{"title":"North Vancouver secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"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":"City of North Vancouver","url":"https://www.cnv.org"},"short_answer":"Yes. The City of North Vancouver allows one secondary suite inside a one-unit house, and a coach house, in most residential zones when the owner lives on the property. Both need a building permit, and a coach house also needs a development permit. The Ground Oriented zone has its own process.","aliases":["basement suite north vancouver","coach house cnv","laneway house north vancouver","legalize secondary suite"],"cost":"Building permit fees are based on the value of the work (see building-permit-fees). The Coach House Development Permit fee is $1,301.76.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Division","value":"604-982-WORK (9675)"},{"type":"email","label":"Gateway","value":"gateway@cnv.org"},{"type":"email","label":"Submit applications","value":"permitapplications@cnv.org"},{"type":"email","label":"Ground Oriented zone inquiries","value":"permitinquiry@cnv.org"}],"documents":["Building Permit Application Form and Interior Renovation Checklist (existing house), or the Coach House checklist","Supplementary Dwelling Unit Information Form","Registered Owners Authorization Form, if you are not the owner"],"forms":[{"title":"Secondary Suites","url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites"},{"title":"Coach House","url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House"},{"title":"Secondary Suite Building Permit Application Guide (PDF)","url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Permit-Application-Forms/Secondary-Suite-Building-Permit-Application-Guide.pdf"},{"title":"Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements (PDF)","url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"North Vancouver building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/building-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"North Vancouver zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/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: one secondary suite inside a one-unit house where the owner lives on the property, in the RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2, RG, RM-1 and RH-1 zones; two-unit lots get an accessory dwelling unit in each unit (s. 507(14)). The Ground Oriented zone also allows a new single-detached home with a secondary suite and/or coach house.","short":"Yes, in RS-1, RS-2, RT, RG, RM-1, RH-1; owner lives there","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"ss. 501(1)(a), 502(1)(a), 507(11)","quotes":["Accessory Secondary Suite Use, subject to Section 507(11) of this","shall be permitted where the owner resides on the property.","others shall be permitted in the RG-Ground-Oriented Apartment Residential","others shall be permitted in the RM-1 and RH-1 zones:","On a Lot containing an approved Two-Unit Residential Use, an Accessory"]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Ground-Oriented-Housing","title":"Ground Oriented Housing, City of North Vancouver","section":"Ground Oriented Housing page","quotes":["New single-detached home with or without a secondary suite and/or coach house"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Yes: one coach house (a detached, non-stratified unit) is allowed as an accessory to a one-unit residential use in the RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2 and RG zones, where the owner lives on the property. It is limited to 92.9 m² of floor area and 6.7 m in overall height, and cannot be stratified.","short":"Yes, one coach house in RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2, RG","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"ss. 501(1)(g), 507(13), 509(2)(c), 509(6)(b)","quotes":["Accessory Coach House Use, subject to Section 507(13) of this","shall be permitted where the owner resides on the property;","shall not be stratified as per the Strata Property Act.","shall not exceed 92.9 square metres (1,000 square feet);","shall not exceed a maximum overall Building Height of 6.7 metres","others shall be permitted in the RG-Ground-Oriented Apartment Residential"]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House","title":"Coach House, City of North Vancouver","section":"Coach House page","quotes":["they cannot be stratified"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Suite must be entirely inside the house, at least 37.16 m² (400 sq. ft.) and no more than the lesser of 90 m² (969 sq. ft.) or 40% of the total gross floor area. Only one suite per house, and the owner must live on the property.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"s. 507(11)","quotes":["shall be completely Enclosed within the Principal Building;","shall not be less than 37.16 square metres (400 square feet) in","shall be limited to one Accessory Secondary Suite Use within a","shall be permitted where the owner resides on the property."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"RS/RT zones: 1 parking space for a secondary suite, a coach house, or both together, in addition to 1 space per dwelling unit for the house. Ground Oriented zone: 0.5 space per dwelling unit (fractions of 0.5 or more round up to 1).","short":"1 space per suite (RS/RT zones)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"s. 908, Figure 9-3","quotes":["Accessory Coach House Use, 1 space","or both Accessory Coach House Use and","One-Unit Use, or a Two-Unit Use, or an 1 space per Dwelling Unit"]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"s. 581(1) (Ground Oriented zone)","quotes":["A minimum of 0.5 Parking Spaces shall be required for each","When the calculation of parking requirements results in a fraction of"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit is required to legalize, renovate or install a secondary suite (included in the main permit for a new house). A coach house needs a development permit and a building permit, submitted together; the Coach House Development Permit fee is $1,301.76.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf","title":"Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements (PDF)","section":"page 2","quotes":["Legalizing, renovating, or installing a new Accessory Secondary Suite requires a"]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites","title":"Secondary Suites, City of North Vancouver","section":"Secondary Suites page","quotes":["Secondary suites being installed in new dwelling units is included in the main dwellings building permit application."]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House","title":"Coach House, City of North Vancouver","section":"Application & Submission Process","quotes":["all development permit and building permit documentation outlined in the checklist should be submitted simultaneously to the City."]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/9000-C.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2024, No. 9000 (PDF), Schedule D","section":"Schedule D, Development Permit","quotes":["Coach House Development Permit $ 1,301.76"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (ss. 501, 502, 507(11), 507(13), 509, 908; Part 5B Ground Oriented zone); Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","section":"s. 507(11)","quotes":["Accessory Secondary Suite Use","CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – MARCH 2, 2026"]},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/7390-C.pdf","title":"Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390 (consolidated June 15, 2026)","section":"title page","quotes":["Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390"]}],"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\nRules depend on your zone, so check yours in CityMap first. Under the City of North Vancouver's [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf):\n\n- **Secondary suite:** one suite, entirely inside a one-unit house, where the owner lives on the property. Allowed in RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2, RG, RM-1 and RH-1 zones. Two-unit lots get an accessory dwelling unit in each unit.\n- **Coach house:** a detached unit, allowed as an accessory to a one-unit home in RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2 and RG zones, where the owner lives on the property. It is limited to 92.9 m² of floor area and 6.7 m in height, cannot be stratified (sold separately), and must follow the Accessory Coach House Development Permit Guidelines. The City says one suite may be combined with a coach house.\n- **Ground Oriented zone:** allows a new single-detached home with a secondary suite and/or coach house. The suite and coach house pages say they do not apply there, and a separate process applies (permitinquiry@cnv.org).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone in CityMap.\n2. Suite in an existing house: apply for a building permit. A suite in a new house is part of the main permit.\n3. Coach house: submit the development permit and building permit documents together, using the coach house checklist.\n4. Email the package to permitapplications@cnv.org.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Suite size (RS and RT zones): at least 37.16 m² (400 sq. ft.) and no more than the lesser of 90 m² (969 sq. ft.) or 40% of the total gross floor area.\n- Parking in RS and RT zones: 1 space for a suite, a coach house, or both, on top of 1 space per dwelling unit for the house. Ground Oriented zone: 0.5 space per dwelling unit (fractions of 0.5 or more round up).\n- Legalizing, renovating or installing a suite needs a building permit.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites","title":"Secondary Suites, City of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House","title":"Coach House, City of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf","title":"Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Ground-Oriented-Housing","title":"Ground Oriented Housing, City of North Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/9000-C.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2024, No. 9000 (PDF), Schedule D","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/7390-C.pdf","title":"Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390 (consolidated June 15, 2026)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/secondary-suite.json"}}