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

# North Vancouver secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of North Vancouver, https://www.cnv.org)  
**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.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Division, 604-982-WORK (9675)
- Email: Gateway, gateway@cnv.org
- Email: Submit applications, permitapplications@cnv.org
- Email: Ground Oriented zone inquiries, permitinquiry@cnv.org

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 501(1)(a), 502(1)(a), 507(11)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Ground Oriented Housing, Ground Oriented Housing page](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Ground-Oriented-Housing)
  - Official wording: "New single-detached home with or without a secondary suite and/or coach house"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 501(1)(g), 507(13), 509(2)(c), 509(6)(b)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Coach House, Coach House page](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House)
  - Official wording: "they cannot be stratified"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), s. 507(11)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** 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).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), s. 908, Figure 9-3](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), s. 581(1) (Ground Oriented zone)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A minimum of 0.5 Parking Spaces shall be required for each" … "When the calculation of parking requirements results in a fraction of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** 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.
  - Source: [Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements, page 2](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Legalizing, renovating, or installing a new Accessory Secondary Suite requires a"
  - Source: [Secondary Suites, Secondary Suites page](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites)
  - Official wording: "Secondary suites being installed in new dwelling units is included in the main dwellings building permit application."
  - Source: [Coach House, Application & Submission Process](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House)
  - Official wording: "all development permit and building permit documentation outlined in the checklist should be submitted simultaneously to the City."
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2024, No. 9000, Schedule D, Schedule D, Development Permit](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/9000-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Coach House Development Permit $ 1,301.76"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** 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
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), s. 507(11)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Secondary Suite Use" … "CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – MARCH 2, 2026"
  - Source: [Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390 (consolidated June 15, 2026), title page](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/7390-C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Rules 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):

- **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.
- **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.
- **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).

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone in CityMap.
2. Suite in an existing house: apply for a building permit. A suite in a new house is part of the main permit.
3. Coach house: submit the development permit and building permit documents together, using the coach house checklist.
4. Email the package to permitapplications@cnv.org.

## Good to know

- 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.
- 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).
- Legalizing, renovating or installing a suite needs a building permit.

## What you'll need

- 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

## Official forms and pages

- [Secondary Suites](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites)
- [Coach House](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House)
- [Secondary Suite Building Permit Application Guide (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Permit-Application-Forms/Secondary-Suite-Building-Permit-Application-Guide.pdf)
- [Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf)

## Related questions

- [North Vancouver building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/building-permit.md)
- [North Vancouver zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/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)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/secondary-suite.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/secondary-suite.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/secondary-suite.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/secondary-suite.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Secondary Suites, City of North Vancouver](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Secondary-Suites) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Coach House, City of North Vancouver](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/New-Coach-House) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Accessory Secondary Suite - Zoning Bylaw Requirements (PDF)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Building-Inspection-Guides/Accessory-Secondary-Suite-Zoning-Bylaw-Requirements.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ground Oriented Housing, City of North Vancouver](https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Permits-Inspections/Building-Permits/Ground-Oriented-Housing) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2024, No. 9000 (PDF), Schedule D](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/9000-C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390 (consolidated June 15, 2026)](https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/7390-C.pdf) (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 City of North Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/secondary-suite/_