---
title: District of North Vancouver watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in the District of North Vancouver?"
place: District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-vancouver-district
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of North Vancouver
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/water-restrictions.json"
---

# District of North Vancouver watering restrictions

**Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in the District of North Vancouver?

**Short answer:** Yes. In the District of North Vancouver (not the City of North Vancouver), Stage 1 starts automatically every May 1. Stage 1 lets homes water lawns one day a week: even-numbered addresses Saturday, odd-numbered Sunday. Higher stages are set by Metro Vancouver. Lawn watering is banned in Stage 2 and higher.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Vancouver, https://www.dnv.org)  
**Cost:** New lawn watering permit: $66 (21 days, with one 21-day extension). Nematode permit is free. Fines: see Good to know.  
**How long:** Stage 1 starts every May 1. Stages 2, 3 and 4 take effect 72 hours after the District announces them. Any stage ends after October 15 unless the Metro Vancouver Commissioner continues it.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District general customer service, 604-990-2311
- In person: Municipal Hall, 355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** Stage 1 starts automatically every May 1. Stages 2, 3 and 4 are turned on and off by the Metro Vancouver (GVWD) Commissioner and take effect 72 hours after the District announces them. Any stage ends after October 15 unless the Commissioner continues it.
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, Part 4](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Stage 1 restrictions come into effect automatically on May 1 every year" … "Stage 2, 3 and 4 restrictions are activated and deactivated by the GVWD" … "come into force 72 hours after the District has made a public announcement" … "ceases to be in force after October 15 each year"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Stage 1, homes: lawns may be watered one day a week. Even-numbered addresses Saturday, odd-numbered Sunday; automatic systems 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., hand watering 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Stage 2 and higher: lawn watering is prohibited.
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, Schedule A](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "EVEN numbered civic addresses: • Saturdays - Automatic watering 5:00am – 7:00am. - Manual watering 6:00am – 9:00am." … "ODD numbered civic addresses: • Sundays" … "Watering lawns Prohibited"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Allowed at any time:** In stages 1 and 2, trees, shrubs and flowers may be watered any day 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. with a sprinkler, or any time by hand-held hose with shut-off, soaker hose, water container or drip irrigation. In stage 3 sprinklers and soaker hoses are prohibited; hand-held hose, container or drip are allowed. In stage 4 watering them is prohibited. The tables exclude edible plants (plants grown for human consumption).
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, Schedule A, stages 1-3](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "On any day from 5:00am to 9:00am if using a" … "handheld automatic shut off device, soaker hose, water container or drip irrigation" … "Prohibited if using a sprinkler or soaker hose" … "Watering trees, shrubs and flowers Prohibited" … "means a plant grown for the purpose of human consumption."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **New lawns:** A permit to water a new lawn (seed or sod) costs $66 and lasts 21 days, with one 21-day extension. Stage 1: available. Stage 2: permits issued in stage 1 stay valid until they expire, but the Stage 2 table says no new permits or renewals (s. 6.1 reads as if stage 2 permits are possible). Stage 3 and 4: none. Nematode permit is free, 21 days.
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, Part 6](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "may apply to the Municipal Engineer for a permit authorizing the permit holder to" … "will expire 21 days after the date of issue" … "No new permits or permit extensions will be issued in stage 3" … "There is no fee for permits issued pursuant to section 6.1(b)" … "No new permits issued or renewed." … "Permit must be obtained at cost to applicant."
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481, Permits Pursuant to the Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fee for water sprinkling permit for new lawn $66.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $150 (stage 1), $250 (stage 2), $350 (stage 3), $500 (stage 4); $150 for watering another premises or sprinkling a street. Bylaw notice: same base amounts; early $120/$190/$265/$375; late $180/$375/$525/$750. Court fine on conviction: $3,000 to $50,000.
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, s. 7.4](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Use water contrary to restriction stage 1 $150.00" … "Use water contrary to restriction stage 4 $500.00"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458, Schedule A, Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf)
  - Official wording: "3.1 Use water contrary to restriction stage 1 150 120 180" … "3.1 Use water contrary to restriction stage 4 500 375 750"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, 2018 (follows the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Conservation Plan)
  - Source: [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, Preamble](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A bylaw to regulate the consumption of water in accordance with the Metro Vancouver" … "Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf>) follows the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Conservation Plan. Stage 1 starts automatically every May 1 in the District of North Vancouver. Stages 2, 3 and 4 are turned on and off by the Metro Vancouver (Greater Vancouver Water District) Commissioner and take effect 72 hours after the District announces them. Any stage ends after October 15 unless the Commissioner continues it. The bylaw does not say what stage is in force now, so check dnv.org.

## Steps

1. Check the current stage on dnv.org.
2. Stage 1, homes: water lawns one day a week. Even-numbered addresses Saturday, odd-numbered Sunday. Automatic systems 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.; hand watering 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
3. Stage 2 and higher: lawn watering is prohibited.
4. For a new lawn (seed or sod), get a permit. It costs $66 (see the [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf>)).

## Good to know

- Trees, shrubs and flowers (excluding edible plants), stages 1 and 2: any day 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. with a sprinkler, or any time by hand-held hose with shut-off, soaker hose, water container or drip irrigation. Stage 3: sprinklers and soaker hoses are prohibited; hand-held hose, container or drip are allowed. Stage 4: watering them is prohibited.
- New lawn permits last 21 days with one 21-day extension. Stage 1: available. Stage 2: permits issued in Stage 1 stay valid until they expire, but the Stage 2 table says no new permits or renewals. Stage 3 and 4: none.
- Municipal ticket: $150 (Stage 1), $250 (Stage 2), $350 (Stage 3), $500 (Stage 4); $150 for watering another premises or sprinkling a street. Court fine on conviction: $3,000 to $50,000.
- Bylaw notice: the same base amounts. Early: $120, $190, $265, $375. Late: $180, $375, $525, $750.

## Official forms and pages

- [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf)

## Related questions

- [District of North Vancouver garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/garbage-collection.md)
- [District of North Vancouver bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/water-restrictions.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/water-restrictions.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/water-restrictions.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/water-restrictions.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/water-restrictions.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw 8320 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208320.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/water-restrictions/_