Gibsons permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Gibsons?
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.
Key facts
| Sheds | 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.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).https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/, s. 3.3(b); Building Inspection, Building Without Permits; https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/, s. 5.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingan accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres 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. A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken. |
|---|---|
| Decks | None set. Gibsons' Building Bylaw 1284 sets no deck threshold for a building permit.Read: Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 |
| Garages and carports | 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.https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/, s. 3.3(b); https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/, s. 5.1; Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, s. 3.3, 5.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingan 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. 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. |
| Zoning limits | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6.2; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6.3; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6.4; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6.5; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingthe maximum number of Accessory Building, and Structures permitted on a Lot is a total of 3. Accessory Buildings have a maximum Building Height of 4 m. 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. no closer to a Rear Lot Line than 1.5 m Accessory Buildings must not contain Dwelling Units. |
| Bylaw | Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 (s. 3.3) and Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (s. 3.6)https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/, title; Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, s. 3.6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBUILDING BYLAW NO. 1284, 2020 3.6. Accessory Buildings & Features |
How it works
The Building Bylaw 1284 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.
A garage or carport is not named in the bylaw. It needs a building permit unless it is an accessory building under 10 m².
For 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.
Steps
- Check the size of the building against the 10 m² line.
- Check the Zoning Bylaw 1342 limits below, which apply with or without a permit.
- If a permit is needed, apply online through Cloudpermit.
Good to know
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Bowen Island · West Vancouver · Lions Bay · Sechelt · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver
Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
- Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
- Building Inspection, Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
- Building Permit Application Guide, July 2024 (PDF), Town of Gibsons (read 2026-11-06)
- https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/ (read 2026-11-06)
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. How answers are checked.