Lillooet secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

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

Short answer

In Lillooet a secondary suite inside a house is a listed accessory use in the ALR, AG, RR, SR, R-1 and R-2 zones. A detached Accessory Dwelling is allowed in more zones, with size limits. You need a building permit to add a suite. Parking is one space per suite.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowed	Secondary Suite is a listed accessory use in the ALR, AG, RR, SR, R-1 and R-2 zones; one is also permitted in the MHP zone with a single detached dwelling. A secondary suite is a second dwelling unit entirely within a single detached dwelling, with its own exterior door.Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, ss. 10.3.10, 11.3.10, 12.3.9, 13.3.6, 14.3.5, 15.3.5; Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 17.7.2; Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 30 Definitions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording ALR AGRICULTURAL LAND RESERVE ZONE 10.3.10 Secondary Suite. 10.4 Minimum Lot Area for Subdivision: 10.4.1 8.0 hectares. 11.3.8 Farm Product Processing; 11.3.9 Farm Product Retail Sales; 11.3.10 Secondary Suite; 11.3.11 Short-Term Rental. Page 54 of 122 12.3.7 Home Occupation; 12.3.8 Home Industry; 12.3.9 Secondary Suite; 12.3.10 Short-Term Rental. Page 57 of 122 13.3.4 Home Occupation; 13.3.5 Home Industry; 13.3.6 Secondary Suite; 13.3.7 Short-Term Rental. 13.4 Minimum Lot Area for Subdivision: 14.3.3 Accessory Dwelling; 14.3.4 Home Occupation; 14.3.5 Secondary Suite; 14.3.6 Short-Term Rental. 14.4 Minimum Lot Area for Subdivision: 15.3.3 Accessory Dwelling; 15.3.4 Home Occupation; 15.3.5 Secondary Suite; 15.3.6 Short-Term Rental. 15.4 Minimum Lot Area for Subdivision: One (1) Secondary Suite is permitted (which is secondary to the Single Detached Dwelling); means a second Dwelling Unit that is located entirely within a Single Detached Dwelling
Coach house or garden suite allowed	An Accessory Dwelling (detached) is an accessory use in the ALR, AG, RR, SR, R-1, R-2, RM and MC zones. One per parcel unless the zone says otherwise; it cannot contain a suite. Max 125 m² and no larger than the main dwelling, except ALR (90 m² under 40 ha) and AG (250 m² or 50% of the house). Needs municipal sewer and water, or a lot over 2,000 m² (municipal water, septic) or over 10,000 m² (own water and septic).Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 6.2; Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 14.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Unless specifically permitted, only one (1) Accessory Dwelling is permitted per Parcel. Accessory Dwellings shall not contain Secondary Suites. No Accessory Dwelling shall have a Floor Area greater than 125 m2, except in the ALR Zone or unless otherwise specified in this Bylaw. On any sized Parcel where allowed in this Bylaw if connected to a municipal sewer system and municipal water; On parcels more than 2000 m2 if connected to municipal water and onsite sewage; or On parcels more than 10,000 m2 (1 hectare) in area if connected to an on-site sewage and on-site water system. One (1) Accessory Dwelling, or Secondary Suite per Lot, and the total Gross Floor Area of a Secondary Suite or Accessory Dwelling shall not exceed: 50% of the Gross Floor Area of the Single Detached Dwelling. 14.3.1 Agriculture, Urban; 14.3.2 Accessory Building or Accessory Structure; 14.3.3 Accessory Dwelling; 14.3.4 Home Occupation; 14.3.5 Secondary Suite;
Limits	Depends on the zone. ALR, AG and R-1: one suite or one accessory dwelling, not both (R-1 may have a duplex instead). SR: one suite (plus an accessory dwelling on lots of 2,000 m² or more). RR: two suites. R-2: a house with one suite and one accessory dwelling, or a duplex with a suite per unit. A suite must share an uninterrupted foundation and roof with the house. AG: max 250 m² or 50% of the house.Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, ss. 6.9.2, 12.6.1.2, 14.6.1.1, 15.6.1.1, 11.6.1.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording A Secondary Suite must share a common uninterrupted foundation and roof with the Principal Dwelling Unit in the Permitted Dwelling Two (2) Secondary Suites per Lot. One (1) Accessory Dwelling, or Secondary Suite; or One (1) Single Detached Dwelling, One (1) Secondary Suite, and One (1) Accessory Dwelling; 250 m2; or 50% of the Gross Floor Area of the Single Detached Dwelling. One (1) Accessory Dwelling, or Secondary Suite per Lot, and the total Gross Floor Area of a Secondary Suite or Accessory Dwelling shall not exceed: One (1) Duplex Dwelling (two units) and One (1) Secondary Suite per unit;
Parking	One space per suite (1 per dwelling unit), and it cannot be in a tandem arrangement with other spaces. An accessory dwelling also needs 1 space per dwelling unit.Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, Table 8.1; s. 6.9.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Secondary Suite 1 per Dwelling unit Accessory Dwelling 1 per Dwelling unit A Parking Space for a Secondary Suite shall not be provided in a Tandem Parking arrangement
Permits	A building permit is needed to add a suite. A separate suite or development permit requirement is not stated; check the Development Permit Areas Map for the property.Building Permits, Examples of Projects That Require a Building Permit; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 4, s. 3.0 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording ### Examples of Projects That Require a Building Permit - Additions - Adding a suite - Finishing basements - New deck/porch/stairs or replacements $1,076.00 (heated) Sundeck (no roof) $430.00 Roof Only $323.00 Unenclosed Structure or Carport $377.00 Secondary Suite $1,345.00
Bylaw	District of Lillooet Zoning Bylaw 2025-026 (ss. 6.2, 6.9, Part 8 and the zone sections); Building Bylaw 2021-006.Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 1.1.1; Building Bylaw 2021-006, consolidated to June 4, 2025, s. 1.1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording District of Lillooet Zoning Bylaw 2025-026. District of Lillooet Building Bylaw 2021-006

