---
title: Gold River permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Gold River?"
place: Gold River, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/gold-river
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Gold River
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Gold River permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

**Question:** Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Gold River?

**Short answer:** In Gold River a shed needs no building permit if it is one storey, 10 m² or less, 3 m or less to the peak and meets zoning. Larger sheds need a permit. The bylaw gives no exemption for garages or carports, and does not set a deck rule, so ask the Village before you build.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Gold River, https://goldriver.ca)  
**Cost:** A plan processing fee of $50 applies to an accessory building that needs a permit, plus $8 per $1,000 of construction value ($75 minimum).  
**How long:** Not stated by the Village.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Hall, 499 Muchalat Drive, Gold River, BC V0P 1G0 (Office hours are not stated on the Village's website.)
- Phone: Village Hall, 250-283-2202

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** An accessory building does not need a building permit if it is one storey, no more than 10 m² in floor area, no more than 3 m to the peak, and it meets the zoning bylaw. A larger shed needs a permit.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005, s. 5.2(e)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the accessory building does not exceed 10 m2 in floor area;" … "the accessory building is one storey;" … "the accessory building does not exceed 3m to peak in height; and"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** None set. Gold River's Building Bylaw No. 651 sets no deck height or size threshold.
- **Garages and carports:** No exemption is stated for garages or carports, so the general rule applies: a building permit is required before constructing a building or structure. A garage or carport is not covered by the 10 m² accessory building exemption unless it meets all of its conditions.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005, s. 8.1.1](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a building permit before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure;"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005, s. 5.2(e)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the accessory building does not exceed 10 m2 in floor area;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory buildings: one storey and at most 6.1 m (20 feet) high, except where a zone sets more (R-R: 9.1 m); at least 1.5 m from side and rear lot lines and other buildings; total accessory coverage at most 10% of permitted lot coverage; to the rear or side of the principal building (garages, carports and attached sundecks excepted).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, s. 4.2.3-4.2.7](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be to the rear or to the side of the principal building on a lot." … "shall not exceed one storey or 6.1 m (20 feet) in height." … "a minimum distance of" … "1.5 m (5 feet) between any accessory building and any side or rear lot line" … "shall not exceed 10% of the permitted lot coverage." … "from the front lot line." … "shall exceed one storey or 6.1 m (20 feet) in height." … "ii. Accessory Building – 9.1 m"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005 (s. 5.2 and s. 8.1); Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (s. 4.2)
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005, Title](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, s. 4.2](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "4.1 APPLICABILITY ........................................................................................................ 20 4.2 ACCESSORY BUILDINGS ............................................................................................ 20 4.3 PARKING AND STORAGE OF VEHICLES IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES ............................................. 22" … "VILLAGE OF GOLD RIVER Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025" … "VILLAGE OF GOLD RIVER"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025, Title](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "VILLAGE OF GOLD RIVER ZONING BYLAW NO. 761, 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf), a permit is needed before you construct a building or structure unless section 5.2 exempts it. An accessory building such as a shed is exempt only if it is one storey, no more than 10 m² in floor area, no more than 3 m to the peak, and it meets the zoning bylaw. A larger shed needs a permit.

- **Deck:** the bylaw sets no deck height or size threshold. A deck is a structure, so the general permit rule applies unless an exemption fits. Ask the Village.
- **Garage or carport:** no exemption is stated, so the general rule applies and a permit is needed unless it meets every condition of the shed exemption.

## Zoning limits for accessory buildings

[Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf), section 4.2, says an accessory building is one storey and at most 6.1 m (20 feet) high, except where a zone allows more (9.1 m in the R-R zone). It must be at least 1.5 m from side and rear lot lines and other buildings, and total accessory coverage is at most 10% of permitted lot coverage. It goes to the rear or side of the main building (garages, carports and attached sundecks excepted). Some zones set their own height and side yard rules.

## Good to know

- Confirm your lot's zone and any extra limits with the Village office, 250-283-2202, before you build.
- A permit application follows the steps in the building-permit answer.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005 (PDF)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF)](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Gold River building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/building-permit.md)
- [Gold River building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Gold River zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Gold River fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/fence-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Tofino](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Bylaw No. 651, 2005 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bylaw-No-651-2005-Building-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 761, 2025 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bylaw-No-761-2025-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 734, 2021 (PDF), Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Bylaw-No-734-2021-Fees-and-Charges-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Gold River](https://goldriver.ca/village-hall/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Gold River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/deck-shed-garage-permit/_