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Keremeos secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Keremeos?

Keremeos, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

Yes, in some zones. Keremeos allows a secondary suite inside a single detached home, and a detached accessory dwelling, in the RS1, AG and AGX zones. The suite must connect to the Village sewer and have one extra parking space.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedA secondary suite (inside a single detached dwelling) is a permitted accessory use in the RS1 (Low Density Residential One), AG and AGX zones, subject to s. 7.7.Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), s. 11.1.1, 7.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
g) secondary suite, subject to Section 7.7.
A secondary suite shall be located in one (1) principal single detached dwelling unit.
Coach house or garden suite allowedA detached "accessory dwelling" is a permitted accessory use in RS1, AG and AGX. It cannot be attached to a principal building with a dwelling unit, is limited to 100 m² unless stated otherwise, and is not allowed on parcels under 1.0 ha unless connected to a community sewer. In RS1 its height is limited to 8.0 m.Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), s. 7.2, 11.1.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
An accessory dwelling shall not be permitted on parcels less than 1.0 ha in area
No accessory dwelling shall have a floor area greater than 100.0 m², unless
a detached accessory dwelling shall not exceed a
LimitsRS1: up to three dwelling units per lot (one single detached dwelling, one secondary suite and one accessory dwelling); on floodplain parcels, only one secondary suite or accessory dwelling. Only one secondary suite per single detached dwelling; none in an accessory building; no strata subdivision; must connect to the Village sewer. No owner-occupancy rule found.Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), s. 11.1.5, 7.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
c) one (1) secondary suite and one (1) accessory dwelling.
Secondary suites are not permitted in an accessory building or structure.
Secondary suites shall be connected to the Village of Keremeos sanitary sewer
A secondary suite cannot be subdivided under the Strata Property Act.
ParkingOne parking space per secondary suite, in addition to the spaces required for the single detached dwelling. An accessory dwelling needs 1 per dwelling unit.Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), s. 7.7.5, Table 9.2.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
One (1) parking space per secondary suite is required in addition to those required
accessory dwelling 1 per dwelling unit
PermitsA building permit is required for construction, alteration or change of use of a building (Building Bylaw s. 5.1). The application checklist also requires proof of water service from the Keremeos Irrigation District for a new dwelling unit, including a secondary suite.Building permit requirements; Building Bylaw No. 835, 2019 (PDF, consolidated), s. 5.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Proof of Water Service from Keremeos Irrigation District
including secondary suite or accessory dwelling
A person must not commence or continue any construction, alteration, excavation,
Unless a Building Official has issued a valid and subsisting permit for the work under this
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 851 (s. 7.2, 7.7 and zone sections); Building Bylaw No. 835, 2019Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), Title; https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/14895/, Schedule 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Village of Keremeos Zoning Bylaw No. 851
BUILDING BYLAW NO. 835, 2019

How it works

The Zoning Bylaw No. 851 allows a secondary suite (inside a single detached dwelling) as an accessory use in the RS1, AG and AGX zones, subject to s. 7.7. A detached "accessory dwelling" is also allowed in those zones. It cannot be attached to a principal building with a dwelling unit, is limited to 100 m² unless stated otherwise, and is not allowed on parcels under 1.0 ha unless connected to a community sewer. In RS1 its height is limited to 8.0 m.

Steps

  1. Confirm your lot is zoned RS1, AG or AGX (see the zoning-lookup answer).
  2. Check the limits below.
  3. Apply for a building permit at the Village Office. The checklist asks for proof of water service from the Keremeos Irrigation District for a new dwelling unit, including a secondary suite.

Good to know

  • RS1 allows up to three dwelling units per lot (one single detached dwelling, one secondary suite and one accessory dwelling). On floodplain parcels, only one secondary suite or accessory dwelling.
  • Only one secondary suite per single detached dwelling; none in an accessory building; no strata subdivision.
  • Parking: one space per secondary suite, in addition to the spaces for the main dwelling. An accessory dwelling needs 1 per dwelling unit.
  • No owner-occupancy rule was found in the bylaw. The Village does not state a suite size limit; ask the Building Inspector.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oliver · Osoyoos · Penticton · Summerland · Princeton · Peachland

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 851 (PDF, revised June 10, 2026), Village of Keremeos (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building Bylaw No. 835, 2019 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Keremeos (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Building permit requirements (PDF), Village of Keremeos (read 2026-11-08)
  4. Contact, Village of Keremeos (read 2026-11-08)
  5. https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/14895/ (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. How answers are checked.