---
title: Harrison Hot Springs secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a coach house in Harrison Hot Springs?"
place: Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Harrison Hot Springs
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Harrison Hot Springs secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a coach house in Harrison Hot Springs?

**Short answer:** In Harrison Hot Springs the zoning bylaw allows one suite per lot, up to 90 m² and under 40% of the detached dwelling. Coach houses are allowed in the R-2 zone only, with community sewer and water. A lot can have a suite or a coach house, not both. Confirm your lot with the Village.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Harrison Hot Springs, https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca)  
**Cost:** No suite-specific fee found. A building permit through the FVRD may be needed; see the building- permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 495 Hot Springs Road, Harrison Hot Springs, BC V0M 1K0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 604-796-2171
- Email: FVRD Building Inspection, building@fvrd.bc.ca

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** The zone table (s. 7.1.1) lists "Accessory Residential Suite or a Coach House, but not both" as an accessory use in the R-2 zone only. Section 4.3(a) says suites are permitted for all uses except in a duplex dwelling, townhouse, apartment or mobile home. (Sources differ: The two sections read differently: the zone table marks only the R-2 column, while s. 4.3(a) is broader. The column was read from the position of the mark in extracted PDF text. Confirm with the Village (604-796-2171).)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), s. 7.1.1 and 4.3(a)](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Residential Suites will be permitted for all uses, except in a Duplex" … "or a Coach" … "House, but not"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), definition](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means a separate and self-contained Residential Dwelling Unit located within a Detached"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Coach houses are allowed in the R-2 (Duplex) zone only, at least 3.0 m from the main dwelling, and only where there is both community sewer and community water. A lot may have a coach house or a suite, not both.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), s. 4.10 and 4.11](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Coach Houses will be allowed in the following Residential Zone only:" … "Residential 2 (Duplex) R2." … "either a Coach House or a Residential Accessory Suite is permitted but not both"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** Suite: one per lot; no more than 90 m² and less than 40% of the habitable area of the detached dwelling (garage not counted); cannot be strata-subdivided; lots without municipal sewer need written confirmation that the sewer system capacity is adequate. Coach house: all accessory buildings including it must not exceed 90 m². No owner-occupancy rule was found.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), s. 4.3(b) to (e), 4.10(c)](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "only one (1) Accessory Residential" … "Suite is permitted per Lot;" … "not more than" … "habitable area of the" … "The combined Gross Floor Area of all Accessory Building or Structures on the Lot,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** One extra off-street parking space for a suite, in addition to the spaces required for the main use (s. 4.3(f)); the parking table also lists 1 per suite. A coach house needs 1 per dwelling unit.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), s. 4.3(f) and 6.1.1](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "One off-street parking space in addition to those required for the Permitted Use must" … "Accessory Residential Suites 1 per suite" … "Coach Houses 1 per Dwelling Unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit from the FVRD is needed for a change in occupancy and for construction valued at $2,000 or more. The suite must meet the BC Building Code. Zoning ticket amounts for a prohibited suite are $500.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District, s. 5.2(e), (g)](https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "any change in occupancy, as defined in the current edition of the British Columbia" … "all other construction of or to a structure if the value of construction is $2,000 or"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), definition](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "that meets the requirements of the BC Building Code"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Harrison Hot Springs Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017, s. 4.3, 4.10, 4.11 and 7.1.1.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), title page](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 1115, 2017"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf) governs suites and coach houses in Harrison Hot Springs. A lot may have a coach house or a suite, not both.

**Suite:** one per lot; no more than 90 m² and less than 40% of the habitable area of the detached dwelling (garage not counted); it cannot be strata-subdivided. Lots without municipal sewer need written confirmation that the sewer system capacity is adequate. No owner-occupancy rule was found.

**Coach house:** allowed in the R-2 (Duplex) zone only, at least 3.0 m from the main dwelling, and only where there is both community sewer and community water. All accessory buildings including the coach house must not exceed 90 m².

**Parking:** one extra off-street space for a suite, on top of the spaces required for the main use. A coach house needs one per dwelling unit.

## Steps

1. Ask the Village Office (604-796-2171) whether your lot and zone allow a suite or coach house.
2. Apply to the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) for a building permit. One is needed for a change in occupancy and for construction valued at $2,000 or more. The suite must meet the BC Building Code.
3. A zoning ticket for a prohibited suite is $500.

## Good to know

- The zone table lists suites as an accessory use in R-2 only, but section 4.3(a) says suites are permitted for all uses except a duplex, townhouse, apartment or mobile home. The two sections read differently, so confirm with the Village before you spend money.
- No separate suite permit or development permit was found in the bylaws.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District](https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Harrison Hot Springs building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/building-permit.md)
- [Harrison Hot Springs zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Harrison Hot Springs permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kent](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/secondary-suite.md)
- [Chilliwack](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/secondary-suite.md)
- [Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/secondary-suite.md)
- [Abbotsford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/secondary-suite.md)
- [Mission](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/secondary-suite.md)
- [Maple Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District](https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Village of Harrison Hot Springs](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/contact-us) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Harrison Hot Springs. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite/_