How it works

Under the Zoning Bylaw 2025-026, a secondary suite is a second dwelling unit entirely within a single detached dwelling, with its own exterior door. It is a listed accessory use in the ALR, AG, RR, SR, R-1 and R-2 zones. One is also permitted in the MHP zone with a single detached dwelling. It is not listed in the RM zone. A suite must share an uninterrupted foundation and roof with the house, but the roof may be interrupted when the suite is built over an attached garage or carport.

A detached Accessory Dwelling is an accessory use in the ALR, AG, RR, SR, R-1, R-2, RM and MC zones. It is one per parcel unless the zone says otherwise, and it cannot contain a suite. It is limited to 125 m² and no larger than the main dwelling, with exceptions for ALR (90 m² under 40 ha) and AG (250 m² or 50% of the house). It needs municipal sewer and water, or a lot over 2,000 m² (municipal water, septic) or over 10,000 m² (own water and septic).

Steps

Find your zone and check its limits (see the zoning-lookup answer).
Ask the Planning Technician (planning@lillooet.ca) whether a development permit area applies to your lot.
Apply for a building permit by email to building@lillooet.ca.

Good to know

Limits depend on the zone. ALR, AG and R-1: one suite or one accessory dwelling, not both (R-1 may have a duplex instead). SR: one suite, plus an accessory dwelling on lots of 2,000 m² or more. RR: two suites. R-2: a house with one suite and one accessory dwelling, or a duplex with a suite per unit.
Parking: one space per suite and one per accessory dwelling; a suite space cannot be in a tandem arrangement with other spaces.
Density is also subject to the availability of municipal services.
The Zoning Bylaw's owner-occupancy rules for suites were not found; ask the District to confirm.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Ashcroft · Cache Creek · Logan Lake · Clinton · Lytton · Pemberton

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

Sources

Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
Building Bylaw 2021-006, consolidated to June 4, 2025, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
Building Permits, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)

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