---
title: Nakusp secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Nakusp?"
place: Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/nakusp
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Nakusp
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Nakusp secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Nakusp?

**Short answer:** Yes. Nakusp's Zoning Bylaw allows a secondary suite inside the main home in R-1, R-2, R-3 and RU-1, and a detached suite or carriage home in several zones. Limits are one accessory dwelling per parcel and one parking space for it. Creating a suite needs an RDCK building permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Nakusp, https://www.nakusp.com)  
**Cost:** Zoning has no suite fee we found; see the building-permit-fees answer for the RDCK permit.  
**How long:** No official page we read states a processing time.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office (zoning), 250.265.3689
- Phone: RDCK Building Inspector, Nakusp, 250.265.4111

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes. An attached accessory dwelling (including a secondary suite) is allowed as an accessory use in R-1, R-2, R-3 and RU-1, and in other listed zones. It must be entirely inside the principal dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, s. 6.1.2(b), 6.2.2(b), 3.13.1; definition](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "i) Accessory Dwelling, Attached" … "A secondary suite shall be entirely contained within a principal dwelling." … "including secondary suites and attached garage suites;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Yes, in R-1 (parcels 534 m² or more), R-2, R-3 and RU-1 and some other zones, only where the principal use is a single detached dwelling. Garage suites, carriage homes and tiny homes are covered.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, s. 6.1.4(b)(ii), 6.1.8(a), 3.12.1](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "One Single Detached Dwelling and one attached or detached" … "Detached Accessory Dwellings shall only be permitted on Parcels where the" … "The following pertains to secondary suites, carriage homes, garage suites, and"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** One accessory dwelling per parcel (R-1, R-2, RU-1). Secondary suite at least 33 m². Garage suite or carriage home: at most 90 m² or 75% of the main home's habitable area (attached garage suite 45%); carriage home 3 m from the main house. Tiny home 37.2 m². Cannot be subdivided. Septic capacity letter if on septic. Not allowed on a parcel with a caretaker dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, s. 3.12-3.16](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Dwelling Units may not be subdivided by any means." … "A secondary suite shall have a minimum floor area of 33 m2." … "The maximum floor area of a detached garage suite shall be 90 m2 or 75%" … "A carriage home shall be separated a minimum distance of 3 m from the" … "A tiny home shall have a maximum floor area of 37.2 m2;" … "Accessory Dwelling Units are not permitted on Parcels that contain a" … "Maximum one attached or detached Accessory Dwelling per Parcel."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** One space per dwelling unit for an attached or detached accessory dwelling, in addition to the 2 spaces for a single detached dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, s. 4.4.1, Table 2](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "Single Detached Dwelling and Duplex 2 per dwelling unit" … "Attached Accessory Dwelling, Detached Accessory 1 per dwelling unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit from the RDCK is needed to renovate a dwelling to create a secondary suite. No development permit is named in the residential zones; check the OCP development permit areas for the property.
  - Source: [RDCK Building Brochure, March 2024, p. 3](https://rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-03-15-Building_Brochure_03-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Renovate your dwelling to create a secondary suite"
  - Source: [Licences and Permits, Building Permits](https://www.nakusp.com/licences-permits)
  - Official wording: "All building permits within the municipal boundary for Nakusp are submitted to the RDCK Building Inspector's office."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023 (consolidated November 2024), s. 3.12-3.16 and Section 6
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, Title](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023" … "Consolidated November 2024"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, s. 3.12](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
  - Official wording: "3.12 Accessory Dwelling Units" … "3.13 Secondary Suites"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the Village's [Zoning Bylaw No. 729](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/), an attached accessory dwelling, including a secondary suite, is allowed in R-1, R-2, R-3, RU-1 and other listed zones, and must be entirely inside the principal dwelling. In R-1 an attached suite needs a parcel of at least 320 m²; with 534 m² or more, one attached or detached suite is allowed. A detached suite (garage suite, carriage home or tiny home) is allowed in R-1 (534 m² or more), R-2, R-3, RU-1 and some other zones, only where the principal use is a single detached dwelling.

## Steps

1. Check your zone and parcel size in the Zoning Bylaw.
2. Confirm the limits below.
3. Apply to the RDCK Building Inspector for a building permit to renovate for a suite.

## Good to know

- One accessory dwelling per parcel (R-1, R-2, RU-1).
- A secondary suite must be at least 33 m². A garage suite or carriage home is at most 90 m² or 75% of the main home's habitable area (45% for an attached garage suite); a carriage home must be 3 m from the main house. A tiny home is 37.2 m².
- It cannot be subdivided, and a septic capacity letter is needed if on septic. Not allowed on a parcel with a caretaker dwelling.
- Parking: one space per accessory dwelling, in addition to the 2 for a single detached dwelling.
- No development permit is named in the residential zones. Check the Official Community Plan development permit areas for your property.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023 (consolidated November 2024)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)
- [RDCK Building Brochure, March 2024 (PDF)](https://rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-03-15-Building_Brochure_03-24.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Nakusp building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/building-permit.md)
- [Nakusp zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Nakusp short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/short-term-rental.md)
- [Nakusp building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/building-permit-fees.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [New Denver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/secondary-suite.md)
- [Silverton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/secondary-suite.md)
- [Slocan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/secondary-suite.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/secondary-suite.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023, Village of Nakusp (consolidated November 2024)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [RDCK Building Brochure, March 2024 (PDF)](https://rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-03-15-Building_Brochure_03-24.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Licences and Permits, Village of Nakusp](https://www.nakusp.com/licences-permits) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Nakusp. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/secondary-suite/_