{"title":"Gibsons permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Gibsons?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","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":"Town of Gibsons","url":"https://www.gibsons.ca"},"short_answer":"In Gibsons an accessory building under 10 m² (108 sq. ft.) needs no building permit, but a larger shed, garage or carport does. The bylaw sets no deck threshold, so ask the Building Department before you build one. Zoning rules apply to every accessory building.","aliases":["shed permit gibsons","garage permit gibsons","deck permit gibsons","carport permit gibsons"],"cost":"No fee if no permit is needed. Otherwise see the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"No official page states a processing time. An application expires six months after it is complete if no permit has been issued (Building Bylaw s. 10.19).","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"604-886-2274"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Department","value":"building@gibsons.ca"},{"type":"online","label":"Cloudpermit (online applications)","value":"https://gibsons.ca/business/building-department/building-permits/"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 (adopted copy)","url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025","url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Gibsons building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Gibsons building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Gibsons fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Gibsons zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sechelt","name":"Sechelt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/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":"An accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² (108 sq. ft.) is outside the Building Bylaw, so needs no building permit; the Town still asks for a plan showing its location. Larger buildings fall under the bylaw.","short":"No if under 10 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 3.3(b)","quotes":["an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.ca/business/building-department/building-inspection/","title":"Building Inspection, Town of Gibsons","section":"Building Without Permits","quotes":["An accessory building, with less than 10 sq. metres (108 sq. ft.) in floor area, may not require a building permit, but a plan should be submitted showing its site location."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 5.1","quotes":["A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"The Town's guide says 'one accessory building not more than 10 square meters'; the bylaw says 'less than 10 square metres'. Bylaw used. Exempt buildings must still meet zoning setbacks (guide)."},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Gibsons' Building Bylaw 1284 sets no deck threshold for a building permit.","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons"}]},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":"Not named in the Building Bylaw. A garage or carport needs a building permit unless it is an accessory building under 10 m² of floor area (s. 3.3(b)); anything larger falls under the bylaw. Zoning siting rules apply in either case.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 3.3(b)","quotes":["an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 5.1","quotes":["A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.3, 5.1","quotes":["an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres","A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Accessory buildings: no more than 3 per lot (except AG); maximum 4 m high; together under 56 m² of the lot in RL-1 and RL-2, or 10% of the lot in other zones; at least 1.5 m from the rear lot line and elsewhere no closer than the principal building's setbacks; no dwelling units inside.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6.2","quotes":["the maximum number of Accessory Building, and Structures permitted on a Lot is a total of 3."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6.3","quotes":["Accessory Buildings have a maximum Building Height of 4 m."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6.4","quotes":["must not together cover more than 56 m2 of any Lot, and in all other zones must not together cover more than 10% of any Lot."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6.5","quotes":["no closer to a Rear Lot Line than 1.5 m"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6.1","quotes":["Accessory Buildings must not contain Dwelling Units."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 (s. 3.3) and Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (s. 3.6)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"title","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 1284, 2020"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.6","quotes":["3.6. Accessory Buildings & Features"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":1,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Building Bylaw 1284](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/) does not apply to an accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² (108 sq. ft.), so a small shed needs no building permit. The Town still asks for a plan showing where it will sit. Larger buildings fall under the bylaw and need a permit.\n\nA garage or carport is not named in the bylaw. It needs a building permit unless it is an accessory building under 10 m².\n\nFor decks, no official page or bylaw states a height or size threshold. The Town's guide only exempts patios less than two feet off the ground, and the bylaw requires a permit for regulated work. Ask the Building Department before building a deck.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the size of the building against the 10 m² line.\n2. Check the [Zoning Bylaw 1342](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) limits below, which apply with or without a permit.\n3. If a permit is needed, apply online through Cloudpermit.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Zoning limits on accessory buildings (s. 3.6): no more than 3 per lot (except AG); maximum 4 m high; together under 56 m² of the lot in RL-1 and RL-2, or 10% of the lot in other zones; at least 1.5 m from the rear lot line and elsewhere no closer than the principal building's setbacks; no dwelling units inside.\n- A garage or carport attached to, or within 1.5 m of, the principal building must meet the principal building's setbacks. Steep-slope garage rules also apply (s. 3.6.7).\n- The Town's guide says \"not more than 10 square meters\", while the bylaw says \"less than 10 square metres\". Confirm if yours is exactly 10 m².","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.ca/business/building-department/building-inspection/","title":"Building Inspection, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2024-07-Building-permit-guide-1.pdf","title":"Building Permit Application Guide, July 2024 (PDF), Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}