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Merritt secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

Merritt, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Often yes. In the City of Merritt a secondary suite is allowed inside a house in the AR1, R1, R3, R4 and C6 zones, and a detached secondary dwelling in AR1, R1 and R3. A parcel of 280 m2 or less may have up to 3 units. A building permit is required.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedAllowed as a secondary use inside a single detached, semi-detached or townhome dwelling in the AR1, R1, R3, R4 and C6 zones, and in townhomes in the R7 and R8 zones. The R2 mobile home zone's list does not include it.City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, s. 7.2.3, 7.3.4, 7.6.4, 7.7.3, 7.10.4, 7.11.4, 7.18.4; City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, definition · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
The following Secondary Uses are permitted in the zoning district designated R1:
Secondary Suite, in a Multiple Unit Townhome Dwelling.
Secondary Suite in a Multiple Unit Townhome.
The following Secondary Uses are permitted in the zoning district designated C6:
The following Secondary Uses are permitted in the zoning district designated R4:
The following Secondary Uses are permitted in the zoning district designated R3:
The following Secondary Uses are permitted in the zoning district designated AR1:
SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained Accessory Dwelling Unit containing one or
located within a Single Detached, Semi-Detached or Multiple Unit Townhome
Coach house or garden suite allowedDetached secondary dwellings (coach house, garden suite) are permitted in the AR1, R1 and R3 zones (s. 4.38.1); the R4 zone's use list also includes them. Must be subordinate to the main dwelling.City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, s. 4.38.1, 7.7.3; Guide to Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units, City of Merritt, September 2024 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Detached Secondary Dwellings are permitted in the AR1, R1, and R3 zones.
b. Dwelling, Detached Secondary;
Examples include Coach House and Garden Suite.
LimitsParcels of 280 m² or less: up to 3 accessory units in total (suites plus detached); larger parcels: the greater of 4 or one per dwelling unit. Suite must be inside the main dwelling and no larger than it; detached unit smaller than the main building and 3 m away. Minimum one-month rentals.City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, Table 4.36, s. 4.37, 4.38 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Less than or equal to 280 m2 3 units
Greater of 4 units or 1 per Dwelling Unit
Secondary Suite(s) must be contained within the principal Dwelling and separated from
Rentals of a Secondary Suite must have a minimum tenancy period of one month.
The maximum floor area of a Secondary Suite must not exceed the floor area of the
The maximum floor area of a Detached Secondary Dwelling must be less than the floor
No Detached Secondary Dwelling may be located less than 3 metres away from a
ParkingOne space for two or fewer accessory units (suites or detached), and 0.5 space for each additional unit, in addition to the dwelling's own parking. None required if the parcel is within 200 m of a Designated Transit Stop.City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, s. 4.37.5, 5.10.1, Table 5.18 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Off-street Parking Spaces for Secondary Suites, in addition to the requirements for the
There is no parking requirement for Detached Secondary Dwellings or Secondary
Suites if the Parcel is within 200 metres of a Designated Transit Stop.
2 or fewer units: 1
parking space;
additional unit, 0.5
PermitsA building permit (applied for through CloudPermit) is required, plus a development permit first if the property is in an OCP development permit area. An existing suite must be registered with the City before a building permit is issued for a detached secondary dwelling.City of Merritt Building Bylaw No. 2382, 2024, s. 10.1(a); Building Services, Building Services page; City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, s. 4.38.4; Zoning, Zoning page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
the owner must apply for and obtain a development permit if the building or structure is in an
If you’re building, renovating or adding a secondary suite to your home, you may require an inspection.
If a Secondary Suite exists in the Principal Building, it must be registered with the City
The City of Merritt amended its municipal Zoning Bylaw 2284, 2020 to comply with the Province of BC's Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing Legislation (SSMUH/Bill44). The changes made were mostly to residential zones, allowing increased density within the City of Merritt. This means that property owners will now be able to install a secondary suite(s) or detached secondary dwellings, depending on the parcel size. Permits required. (The other provincial bills around transit-oriented development and short-term rentals do not apply to City of Merritt).
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (ss. 4.36 to 4.38); City of Merritt Building Bylaw No. 2382, 2024.City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020, 2026 consolidation, title; City of Merritt Building Bylaw No. 2382, 2024, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020
“City of Merritt Building Bylaw No. 2382, 2024”

How it works

The City of Merritt's Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (ss. 4.36 to 4.38) lets owners add a secondary suite or a detached secondary dwelling (coach house or garden suite), depending on zone and parcel size. A suite is allowed as a secondary use inside a single detached, semi-detached or townhome dwelling in the AR1, R1, R3, R4 and C6 zones, and in townhomes in the R7 and R8 zones. The R2 mobile home zone does not list it. Detached dwellings are permitted in AR1, R1 and R3 (the R4 use list also includes them).

Steps

  1. Confirm your zone with the City, then read that zone's rules in the Zoning Bylaw.
  2. If your property is in an Official Community Plan development permit area, get a development permit first.
  3. Apply for a building permit through CloudPermit.
  4. If you are adding a detached dwelling and already have a suite, register the suite with the City first. Ask Planning how.

Good to know

  • Limits: a parcel of 280 m2 or less may have up to 3 accessory units in total; larger parcels may have the greater of 4 or one per dwelling unit.
  • Suite: must be inside the main dwelling and no larger than it. A detached unit must be smaller than the main building, 3 m away, and uses the main building's water and sewer connections where connected to City services.
  • Rental: minimum one-month rentals. A suite cannot be in the same building as a bed and breakfast or short-term rental (except in C6); a detached unit may contain a short-term rental.
  • Parking: one space for two or fewer units, and 0.5 space for each additional unit, on top of the dwelling's own parking. None is required within 200 m of a Designated Transit Stop.
  • The City's guide summarizes BC Building Code needs: fire separation (15, 30 or 45 minute), sound rating, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and egress.
  • No owner-occupancy requirement was found in the bylaw.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Logan Lake · Lytton · Kamloops · Princeton · Ashcroft · Peachland

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

Sources

  1. City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Zoning, City of Merritt (read 2026-11-05)
  3. City of Merritt Building Bylaw No. 2382, 2024 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Building Services, City of Merritt (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Guide to Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units (PDF), City of Merritt, September 2024 (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2386, 2024 (PDF), Schedule E (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.