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Lions Bay permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

Lions Bay, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

ShedsA 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.Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3(b); Building Permits, examples · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres;
Adding an accessory building, equipment room, shed, or detached garage more then 10m2
DecksYes. 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.Building Permits, examples; Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Building a deck or gazebo
This bylaw does not apply to:
Garages and carportsA 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.Building Permits, examples; Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 9.3(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Adding an accessory building, equipment room, shed, or detached garage more then 10m2
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
Zoning limitsRS-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.Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 7.10, 7.5, 4.7.4, 4.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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:
BylawBuilding Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (s. 3.3); Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (s. 4.5, 4.7, 7.10).Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 1.1; Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
This bylaw may be cited as “Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026”.
This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Zoning and Development Bylaw No.520, 2017".

How it works

In Lions Bay the Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 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: 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

The same question in other places

West Vancouver · Bowen Island · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver · Gibsons · Squamish

Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Building Permits, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650) (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (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. How answers are checked.