---
title: North Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a guest cottage?"
place: North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-saanich
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of North Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/secondary-suite.json"
---

# North Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a guest cottage?

**Short answer:** In North Saanich a secondary suite (up to two bedrooms, inside a single family home) is allowed in RA-1 to RA-6, R-1 to R-3, RS-1 and CD-1, CD-3, CD-4, CD-5 and CD-6. A guest cottage is allowed in RA-2 to RA-6, R-2, R-3 and CD-2. Both need a building permit, and a suite also needs a suite permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Saanich, https://www.northsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** Building permit fees apply; see the building-permit-fees answer. No fee or form for the secondary suite permit itself is stated in the documents we read.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning and Community Services, 250-655-5470
- In person: Municipal Hall, 1620 Mills Road, North Saanich, BC V8L 5S9

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes, as a self-contained unit of no more than two bedrooms inside a single family home, in zones RA-1 to RA-6, R-1, R-2, R-3, RS-1, CD-1, CD-3, CD-4, CD-5 and CD-6, if the s. 206 conditions are met. The owner must also hold a secondary suite permit.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 206.1.1(a), s. 102 'secondary suite'](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "be located within a zone in which Division 500 expressly permits" … "“secondary suite” means a self-contained dwelling unit, with no more than two bedrooms,"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 502.1.1 (R-1), 501.1.1 (RA-1)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(i) Secondary Suite [See Section 206]" … "(vii) Secondary Suite, subject to Section 206.1"
  - Source: [Zoning, Zoning page](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/zoning)
  - Official wording: "must hold a valid and current secondary suite permit."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Guest cottage (self-contained, lot at least 0.4 ha with a house already there) is permitted in RA-2 to RA-6, R-2, R-3 and CD-2. Carriage house (the lesser of 60 m² and 18% of lot area) is permitted only in CD-4 and CD-6. No garden suite or coach house category is otherwise listed. (Sources differ: The Secondary Suites and Guest Cottages page lists guest cottages only in RA-2, RA-6 (ALR rules), R-2 and R-3; the bylaw's permitted-use lists also include RA-3, RA-4, RA-5 and CD-2. Followed the bylaw. Guest cottage max floor area 92 m² (140 m² in CD-2), height 7.6 m, max one per lot, owner-occupied (s. 204). Carriage house also needs a 10 m wide lot and a 4.5 m separation (s. 208).)
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 204.1.1, 204.1.5](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No guest cottage is permitted unless a principal residential dwelling has" … "No guest cottage is permitted on a lot that has an area of less than 0.4" … "(a) 60 m2 (649 ft2); or" … "(b)18% of the lot area."
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 208.1.2](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The gross floor area of the carriage house must not exceed the lesser of:" … "(a) 60 m2 (649 ft2); or"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), zone permitted uses](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(i) Guest Cottage [See Section 204]" … "(ii) Carriage House (See Section 208)"
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Guest Cottages](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/housing/secondary-suites-guest-cottages)
  - Official wording: "Guest cottages are permitted within the following zones only on parcels greater than 0.4 hectares:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Suite floor area: the lesser of 90 m² (60 m² in CD-3 and CD-4) and 40% of the house's habitable area. One suite per lot, no other secondary dwelling, no more than one boarding room. The house cannot be stratified. Guest cottage: the owner must live in the cottage or the house.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 206.1.2](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The gross floor area of the secondary suite must not exceed the lesser of:" … "(a) 60 m2 (649 ft2) in the CD-3 or CD-4 zone and 90 m2 (970 ft2) in any other" … "40% of the habitable area of the single family residential dwelling in which"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 206.1.5](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A single family residential dwelling that contains a secondary suite must not" … "be subdivided under the Strata Property Act or otherwise."
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 204.1.6](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Either the guest cottage or the single family residential dwelling must be" … "owner occupied."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** One additional off-street parking space exclusively for the suite's occupants. A guest cottage needs 1 space; a carriage house needs 1 extra space.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 206.1.4](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "One additional off-street parking space for the exclusive use of the occupants" … "of the secondary suite must be provided on the lot in accordance with"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 306 parking table](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Guest Cottage 1 space" … "Carriage House plus 1 space"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** A secondary suite permit (held by the owner) and a building permit. The building permit application form says the suite permit needs a s. 219 covenant obtained from Planning. A guest cottage also needs a building permit. Review s. 204, consult a building professional, then submit a building permit application and pay the fee.
  - Source: [Zoning, Zoning page](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/zoning)
  - Official wording: "must hold a valid and current secondary suite permit. Any owner applying to construct a guest cottage or secondary suite must also acquire a Building Permit."
  - Source: [Secondary Suites and Guest Cottages, Permitting Process](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/housing/secondary-suites-guest-cottages)
  - Official wording: "Complete and submit a Building Permit application and pay the required fee."
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Information package (PDF, updated March 26, 2026), Building Permit Application form, documents checklist](https://www.northsaanich.ca/media/file/building-permit-information-package)
  - Official wording: "(Bylaw 1244) Obtain s219 Covenant (LTA) from"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (ss. 204, 206, 208); Building and Plumbing Bylaw No. 1150; the building permit application form cites Bylaw 1244 for the secondary suite permit.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023), s. 206](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)
  - Official wording: "be on the same lot. 206. SECONDARY SUITE BL 1382 206.1. Where a zone permits a secondary suite use, all of the following conditions must be" … "bedrooms (without cooking facilities) for a maximum of four persons per lot/per visit. BL 1369 204. GUEST COTTAGE 204.1. Where a zone permits guest cottage use, the following conditions must be satisfied for" … "DISTRICT OF NORTH SAANICH BYLAW N O. 1255 A BYLAW TO REGULATE THE ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT"
  - Source: [Permits, Applying for a Building Permit](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/building-or-renovating/permits)
  - Official wording: "Building and Plumbing Bylaw No. 1150"
  - Source: [Building Permit Application Information package (PDF, updated March 26, 2026), Building Permit Application form, documents checklist](https://www.northsaanich.ca/media/file/building-permit-information-package)
  - Official wording: "(Bylaw 1244) Obtain s219 Covenant (LTA) from"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the District of North Saanich's [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf), a secondary suite is a self-contained unit of no more than two bedrooms inside a single family home, allowed if the s. 206 conditions are met. The owner must also hold a secondary suite permit. A guest cottage is a separate self-contained unit on a lot of at least 0.4 ha that already has a house.

