---
title: North Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?"
place: North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-vancouver
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of North Vancouver
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# North Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?

**Short answer:** In the City of North Vancouver a dog must be on a leash with a competent person away from its owner's premises, except in parks classified off leash: Lynnmouth Park, the west trail of Mosquito Creek and the fenced area of Kings Mill Walk. Dogs are banned from playgrounds, playing fields and beaches.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of North Vancouver, https://www.cnv.org)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for a dog at large $60. Dog in a park contrary to the bylaw $120. Leaving excrement $60.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control, 604-982-8302 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
- Email: Animal Control, animalcontrol@cnv.org

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog is "at large" (an offence) anywhere other than its owner's premises unless secured on a leash to a competent person, except in parks classified Permitted Off Leash. Dogs, except vicious dogs, are allowed on all thoroughfares and in certain parks (some with date restrictions), on leash.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024), s. 2 "At Large", s. 10(c), Schedule A](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "being elsewhere than on" … "the Premises and not secured, on a leash, to a competent person except when within the" … "for an Owner to allow or suffer their Dog to be At Large in the City;" … "provided they are on leash." … "Dogs, except vicious dogs, ARE ALLOWED, through the City of North Vancouver on all" … "thoroughfares and in certain parks, some with date restrictions, provided they are on leash."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** None set. The dog bylaw does not set a maximum leash length.
- **Off-leash areas:** Schedule A permits off leash: Lynnmouth Park, Mosquito Creek (West trail), and the fenced area of Kings Mill Walk (west portion). The City's Dogs in City Parks page has a map (PDF) and signs: 'Leash optional' means have control of the dog at all times.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Lynnmouth Park" … "Mosquito Creek – West trail" … "Kings Mill Walk (fenced"
  - Source: [Dogs in City Parks, Dogs in City Parks page](https://www.cnv.org/Parks-Recreation/Parks-Greenways/Planning-Rules/Dogs)
  - Official wording: "Download a PDF of map" … "Leash optional"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Not allowed (even on leash): playgrounds, picnic areas, playing fields, beaches, fitness circuits, running tracks, golf courses, bowling greens, tennis courts and the North Vancouver Cemetery, plus parks listed as prohibited in Schedule A (e.g. Civic Plaza, Chief Dan George, Larson). Assistance dogs are exempt.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dogs ARE NOT ALLOWED on playgrounds, picnic areas, playing fields, beaches, fitness circuits," … "running tracks, golf courses, bowling greens, tennis courts or in the North Vancouver Cemetery" … "NOTE: Assistance Dogs are NOT subject to the following restrictions:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cleaning up:** An owner must immediately remove and dispose of any dog excrement deposited anywhere other than on the owner's own premises, in a waste container or by other sanitary means.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024), s. 10(j)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "to immediately remove and dispose in a waste container, or by" … "other sanitary means, any excrement deposited by a Dog, whom he or she Owns,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Dog at large: $60 (early $50, late $75). Dog in a park contrary to Schedule A: $120 (early $100, late $150). Leaving excrement: $60.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2018 No. 8675, Schedule A, Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2018, No. 8675, Schedule A, Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw s. 10(c), 10(i), 10(j)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8675-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog At Large 10 (c) No $60 $50 $75 N/A" … "Dog in Park Contrary to Schedule A 10 (i) No $120 $100 $150 N/A" … "Leaving Excrement 10 (j) No $60 $50 $75 N/A"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw, 2010, No. 8113 (consolidated July 22, 2024)
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024), s. 1](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw, 2010, No. 8113"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf), a dog is "at large" (an offence) anywhere other than its owner's premises unless it is secured on a leash to a competent person. The exception is parks classified as off leash. Dogs other than vicious dogs are allowed on all streets and in certain parks, on leash, and some parks have date restrictions. Schedule A of the bylaw sorts each park.

## Good to know

- Off leash (Schedule A): Lynnmouth Park, Mosquito Creek (west trail) and the fenced area of Kings Mill Walk (west portion). On the City's signs, "Leash optional" means have control of the dog at all times. The Dogs in City Parks page has a map.
- Not allowed even on leash: playgrounds, picnic areas, playing fields, beaches, fitness circuits, running tracks, golf courses, bowling greens, tennis courts and the North Vancouver Cemetery. Parks listed as prohibited in Schedule A (for example Civic Plaza, Chief Dan George and Larson) are also off limits. Assistance dogs are exempt.
- Clean up: remove and dispose of your dog's excrement immediately anywhere other than your own premises.
- The bylaw does not set a maximum leash length.
- Bylaw notices: dog at large $60, dog in a park contrary to Schedule A $120, leaving excrement $60.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dogs in City Parks (with map)](https://www.cnv.org/Parks-Recreation/Parks-Greenways/Planning-Rules/Dogs)
- [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 8113, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf)

## Related questions

- [North Vancouver dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-licence.md)
- [North Vancouver rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Dogs in City Parks, City of North Vancouver](https://www.cnv.org/Parks-Recreation/Parks-Greenways/Planning-Rules/Dogs) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 2010 No. 8113, Schedule A (consolidated July 22, 2024) (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8113-C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2018 No. 8675, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/8675-C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of North Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules/_