{"title":"Highlands permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Highlands?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Highlands","url":"https://www.highlands.ca"},"short_answer":"In the District of Highlands a building or structure of 10 m² or less in building area does not need a building permit, and a larger one does. The bylaw has no separate rule for decks, garages or carports. Zoning limits apply either way.","aliases":["shed permit highlands","deck permit highlands","garage permit highlands","accessory building highlands"],"cost":"See the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"The District does not state a review time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Official / Bylaw Enforcement Officer","value":"250-474-1773"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Official","value":"cleek@highlands.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"1980 Millstream Road, Victoria, BC V9B 6H1"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192 (PDF)","url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420"},{"title":"Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100 (PDF)","url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Highlands building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Highlands building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Highlands fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Highlands zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Highlands secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"topic":{"title":"Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},"facts":{"shed":{"label":"Sheds","value":"A building or structure of 10 m² or less in building area does not need a building permit. A larger shed or accessory building does (a permit is needed before constructing a building or structure).","short":"No if 10 m² or less","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.1.2(a) and 3.1.3(c)","quotes":["a building permit before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure;","if a building or structure does not exceed 10 square meters in building area."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The District's Building Regulation Bylaw has no separate rule for decks.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)"}]},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":"No separate rule. The general rules apply: a permit is needed to build a building or structure, unless it is 10 m² or less in building area. Garages and carports are valued for the permit fee in Appendix L.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.1.2(a) and 3.1.3(c)","quotes":["a building permit before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure;","if a building or structure does not exceed 10 square meters in building area."]},{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/sites/31/files/2025-02/Construction%20Values_201306040901063981.pdf","title":"Construction Values (PDF)","section":"Appendix L","quotes":["Garages and or Workshops","Carports, Barns or Sheds"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Varies by zone. Example, RR1: accessory building height up to 6 m; 7.5 m from the front lot line (and from a side lot line on a road), 3 m from other side lot lines, 10 m from the rear; total accessory floor area up to 325 m², no single building over 200 m².","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622","title":"Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.1.3 (RR1) and s. 3.4(1)","quotes":["The height of an accessory building or structure shall not exceed 6 metres.","No building or structure shall be sited within 7.5 metres of a front lot line.","No building or structure shall be sited within 3 metres of a side lot line.","No building or structure shall be sited within 10 metres of a rear lot line.","total floor area of all accessory buildings on a lot shall not exceed 325 square metres and no","No accessory building or structure shall be sited, placed or constructed on a lot unless:","No building or structure shall be sited within 7.5 metres of a side lot line that abuts a highway."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (permits); Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (zoning limits)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)","section":"Part 1","quotes":["Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003"]},{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622","title":"Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (PDF)","section":"Title page","quotes":["Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":1,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the District's [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420), a permit is needed before constructing a building or structure, except one of 10 m² or less in building area. That means a shed or other accessory building of 10 m² or less does not need a building permit, and a larger one does.\n\nThe bylaw has no separate rule for decks, garages or carports, so the same 10 m² rule applies to them. Garages and carports are valued for the permit fee in Appendix L of the bylaw.\n\nZoning rules apply whether or not you need a permit. They vary by zone. For example, in the RR1 zone an accessory building may be up to 6 m high, 7.5 m from the front lot line (and from a side lot line on a road), 3 m from other side lot lines and 10 m from the rear. Total accessory floor area is up to 325 m², with no single building over 200 m². Other zones have their own numbers.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer) and read its accessory building rules in the [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622).\n2. Measure the building area of your project. If it is over 10 m², apply for a building permit (see the building-permit answer).\n3. If you are unsure, call or email the Building Official.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Buildings and structures must also stay 30 m from the sea, lakes, ponds, wetlands and watercourses.\n- Appendix L lists sundecks as a construction-value rate only, not a permit threshold.\n- A building bigger than 10 m² needs a permit even if it meets zoning.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622","title":"Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.highlands.ca/sites/31/files/2025-02/Construction%20Values_201306040901063981.pdf","title":"Construction Values (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}