---
title: Ladysmith permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Ladysmith?"
place: Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/ladysmith
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Ladysmith
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Ladysmith permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Ladysmith a shed or other accessory building under 10 m² that is not unsafe needs no building permit, and neither does a low unattached deck under 0.6 m. Garages, carports and larger buildings need one. Zoning rules on size, height and setbacks apply to all of them.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Ladysmith, https://www.ladysmith.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer; the permit fee is 1.10% of the value of the work, $150 minimum.  
**How long:** The Town does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Development Services, 250-245-6415
- Email: Development Services, ds@ladysmith.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A shed or other accessory building under 10 m² floor area that creates no unsafe condition is outside the Building Bylaw (no permit). Larger accessory buildings fall under the bylaw, which requires a permit for regulated work.
  - Source: [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174, ss. 3.3(b), 5.1](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres that" … "does not create an unsafe condition;" … "A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** No permit for an unenclosed deck or patio less than 0.6 m above the ground that is not attached to a foundation or a structural part of a building and is not an exit. Other decks fall under the bylaw's general permit requirement.
  - Source: [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174, ss. 3.3(h), 5.1](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2)
  - Official wording: "unenclosed, decks or patios which are less than 0.6 metres from the" … "ground, which are not affixed to a foundation, or any structural member of" … "A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** The bylaw lists no exemption for garages or carports, so the general rule that regulated work needs a permit applies. The fee schedule has rates for attached garages ($50 per sq. ft.) and attached carports ($30 per sq. ft.).
  - Source: [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174, s. 5.1, Appendix A](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2)
  - Official wording: "A permit is required if work regulated under this bylaw is to be undertaken." … "Attached garages $50" … "Attached carports $30"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** Zoning (s. 5.9): no more than two accessory buildings per parcel, each up to 60 m², no kitchen, not used as a dwelling, and up to 5.0 m or one storey high (3.5 m in RU-1, R-1, R-1-A, R-2 and R-2-B). Setbacks and parcel coverage vary by zone.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860 (PDF, consolidated September 29, 2026), ss. 5.9, 10.2](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Not more than two Accessory Buildings shall be permitted on a Parcel, or as," … "An Accessory Building or Structure shall have a maximum Gross Floor Area of" … "60 square metres." … "No Accessory Building or Structure shall exceed a Height of 5.0 metres, measured to the highest point of the roof, or one Storey" … "No Accessory Building or Structure shall include Kitchen Facilities." … "b) No Accessory Building or Structure shall exceed a Height of 3.5 metres." … "No Accessory Building or Structure shall exceed a Height of 3.5 metres." … "All other Accessory Buildings or Structures shall not exceed a Height of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174 (ss. 3.3, 5.1) and Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860 (s. 5.9, zone sections).
  - Source: [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174, title](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2)
  - Official wording: "Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860 (PDF, consolidated September 29, 2026), s. 1.1](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Schedule A - Zoning Bylaw Text of "Town of Ladysmith Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Two bylaws apply. The [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2) decides whether you need a building permit. The [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf) sets size, height and location rules for every accessory building, whether or not a permit is needed.

- **Shed or other accessory building:** under 10 m² of floor area and not creating an unsafe condition, it is outside the building bylaw. Larger ones need a permit. The bylaw does not say what applies at exactly 10 m².
- **Deck:** no permit for an unenclosed deck or patio less than 0.6 m above the ground that is not attached to a foundation or structural part of a building and is not an exit. Other decks fall under the general permit requirement.
- **Garage or carport:** the bylaw lists no exemption, so a permit is required. A foundation design by a registered professional is not required for garages and carports.

## Zoning limits (section 5.9)

- No more than two accessory buildings per parcel, each up to 60 m², with no kitchen, not used as a dwelling.
- Up to 5.0 m or one storey high; 3.5 m in the RU-1, R-1, R-1-A, R-2 and R-2-B zones.
- Setbacks and parcel coverage vary by zone (R-1 allows 33% coverage with one dwelling, 50% with more).
- An accessory building attached to the main building counts as part of it.

## Good to know

- Open decks up to 0.62 m above finished grade may project into setbacks.
- Call Development Services before you build to confirm your zone's rules.

## Related questions

- [Ladysmith building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/building-permit.md)
- [Ladysmith building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Ladysmith zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Ladysmith fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/fence-rules.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)
- [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building & Plumbing Bylaw 2024, No. 2174 (PDF), Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2174_building-and-plumbing-bylaw-2024404b94fa7dea659dad49ff0000e75dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=c2a1f1db_2) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860 (PDF, consolidated September 29, 2026), Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw 2008, No. 1644 consolidation (PDF), Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1644-fees-and-charges-consolidation.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Town of Ladysmith. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/deck-shed-garage-permit/_