{"title":"District of North Vancouver secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a coach house in the District of North Vancouver?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://www.dnv.org"},"short_answer":"In the District of North Vancouver (not the City), a secondary suite is allowed in the R1 and R2 zones and the older single-family zones, one per lot, and needs a building permit. A coach house is allowed in R2 (one per lot) but is not a listed use in R1.","aliases":["secondary suite district of north vancouver","coach house dnv","basement suite north vancouver district","legal suite dnv"],"cost":"Building permit fees apply; see the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"The processing time is not stated in the District documents we could read.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"604-990-2480","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays; permit inquiries by appointment"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Department email","value":"building@dnv.org"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning Department","value":"604-990-2387"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning guide, single-family residential RS1-5 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-1-5.pdf"},{"title":"Construction Bylaw 8271, 2017 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208271.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"District of North Vancouver building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"District of North Vancouver building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"District of North Vancouver zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"District of North Vancouver short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vancouver","name":"Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/secondary-suite/"}],"topic":{"title":"Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite/"},"facts":{"suite_allowed":{"label":"Secondary suite allowed","value":"Yes, as an accessory use in the R1 and R2 detached residential zones and in the older single-family (RS) zones. R2 requires the suite to be in the principal building. Only one suite per lot.","short":"Yes, in R1, R2 and RS zones; one per lot","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"R1/R2 s. 2, 3","quotes":["A Secondary Suite is only permitted when it is:","Located in the Principal Building; and"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 501.1(b)(iii)","quotes":["secondary suites are permitted only in single-family","only one secondary suite dwelling unit is permitted on a single-family"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Coach house: yes in R2 (one per lot, with or without a suite, max 130.1 m²); not a listed use in R1. In RS zones, coach houses are not permitted outside the Urban Containment Boundary.","short":"Yes in R2, one per lot; not listed in R1","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"R2 s. 4","quotes":["A maximum of one (1) Principal Dwelling Unit, one (1) Secondary Suite, and one (1) Coach House are permitted per Lot.","130.1 m2 (1,400 ft2)"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"R1 s. 4","quotes":["A maximum of one (1) Principal Dwelling Unit and one (1) Secondary Suite are permitted per Lot."]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 501.1(b)(vi)","quotes":["coach houses are not permitted outside the Urban Containment Boundary"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"R1/R2: suite no larger than 49% of the principal building's gross floor area; one suite per lot. RS zones: lesser of 130 m² or 49% of net floor area (minimum 90 m²), and the owner must live in the suite or the main dwelling.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"R1 s. 3","quotes":["A Secondary Suite is only permitted when it is no larger than 49% of the Principal Building"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 501.1(b)(iii)(d)","quotes":["the owner of a single-family residential building containing a secondary suite dwelling unit shall be a resident of either the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"Single-family house: 2 spaces. With a secondary suite or a coach house, 1 more (3 in total). With both a suite and a coach house the table also adds only 1 (3 in total); the District's coach house guide also asks for 3 spaces.","short":"1 more space than the house's 2 (3 in total)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 1001","quotes":["1. Base Rate 2 per dwelling unit","2. Single family residential building with","1 space in addition to the Base Rate"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit is required to create a secondary suite. If the property is in a development permit area (check geoweb.dnv.org), that development permit must be completed before applying for the building permit.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-1-5.pdf","title":"Zoning guide, single-family residential RS1-5 (PDF)","section":"Section A","quotes":["creating a Secondary Suite (see bulletin)","Please check the online maps at www.geoweb.dnv.org to see if your property falls within"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208271.pdf","title":"Construction Bylaw 8271, 2017 (PDF)","section":"s. 4.7.2","quotes":["change the use, occupancy, or both, of a building or structure or part of a building"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (Bylaw 3210, 1965), s. 501 and Section 525 (R1, R2); Construction Bylaw 8271, 2017","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 501","quotes":["Uses in Single-Family Residential Zones (RS)"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["Section 525 to Bylaw 3210: Zoning Bylaw (Bylaw 8799)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Section 525](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf>) of [Zoning Bylaw 3210](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf>) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use in the R1 and R2 detached residential zones, and the older single-family (RS) zones also allow one. This is the District of North Vancouver, not the City of North Vancouver.\n\n- **Number:** only one suite per lot. In R2 the suite must be in the principal building.\n- **Size:** in R1 and R2, no larger than 49% of the principal building's gross floor area. In RS zones, the lesser of 130 m² or 49% of the net floor area (minimum 90 m²), and the owner must live in the suite or the main dwelling. Owner-occupancy for R1 and R2 is not stated in Section 525.\n- **Coach house:** allowed in R2 (one per lot, with or without a suite, maximum 130.1 m²). Not a listed use in R1. In RS zones, coach houses are not permitted outside the Urban Containment Boundary.\n- **Parking:** 2 spaces for a house, plus 1 more with a secondary suite or a coach house (3 in total). The District's coach house guide also asks for 3 spaces.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone (see zoning-lookup) and confirm that a suite or coach house is allowed.\n2. If the property is in a development permit area (check geoweb.dnv.org), complete the development permit before applying for the building permit.\n3. Apply for a building permit, which the [Construction Bylaw](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208271.pdf>) requires to create a secondary suite. See building-permit.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Call Planning on 604-990-2387 or the Building Department on 604-990-2480 to confirm details for your lot.\n- Short-term renting a suite has its own rules (see short-term-rental).","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-1-5.pdf","title":"Zoning guide, single-family residential RS1-5 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208271.pdf","title":"Construction Bylaw 8271, 2017 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite.json"}}