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

# Golden permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Golden a deck more than 2 ft above grade needs a Town building permit, and so does a new garage or carport. A shed or other building of 10 m² or less does not, but it must still meet zoning setbacks.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Golden, https://www.golden.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer. No separate fee is stated for exempt buildings.  
**How long:** The Town does not state a processing time. Ask the Building Official.  
**Where:**
- Email: Building Official, building@golden.ca
- Phone: Building Official / Development Services, 250-344-2271 ext. 231
- In person: Town Hall, 810 9th Ave. South, Golden, BC

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A shed or other accessory building of 10 m² or less (Town web page; the guideline PDF says under 10 m²) does not need a building permit; check setbacks. Larger ones need a permit; the simplified checklist covers a new garage, shed or accessory building.
  - Source: [Building and Demolition Permits, When you DON'T need a permit](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/building-demolition-permits)
  - Official wording: "Constructing an accessory building less than or equal to 10m2. Check setbacks!" … "Checklist for Part 9 Buildings (e.g. Additions or Changes in Occupancy or New Garage/Shed/Accessory Building)."
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Guideline 2026](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/BP%20Application-Guideline%20general%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "decks, porches, garages," … "carports, workshops, sheds, greenhouses, swimming pools, wood burning appliances, retaining"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** A deck more than 2 ft above grade needs a building permit, and so does adding a roof to a deck.
  - Source: [Building and Demolition Permits, When you DO need a permit](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/building-demolition-permits)
  - Official wording: "Building a deck over 2ft above grade" … "Installing solar panels or adding a roof to an entry or deck"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** A new garage or carport needs a building permit (the guideline lists both), unless the building is under 10 m². Enclosing a carport or changing a garage to living space also needs one.
  - Source: [Building and Demolition Permits, When you DO need a permit](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/building-demolition-permits)
  - Official wording: "Enclosing your carport or changing your garage to a living space" … "Checklist for Part 9 Buildings (e.g. Additions or Changes in Occupancy or New Garage/Shed/Accessory Building)."
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Guideline 2026](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/BP%20Application-Guideline%20general%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "decks, porches, garages," … "floor area. Although the above work does not require a permit, owners are required to ensure that any" … "carports, workshops, sheds, greenhouses, swimming pools, wood burning appliances, retaining" … "occupancy and demolition off all buildings and structures including decks, porches, garages,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory buildings in residential zones: not in the front or exterior-side yard; total floor area at most the lesser of 65 m² or 50% of the main building; no taller than the main building; no more than two. R1S: 6.0 m high, 1.5 m from rear and interior lot lines, 3.0 m from exterior lot line; lot coverage 40%.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011, s. 6.2](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "not be located within a Front Yard Area, or Exterior-Side Yard Area;" … "exceeding the lesser of 65 mz or 50o/o of the Ground Floor Area of the" … "not exceed the Builrling Height of the Principal Building; and" … "not exceed two per Principat Building." … "Accessory Buildings and Structures 6.0 m" … "Maximum Lot Coverage 40%" … "Exterior Lot Line 3.0 m"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011, Schedule C (R1S)](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Buildings and Structures 6.0 m" … "Rear Lot Line 1.5 m"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Town of Golden Building Regulation Bylaw No. 1299, 2012; Town of Golden Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011 (s. 6.2)
  - Source: [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 1299, 2012, s. 1](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/63302/)
  - Official wording: "Town of Golden Building Regulation Bylaw No. 1299,2012"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011, s. 6.2](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "6.2 Accessory Buildings and Structures"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Building permits come from the Town under [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 1299](<https://golden.civicweb.net/document/63302/>). Zoning rules in [Bylaw No. 1294](<https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf>) apply on top of the permit rules.

- **Deck:** a deck more than 2 ft above grade needs a building permit, and so does adding a roof to a deck. Neither Town page says what applies to a deck at or under 2 ft.
- **Shed or other accessory building:** 10 m² or less does not need a building permit (the guideline says "under 10 m²"). Check setbacks. Larger ones need a permit.
- **Garage or carport:** a new one needs a permit unless the building is under 10 m². Enclosing a carport or changing a garage to living space also needs one.

## Steps

1. Work out the floor area and height of what you plan to build.
2. Check the zoning limits below, or ask Development Services.
3. If a permit is needed, use the simplified checklist for a new garage, shed or accessory building and email the application to building@golden.ca.
4. Pay the fee and arrange inspections (see the building-permit answer).

## Good to know

- Zoning limits for accessory buildings in residential zones: not in the front or exterior-side yard; total floor area at most the lesser of 65 m² or 50% of the main building; no taller than the main building; no more than two.
- In R1S: 6.0 m high, 1.5 m from rear and interior lot lines, 3.0 m from the exterior lot line, and 40% lot coverage. Other zones differ.
- The wildfire development permit area exempts sheds under 10 m² only if they are at least 10 m from the dwelling.
- The posted zoning bylaw is the original 2011 text with no amendments merged, so check with Development Services.

## What you'll need

- Building permit application form and the simplified checklist for additions, garages and sheds

## Official forms and pages

- [Building and Demolition Permits, Town of Golden](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/building-demolition-permits)
- [Building Permit Application Guideline 2026 (PDF)](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/BP%20Application-Guideline%20general%202026.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011 (PDF)](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Golden building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/building-permit.md)
- [Golden building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Golden zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Golden fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/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)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [New Denver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building and Demolition Permits, Town of Golden](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/building-demolition-permits) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permit Application Guideline 2026 (PDF)](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/BP%20Application-Guideline%20general%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1294, 2011 (PDF)](https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-No-1294%2C-2011-ToG-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 1299, 2012 (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/63302/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Golden. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/deck-shed-garage-permit/_