construction of a deck. The bylaw sets no height threshold. A deck is a structure attached to a dwelling, floor on posts and beams above grade, with no walls except visual partitions and railings.","short":"Yes; no height threshold stated","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 31(c), s. 1","quotes":["a Deck Building Permit before construction of a deck;","“DECK” means a structure attached to a dwelling, with no walls except for visual partitions"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/business-building-and-development/building/building-permits/building-permit-fees","title":"Building Permit Fees, City of Fort St. John","section":"Fees page","quotes":["Basic Fee for Each","$60.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":"A Building Permit is required before constructing a building or structure. The City has a permit package for 'Garage and Accessory Buildings'. The Building Bylaw has no separate garage or carport exemption.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 31(a)","quotes":["a Building Permit before constructing, reconstructing, repairing or altering a building,"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/business-building-and-development/building/building-permits","title":"Building Permits, City of Fort St. John","section":"Applying for a Permit","quotes":["Building Permit Package - Garage and Accessory Buildings [PDF/437KB] (for garage and accessory buildings)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Accessory buildings are not allowed in a front yard. Setbacks: 1.0 m from interior lot lines, 3.0 m from flanking street lines, 1.5 m from rear line and from other buildings. In R and RM zones: total floor area of all accessory buildings at most 10% of the lot or 90 m² (whichever is less); height at most two storeys and 7.0 m, or the principal building's height if less.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2470, 2019 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 4.18","quotes":["Accessory buildings are not permitted in the front yard and must meet the following","a. 1.0 m from interior parcel lines;","b. 3.0 m from flanking exterior side parcel lines;","c. 1.5 m from rear parcel line; and","exceed 10% of the area of the parcel, or 90.0 m2, whichever is less.","two storeys and up","to 7.0 m in height or the height of the principal building, whichever is less."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"Also: must be built of similar exterior materials and colours as the principal building (s. 4.18.8); the principal building must be built first or at the same time (s. 4.18.1); an accessory building over 7.0 m high adds 0.3 m to side and rear setbacks per metre over. In Ag and I zones total area is at most 5% of the lot. Fine for accessory building infringement: $100.00/offence/day (Zoning Schedule B)."},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024; Zoning Bylaw No. 2470, 2019","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024 (PDF)","section":"cover","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 2589, 2024"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2470, 2019 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 4.18","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 2470, 2019 (Consolidated Version) 4.0 General Regulations 4.18 Accessory Buildings This section 1. Accessory buildings, including detached suites, accessory structures or accessory uses shall"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Building Bylaw 2589, 2024](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw) requires a Deck Building Permit before any deck is built, and a Shed Building Permit before a shed larger than 10 m² is built. The bylaw sets no height threshold for decks. It also does not apply to buildings or structures the Building Code exempts. The City has a permit package called \"Garage and Accessory Buildings\", and the bylaw has no separate garage or carport exemption.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. For a garage, use the Garage and Accessory Buildings package. For a deck or shed, ask Building Inspection which application applies.\n2. Submit it to the City and pay the fee ($60 basic fee for a deck or shed).\n3. Request an inspection by calling 250-787-8150. A deck must be inspected before the work is covered.\n4. For a carport, or a shed of 10 m² or less, ask Building Inspection. The bylaw does not mention carports and states no permit rule for smaller sheds.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Zoning rules apply to any size of shed. Under [Zoning Bylaw 2470](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw) s. 4.18, accessory buildings are not allowed in a front yard. They must be 1.0 m from interior lot lines, 3.0 m from flanking street lines, and 1.5 m from the rear line and from other buildings.\n- In R and RM zones, all accessory buildings together may cover at most 10% of the lot or 90 m², whichever is less. Height is at most two storeys and 7.0 m, or the principal building's height if less. An accessory building over 7.0 m high adds 0.3 m to side and rear setbacks per metre over.\n- In Ag and I zones the total is at most 5% of the lot.\n- The principal building must be built first or at the same time, and the accessory building must use similar exterior materials and colours.\n- The fine for breaking the accessory building rules is $100 per offence per day.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/building-bylaw","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2589, 2024 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2470, 2019 (PDF, consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/business-building-and-development/building/building-permits/building-permit-fees","title":"Building Permit Fees, City of Fort St. John","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.fortstjohn.ca/business-building-and-development/building/building-permits","title":"Building Permits, City of Fort St. John","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}