A carriage house (the lesser of 60 m² and 18% of the lot area) is allowed only in CD-4 and CD-6, and needs a lot 10 m wide and a 4.5 m separation. No garden suite or coach house category is otherwise listed.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer) and read s. 204 (guest cottages) or s. 206 (suites).
2. Consult a building professional about the Building Code.
3. Submit a building permit application and pay the fee. The application form says the suite permit needs a s. 219 covenant, obtained from Planning.
4. Ask Planning and Community Services (250-655-5470) about the suite permit, since no fee or form is stated.

## Good to know

- Suite size is the lesser of 90 m² (60 m² in CD-3 and CD-4) and 40% of the house's habitable area. One suite per lot, no other secondary dwelling, and no more than one boarding room. The house cannot be stratified.
- A suite needs one extra off-street parking space for its occupants. A guest cottage needs 1 space and a carriage house 1 extra space.
- Guest cottage: up to 92 m² (140 m² in CD-2), 7.6 m high, one per lot. The owner must live in the cottage or the house. No owner-occupancy rule was found for a suite.
- The Suites page lists fewer guest cottage zones than the bylaw (it omits RA-3 to RA-5 and CD-2). We followed the bylaw; confirm your zone with Planning.
- The home must be on sewer or an on-site system meeting the Public Health Act.
- Municipal tickets for suite breaches are $325 to $650 under Bylaw No. 1544 (2022 version); amounts may have changed.
- The zoning copy is the February 2023 consolidation; later amendments exist.

## Official forms and pages

- [Secondary Suites and Guest Cottages](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/housing/secondary-suites-guest-cottages)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255, ss. 204, 206 and 208 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf)

## Related questions

- [North Saanich building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/building-permit.md)
- [North Saanich zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/secondary-suite.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/secondary-suite.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/secondary-suite.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/secondary-suite.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/secondary-suite.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Secondary Suites and Guest Cottages, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/housing/secondary-suites-guest-cottages) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 1255 (PDF, consolidated February 2023)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1255-District-of-North-Saanich-Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1255-Consolidated-2023.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/zoning) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Permit Application Information package (PDF, updated March 26, 2026)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/media/file/building-permit-information-package) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (PDF)](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Permits, District of North Saanich](https://www.northsaanich.ca/lands-planning/building-or-renovating/permits) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of North Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/secondary-suite/_