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

# Highlands secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Highlands?

**Short answer:** In most zones in the District of Highlands you may have one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) of 90 m² or less in addition to your main home, either inside it or in a separate building. The owner must live in the main home or the ADU, and a registered covenant is needed first.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Highlands, https://www.highlands.ca)  
**Cost:** The District's pages read do not give a suite-specific fee. See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The District does not state a review time.  
**Where:**
- Online: Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, District of Highlands, https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units
- Phone: Building Official / Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-474-1773
- Email: Building Official, cleek@highlands.ca
- In person: Municipal Hall, 1980 Millstream Road, Victoria, BC V9B 6H1

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes, in most zones: one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) per lot in addition to the main home, which can be inside the main home (secondary or basement suite). Only the CD2 zone allows up to 3; GB1A allows 4 principal dwelling units with one ADU each.
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, Page text](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units)
  - Official wording: "The Zoning Bylaw allows one ADU in addition to the principal dwelling unit per lot in most zones." … "It can either be within the main home such as a secondary suite or basement suite" … "Only the CD2 (Rivers Crossing area) and the GB1A (one property on Millstream Lake Road) zones allow more than one ADU per lot."
  - Source: [Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998, s. 6.1.2(2) (RR1)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622)
  - Official wording: "there may be no more than one (1) accessory dwelling unit on each lot if the property owner grants"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Yes, in the same zones: an ADU may be in a separate accessory building, such as above a garage or a garden suite. It counts as the one ADU allowed per lot, and must meet the zone's siting and setbacks.
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, Page text](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units)
  - Official wording: "or it can be within a separate accessory building, such as above a garage or a garden suite." … "Siting and setbacks of the ADU must match the individual zone’s siting and setbacks depending on whether the ADU is in the principal house or in an accessory building."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** 90 m² or less. The owner must live in the main home or the ADU. The ADU cannot be used for a home-based business or be subdivided or strata-titled from the main home. One ADU per lot in most zones (CD2: up to 3).
  - Source: [Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998, s. 3.11](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622)
  - Official wording: "The total floor area of an accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 90m2." … "The property owner must have as their principal residence either the principal dwelling unit or the accessory dwelling unit." … "An accessory dwelling unit must not be used for a home-based business." … "An accessory dwelling unit must not be subdivided from the principal dwelling unit on the same lot."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** One additional parking space is required for the ADU.
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, Page text](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units)
  - Official wording: "One additional parking space is required for the ADU."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit (with Building Code compliance and, before occupancy, an occupancy permit). A section 219 no-subdivision covenant must be registered on title before applying (not needed in CD2). A development permit (DPA 6 check sheet) may also be needed.
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, Building Code and Required Documents](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units)
  - Official wording: "all Building Code requirements must be met, and an Occupancy Permit is required for the ADU." … "Building Permit Application form and all required documents listed on it (Appendix A of Bylaw 192)." … "prior to the building permit application. This covenant is not required for properties zoned CD2." … "Development Permit Area 6 Guideline Check Sheet"
  - Source: [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003, s. 3.6.1](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420)
  - Official wording: "An owner must obtain a certificate of occupancy, on the form attached as Appendix"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (s. 3.11 and each zone's residential density section); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003
  - Source: [Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998, Title page](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622)
  - Official wording: "Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated)"
  - Source: [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003, Part 1](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420)
  - Official wording: "Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Highlands calls a secondary suite, garden suite or carriage house an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622) allows one ADU per lot, in addition to the main home, in most zones. It can be inside the main home (a secondary or basement suite) or in a separate accessory building, such as above a garage or a garden suite. Only the CD2 zone allows up to 3, and GB1A allows 4 principal dwelling units with one ADU each.

Section 3.11 of the Zoning Bylaw sets these limits: the ADU is 90 m² or less; the owner lives in the main home or the ADU; the ADU cannot be used for a home-based business; and it cannot be subdivided or strata-titled from the main home. One additional parking space is required for the ADU. A detached ADU must meet the zone's siting and setbacks, and a Development Variance Permit can be requested if the setbacks cannot be met.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows an ADU (see the District's page for the list).
2. Register a section 219 no-subdivision covenant on title before applying (not needed in CD2).
3. Gather the documents listed above and check whether a development permit (DPA 6) is needed.
4. Apply for a building permit, which requires Building Code compliance (see the building-permit answer).
5. Get the final inspection and an occupancy permit before anyone lives in the unit.

## Good to know

- A development permit may also be needed.
- Whether the Zoning Bylaw allows renting the ADU short term is not stated; see the short-term-rental answer.
- Ask the Building Official about fees; the posted fee schedule could not be read.

## What you'll need

- Registered section 219 no-subdivision covenant on title (not needed in the CD2 zone)
- Development permit check sheet (DPA 6), if a development permit is needed
- Sewage disposal filing and Health Authority approval of the water system for the ADU
- Step Code energy report
- Owner's Undertaking and Owner's Declaration

## Official forms and pages

- [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, District of Highlands](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units)
- [Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100 (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622)

## Related questions

- [Highlands building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/building-permit.md)
- [Highlands zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Highlands home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/home-based-business.md)
- [Highlands short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/short-term-rental.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/secondary-suite.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/secondary-suite.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/secondary-suite.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/secondary-suite.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/secondary-suite.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, District of Highlands](https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/secondary-suites-and-accessory-dwelling-units) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1622) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 192, 2003 (PDF)](https://www.highlands.ca/media/1420) (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 District of Highlands. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/secondary-suite/_