Lions Bay building permits: when you need one and how to apply
Do I need a building permit in Lions Bay, and how do I apply?
Short answer
In Lions Bay you need a Village building permit before you build, repair or alter a building or structure, move or demolish one, or install a wood-burning appliance. Get the application form from the Village Office or the Village's Forms & Applications page and submit it with plans.
Key facts
| Needed for | A permit is needed before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure (including a retaining wall or pool structure), moving or demolishing one, occupying a new building, building a masonry fireplace or installing a wood-burning appliance, or changing a building's use or occupancy. The Village adds: new construction, additions, finishing a basement, decks, gazebos, pools.Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 7.1; Building Permits, intro · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingconstructing, repairing, or altering a building or structure, including a retaining wall moving a building or structure into or within the Village; demolishing a building or structure; constructing a masonry fireplace or installing a wood-burning appliance or changing the use or occupancy of a building, Building permits are required for all new construction, temporary buildings and for alterations to existing construction. Building a deck or gazebo Construction of a swimming pool |
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| Not needed for | The Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence (except retaining walls), an accessory building under 10 m², a trellis, an arbour, or a wall supporting soil under 1.22 m high on a single-family residential parcel. Work that needs no permit must still follow bylaws and the BC Building Code.Sources differ: Conflict: the Village's Building Permits page says a retaining wall over 1.2 m 'requires a professional engineering design but no permit required'. Bylaw s. 11.1 says no one may construct or structurally repair a retaining wall without a building permit (with the s. 3.3(c) exemption for walls under 1.22 m). The bylaw is followed.Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3; Building Permits, Note · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingexcept as set out in Part 11: of this bylaw, a fence; an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres; a trellis, an arbour, a wall supporting soil that is less than 1.22 metres in height, or other similar landscape structures on a parcel zoned for single-family residential Work that does not require a permit, must comply with Municipal Bylaws and the BC Building Code. |
| How to apply | Get the Building Permit Application Form from the Village Office or the Village's Forms & Applications page, and submit it with plans and supporting documents. The permit must be issued before work starts. The Village takes cash, cheque or debit in person, no credit cards.Building Permits, How to Obtain a Permit; Forms & Applications, intro · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThe permit must be obtained before commencing work on the project. Permit forms can be obtained through the Village Office or online. The Village does not accept credit cards. |
| What to submit | A simple-building application needs: the signed application form, the owner's acknowledgement and undertaking (Appendix A), a title search made within 30 days, a BC land surveyor's survey plan (may be waived), and a site plan. Complex buildings also need a code compliance summary and drawings by registered professionals.Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 10.2, 10.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingbe accompanied by the owner’s acknowledgment of responsibility and include a copy of a title search for the relevant property made within 30 days of include a copy of a survey plan prepared by a British Columbia land surveyor include a building code compliance summary including the applicable edition of |
| Processing time | Not confirmed. The official pages do not state this detail. |
| Inspections | Inspections must be scheduled in advance: call Building Services at (604) 921-9333 in office hours, leave a voice message after hours, or use the online request form. The Building Bylaw requires at least two days' notice to the building official.Scheduling an Inspection, intro; Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 10.29 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingBuilding inspections must be scheduled in advance. contact Building Services at (604) 921-9333 during normal office hours. Every owner or constructor shall give at least two days’ notice to the building official to |
| Contact | Building Services: building@lionsbay.ca, (604) 921-9333 ext. 1009. Village Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Building Services contact; Village Office | The Village of Lions Bay · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingPhone number: (604) 921-9333 ext. 1009 Email address: building@lionsbay.ca The office is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. |
| Bylaw | Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026.Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited as “Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026”. |
How it works
The Village of Lions Bay checks your plans against the BC Building Code, the zoning rules and its Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, then inspects the work. The permit must be issued before work starts.
A permit is needed to construct, repair or alter a building or structure (including a retaining wall or pool structure), move or demolish one, occupy a new building, build a masonry fireplace or install a wood-burning appliance, or change a building's use. The Village lists new construction, additions, finishing a basement, decks, gazebos and pools. If your site is in a development permit area under the Official Community Plan, a development permit is needed first.
Steps
- Talk to Building Services before you start to confirm what your project needs.
- Get the Building Permit Application Form from the Village Office or the Forms & Applications page.
- Submit it with plans and supporting documents. For a simple building this means the signed form, the owner's acknowledgement and undertaking, a title search made within 30 days, a survey plan by a BC land surveyor (it may be waived) and a site plan. Complex buildings also need a code compliance summary and drawings by registered professionals.
- Pay the fees at the Village Office by cash, cheque or debit. Credit cards are not accepted.
- Book inspections as work progresses.
Good to know
- Not covered by the Building Bylaw: a fence (except a retaining wall), an accessory building under 10 m², a trellis, an arbour, or a wall holding back soil under 1.22 m high on a single-family parcel. Work that needs no permit must still follow bylaws and the BC Building Code.
- Inspections: call 604-921-9333 in office hours, leave a voice message after hours, or use the online request form. The bylaw requires at least two days' notice.
- An agent needs the Agent Authorization Form to act for the owner.
- The Village's page calls for a permit on retaining walls over 1.2 m differently from the bylaw (see above). Confirm with Building Services.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
West Vancouver · Bowen Island · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver · Gibsons · Squamish
Building permits in British Columbia: how to apply, by municipality →
Sources
- Building Permits, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Forms & Applications, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Scheduling an Inspection, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Building Services contact, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Village Office | The Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.