---
title: Grand Forks permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/grand-forks
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Grand Forks
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Grand Forks permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Grand Forks, a shed or other accessory building under 10 m² (108 ft²) needs no building permit; at 10 m² or more it does. Garages and carports need one. The bylaw names no deck exemption, so a deck needs one too; confirm with Building Inspection. Zoning rules apply either way.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Grand Forks, https://www.grandforks.ca)  
**Cost:** 1.0% of construction value ($10 per $1,000) for residential work including garages, carports and patios (Building Bylaw 2070, Appendix A). The bylaw lists no flat deck or shed fee.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Inspection, City of Grand Forks, 250-442-8266
- Email: City of Grand Forks, info@grandforks.ca
- In person: City Hall, 7217 4th Street, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** An accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² (108 ft²) does not need a building permit. At 10 m² or more it does. Zoning setbacks and height limits apply either way.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, s. 3.4(b)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(b) an accessoiy building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, s. 7.1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(a) constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure, including a. pool or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** The Building Bylaw names no deck height or size threshold and lists no exemption for decks, so s. 7.1 (permit before constructing a structure) applies. Appendix B values decks at $25 per ft² and covered decks at $30 per ft².
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, s. 3.4 and s. 7.1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(c) a trellis, an arbour, a wall supporting soil that is less than 1.22 metres (4 ft) in height," … "(a) constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure, including a. pool or"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, Appendix B](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Covered Decks $25.00 $30.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** Yes. Garages and carports are charged a building permit fee at 1.0% of construction value, and Appendix B values attached garages and carports. Only an accessory building under 10 m² is exempt from permits.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, Appendix A(b)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(b) Residential, including garages, 1.0% of construction value carports & patios ($10.00 per $1,000) (c) Farm Buildings defined by the 0.7% of construction value" … "Institutional ($10.00 per $1,000) (b) Residential, including garages, 1.0% of construction value carports & patios ($10.00 per $1,000)"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, s. 3.4(b)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(b) an accessoiy building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** R-1 and R-2 zones: accessory buildings up to 4.8 m high (7.6 m for accessory dwelling units such as a garden suite); at least 1.5 m from a rear or side parcel line and no closer to the front line than the principal building's facing wall; at least 1 m from the house; total accessory lot coverage no more than the principal building's.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026), s. 36.7, 36.8, 36.11, 13.1](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "36.7 No accessory building or structure shall exceed 4.8 metres in height except for" … "36.8 The total of all the accessory buildings shall have a lot coverage not greater than the lot" … "36.11 No accessory building shall be located closer than 1.5 metres to a rear or side parcel line" … "13.1 No accessory building or accessory structure shall be located within 1 metre of any principal" … "No accessory building or structure shall exceed 4.8 metres in height except for" … "Accessory Dwelling Units which shall not exceed 7.6 metres in height."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 2070 (s. 3.4, 7.1) and Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018 (s. 13 and Part VI zones)
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2070, title](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING BYLAW No. 2070"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026), title](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 2039, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Grand Forks [Building Bylaw 2070](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf) requires a permit before constructing a structure. It exempts only an accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² (108 ft²), plus fences, trellises, arbours, low soil-retaining walls and similar landscape structures. It names no deck height or size threshold, so a deck falls under the general permit rule. Garages and carports are charged a permit fee, and Appendix B of the bylaw values attached garages, carports and decks.

## Steps

1. Check the zoning limits below, which apply whether or not a permit is needed.
2. Ask Building Inspection (250-442-8266) whether a low deck or small shed needs a permit.
3. If it does, follow the steps in the building permit answer.

## Good to know

- In R-1 and R-2 zones, accessory buildings may be up to 4.8 m high (7.6 m for accessory dwelling units such as a garden suite), at least 1.5 m from a rear or side parcel line, and no closer to the front line than the principal building's facing wall.
- Accessory buildings in those zones must be at least 1 m from the house, and all accessory buildings together may not cover more of the lot than the principal building.
- In R-1, R-1A and R-2 total lot coverage is 50%. R-1A limits accessory floor area to 50% of the principal building. R-4 and R-4A allow up to 50%, at least 1.5 m from a rear or side line. Other zones have their own figures.
- Accessory buildings over 25 m² need a security deposit set by the Chief Administrative Officer.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, consolidated (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Grand Forks building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/building-permit.md)
- [Grand Forks building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Grand Forks fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/fence-rules.md)
- [Grand Forks zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/zoning-lookup.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)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Payment Options (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/PAYMENT-OPTIONS.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Grand Forks. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/deck-shed-garage-permit/_