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

# Lions Bay permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Lions Bay a deck needs a building permit. A shed, garage or other accessory building needs one if it is 10 m² or more; under 10 m² it does not. Zoning limits still apply to all of them.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Lions Bay, https://www.lionsbay.ca)  
**Cost:** Based on the value of the work; see the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The Village does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Services, 604-921-9333 ext. 1009
- Email: Building Services, building@lionsbay.ca
- In person: Village Office, 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay, BC V0N 2E0 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A permit is needed for an accessory building, shed or detached garage of 10 m² or more. The Building Bylaw does not apply to an accessory building under 10 m².
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3(b)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;"
  - Source: [Building Permits, examples](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/building-services/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Adding an accessory building, equipment room, shed, or detached garage more then 10m2"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** Yes. The Village's Building Permits page lists 'Building a deck or gazebo' as needing a permit. No height threshold is stated, and the Building Bylaw's exemptions (s. 3.3) do not list decks.
  - Source: [Building Permits, examples](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/building-services/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Building a deck or gazebo"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw does not apply to:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** A garage or other accessory building of 10 m² or more needs a building permit; one under 10 m² does not. Carports are not named, but any building or structure not exempted by s. 3.3 of the Building Bylaw needs a permit.
  - Source: [Building Permits, examples](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/building-services/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Adding an accessory building, equipment room, shed, or detached garage more then 10m2"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 9.3(c)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "but not for garages, carports, and garden structures;" … "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;" … "constructing, repairing, or altering a building or structure, including a retaining wall"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** RS-1 zone: no more than two accessory buildings or structures per parcel; height up to 3.65 m (4.65 m with a 3-in-12 or steeper roof); combined floor area up to 77 m². Setbacks as for a house: 7.5 m front and rear, 2.4 m side (the Brunswick Beach Overlay Area differs, s. 7.6); a tool shed or greenhouse up to 19 m² may sit in the rear setback. No kitchen; no dwelling use.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 7.10, 7.5, 4.7.4, 4.5](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No more than two accessory buildings or structures shall be located on a parcel." … "The height of an accessory building or structure shall not exceed 3.65 metres or, where" … "The maximum combined floor area of all accessory buildings shall not exceed 77 m2." … "7.5 metres from a front or rear parcel line; or" … "a free standing tool storage shed or" … "An accessory building or structure shall not be used as a dwelling unit." … "Despite sections 7.4, 7.5 and 7.8.2, the following regulations apply to the area outlined in a heavy" … "No building or structure shall be located within:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (s. 3.3); Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (s. 4.5, 4.7, 7.10).
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 1.1](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as “Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026”."
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 1.1](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Zoning and Development Bylaw No.520, 2017"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

In Lions Bay the [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf) requires a permit for any building or structure not exempted in section 3.3. The Village's Building Permits page lists "building a deck or gazebo" as needing a permit and states no height below which a deck is exempt.

An accessory building, shed or detached garage of 10 m² or more needs a permit. The bylaw does not apply to one under 10 m². Carports are not named, so a carport needs a permit unless it falls under an exemption.

## Steps

1. Check the zoning limits below for your lot.
2. Apply for a building permit (see the building-permit answer) if your project needs one.
3. Book inspections as work progresses.

## Good to know

- In the RS-1 (single detached residential) zone, under the [Zoning and Development Bylaw](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf): no more than two accessory buildings or structures per parcel; height up to 3.65 m (4.65 m with a 3-in-12 or steeper roof); combined floor area up to 77 m².
- Setbacks are the same as for a house: 7.5 m front and rear, 2.4 m side. A tool shed or greenhouse up to 19 m² may sit in the rear setback. The Brunswick Beach Overlay Area differs.
- An accessory building may not have a kitchen or be used as a dwelling.
- Other zones have different rules. Ask Building Services.
- Required parking is 2 off-street spaces per single detached dwelling, or 3 with a secondary suite.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permits, Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/building-services/building-permits)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (PDF)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Lions Bay building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/building-permit.md)
- [Lions Bay building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Lions Bay fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/fence-rules.md)
- [Lions Bay zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/zoning-lookup.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)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Squamish](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permits, Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/services/building-services/building-permits) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650) (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.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 Village of Lions Bay. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/deck-shed-garage-permit/_