---
title: Northern Rockies permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Northern Rockies?"
place: Northern Rockies, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/northern-rockies
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Northern Rockies permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

**Question:** Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Northern Rockies?

**Short answer:** In Northern Rockies Regional Municipality a shed or shop over 10 m² (108 sq. ft.) needs a Simple Building Permit, and the website says a deck over 10 m² or over 600 mm (24 in.) above grade does too. Garages and carports are not named; the general rules apply.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, https://www.northernrockies.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer. No separate fee is stated for decks or sheds.  
**How long:** Not stated on the website or in the Building Bylaw.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Hall, Regional Development and Planning, 5319 - 50th Avenue South, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Regional Development and Planning, 250-774-2541 option 8
- Email: Front counter, frontcounter@northernrockies.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A shed or shop over 10 m² (108 sq. ft.) needs a Simple Building Permit; so does one on a slab or grade foundation. Sealed engineered drawings are required if the foundation is 55 m² or larger. A structure under 10 m² not attached to a building needs no permit.
  - Source: [Building and Development Permits, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Building a Shed or Shop?](https://www.northernrockies.ca/business-building/building-development-permits)
  - Official wording: "Is it over 10 metres squared? Considering a slab or grade foundation?" … "If the foundation 55 metre squared or larger sealed engineered drawings will be required."
  - Source: [When do I need a Building Permit?, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, When do I need a Building Permit? (municipal guide)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/157509/)
  - Official wording: "Build an accessory structure greater than 10 sq. m. (108 sq. ft.)" … "Structures less than 10 sq. m. (108 sq. ft.) not attached to a building"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** The website says a Simple Building Permit is needed for a deck over 10 m² or over 600 mm (24 in.) above grade. The Building Bylaw (Inspection Zone 1) exempts roofless open decks under 600 mm above grade at a single-family home, so ask the Building Inspector about low, large decks. (Sources differ: Deck wording in the guide says 'and/or'; the website says either condition triggers a permit.)
  - Source: [Building and Development Permits, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Building a Deck?](https://www.northernrockies.ca/business-building/building-development-permits)
  - Official wording: "Is it over 10 metres squared? Is it over 2 feet off the ground?" … "If you answered yes to either of these you will need a Simple Building Permit."
  - Source: [When do I need a Building Permit?, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, When do I need a Building Permit? (municipal guide)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/157509/)
  - Official wording: "Build decks over 10 sq. m. (108 sq. ft.) and/or over 600 mm (24 in.) above"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015 (PDF, consolidated June 2023, information copy), s. 5(3)(iii)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/44740/)
  - Official wording: "detached roofless open decks, the use of which is ancillary to that" … "are less than 600 mm above grade to the top of the floor system;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** Garages and carports are not named. The general rules apply: a permit is needed for any new building, and for any accessory structure over 10 m² (108 sq. ft.).
  - Source: [When do I need a Building Permit?, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, When do I need a Building Permit? (municipal guide)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/157509/)
  - Official wording: "Build an accessory structure greater than 10 sq. m. (108 sq. ft.)" … "Build any new residential, commercial institutional or industrial building and"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015 (PDF, consolidated June 2023, information copy), s. 9(1)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/44740/)
  - Official wording: "a building permit before constructing, repairing or altering a building"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory buildings may not sit in a required yard or in front of the principal building (fences excepted) and must be at least 2.0 m from it. In the RS-1 zone: two accessory buildings, combined 90 m² or 10% of the parcel, whichever is less, 6.0 m high at most, set back 1.5 m (rear, interior side) and 3.0 m (exterior side).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016, Townsite (PDF, consolidated May 2026, information copy), ss. 3.7.2, 3.7.5](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/56280/)
  - Official wording: "no Accessory Buildings or Structures shall be sited within any required Yard Setback or" … "in front of, or forward of, the Principal Building, with the exception of fences" … "No Accessory Building or Structure shall be located closer than 2.0m from any Principal" … "Combined total of 90sq.m" … "10% of the Parcel Area, whichever is less."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016, Townsite (PDF, consolidated May 2026, information copy), s. 6.1.5 (RS-1 zone)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/56280/)
  - Official wording: "Two (2) Accessory Buildings per Parcel" … "Combined total of 90sq.m" … "10% of the Parcel Area, whichever is less." … "Minimum Exterior Side Yard Setback: .......... 3.0m" … "Minimum Interior Side Yard Setback: ........... 1.5m" … "Minimum Rear Yard Setback: ....................... 1.5m" … "Maximum Building Height: ........................... 6.0m"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015; Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016 (Townsite), ss. 3.7 and 6; Rural Zoning Bylaw No. 137, 2017
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015 (PDF, consolidated June 2023, information copy), Title page](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/44740/)
  - Official wording: "Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016, Townsite (PDF, consolidated May 2026, information copy), Title page](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/56280/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016"
  - Source: [Rural Zoning Bylaw No. 137, 2017, Title page](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/125394/)
  - Official wording: "Rural Zoning Bylaw No. 137, 2017"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Rules come from the [Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/44740/) and the [Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016 (Townsite)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/56280/). Rural parcels are covered by the [Rural Zoning Bylaw No. 137, 2017](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/125394/).

- **Shed or shop:** over 10 m² (108 sq. ft.) needs a Simple Building Permit, as does one on a slab or grade foundation. Sealed engineered drawings are required if the foundation is 55 m² or larger. A structure under 10 m² that is not attached to a building needs no permit, but zoning rules still apply.
- **Deck:** the website says a Simple Building Permit is needed for a deck over 10 m² or over 600 mm (24 in.) above grade.
- **Garage or carport:** not named. A permit is needed for any new building, and for any accessory structure over 10 m² (108 sq. ft.).

## Good to know

- The website and the bylaw differ on decks. The Building Bylaw (Inspection Zone 1) exempts roofless open decks under 600 mm above grade at a single-family home, so ask the Building Inspector about low, large decks.
- Zoning: accessory buildings may not sit in a required yard or in front of the principal building (fences excepted) and must be at least 2.0 m from it.
- In the RS-1 zone: two accessory buildings, combined 90 m² or 10% of the parcel, whichever is less, 6.0 m high at most, set back 1.5 m (rear and interior side) and 3.0 m (exterior side). Other zones have their own limits.
- Call Regional Development and Planning at 250-774-2541 option 8.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building and Development Permits, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/business-building/building-development-permits)
- [When do I need a Building Permit? (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/157509/)

## Related questions

- [Northern Rockies building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/building-permit.md)
- [Northern Rockies building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Northern Rockies fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/fence-rules.md)
- [Northern Rockies zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Stewart](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Hudson's Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building and Development Permits, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/business-building/building-development-permits) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 111, 2015 (PDF, consolidated June 2023, information copy)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/44740/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [When do I need a Building Permit? (PDF), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/157509/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 119, 2016, Townsite (PDF, consolidated May 2026, information copy)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/56280/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Rural Zoning Bylaw No. 137, 2017 (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/125394/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/deck-shed-garage-permit/_