---
title: Lake Cowichan permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Lake Cowichan?"
place: Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/lake-cowichan
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Lake Cowichan
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Lake Cowichan permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Lake Cowichan a permit is needed to build any building or structure unless the BC Building Code exempts it. The bylaw sets no size threshold for sheds or height threshold for decks, and garages and carports are covered. Ask the Building Inspector about small projects.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Lake Cowichan, https://www.lakecowichan.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer. The fee schedule values a deck at $40 per ft², a finished garage at $50, an unfinished garage at $40 and a carport at $40.  
**How long:** The Town's pages and bylaw state no processing time.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Inspector, 250-749-6681 ext. 104 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except holidays)
- Email: Building Inspector, inspections@lakecowichan.ca
- In person: Town Hall, 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays)

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** The Building Bylaw sets no size threshold: a permit is needed to construct any building or structure, except buildings exempted by Part 1 of the BC Building Code. Ask the Building Inspector about a small shed.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 9(1); s. 4(2)(a)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A person must apply for, and obtain, a building permit before constructing, altering, or" … "buildings and structures exempted by Part 1 of the British Columbia Building Code, except as"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** No height threshold is stated. A deck is valued at $40 per ft² in the permit fee schedule, and a permit is needed to construct a structure unless it is exempt under Part 1 of the BC Building Code.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, Schedule B; s. 9(1)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Deck 40.00" … "A person must apply for, and obtain, a building permit before constructing, altering, or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** Yes. The permit application has a 'Garage and carport' type of work, and the fee valuation schedule lists garages (finished $50 per ft², unfinished $40) and carports ($40). The bylaw states no exemption for them.
  - Source: [Building permit application and checklist, Application form, Type of Work Codes](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/Building%20permit%20application%20and%20checklist%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "15 Garage and carport"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, Schedule B](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Garage (unfinished) (attached or detached) 40.00" … "Carport (attached or detached) 40.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory structures under 10 m² (R-1 to R-6): height 3.5 m; side and rear setbacks 0.6 m; front 7.5 m (R-1 to R-4) or 4.5 m (R-5); exterior side 3.0 m (R-1 to R-3), 4.0 m (R-4), 1.5 m (R-5). Larger accessory buildings follow the principal and accessory building setbacks and their own height limit in the same zone table. Lot coverage is set per zone.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part V, low and medium density standards](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Minimum setbacks for accessory structures of less than 10m2 (metres)" … "i. Front lot line 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 4.5 n/a" … "ii. Rear lot line 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 n/a" … "iii. Interior side lot line 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 n/a" … "iv. Exterior side lot line 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 1.5 n/a" … "3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5" … "An accessory building shall not be used as a dwelling except as otherwise provided in" … "Maximum lot coverage (%)" … "Minimum setbacks for principal and accessory buildings or structures (metres)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022; Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 1](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Title page](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 1055-2021"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf) requires a permit to construct any building or structure, except buildings exempted by Part 1 of the BC Building Code. It sets no size threshold for a shed and no height threshold for a deck, and no Town page states one. Ask the Building Inspector about a small shed.

- **Deck:** valued at $40 per ft² in the fee schedule.
- **Garage or carport:** yes, a permit is needed. The application form has a "Garage and carport" type of work. The bylaw states no exemption for them.

## Steps

1. Call the Building Inspector (250-749-6681 ext. 104, Tuesdays and Wednesdays) before you build.
2. Check the setbacks and height for your zone in the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf).
3. Apply on the Town's [building permit application and checklist](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/Building%20permit%20application%20and%20checklist%202026.pdf).

## Good to know

- For accessory structures under 10 m² in zones R-1 to R-6, the Zoning Bylaw sets a height of 3.5 m and side and rear setbacks of 0.6 m. The front setback is 7.5 m in R-1 to R-4 and 4.5 m in R-5. The exterior side setback is 3.0 m in R-1 to R-3, 4.0 m in R-4 and 1.5 m in R-5. R-6 shows n/a for these small structures.
- Larger accessory buildings follow the principal and accessory building setbacks and their own height limit in the same zone table. Lot coverage is set per zone. Other zones are not covered here, so check the bylaw or ask the Town.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
- [Building permit application and checklist (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/Building%20permit%20application%20and%20checklist%202026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Lake Cowichan building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/building-permit.md)
- [Lake Cowichan building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Lake Cowichan zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Lake Cowichan fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/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)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-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 Bylaw No. 1075-2022 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building permit application and checklist (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/Building%20permit%20application%20and%20checklist%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Lake Cowichan. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/deck-shed-garage-permit/_