---
title: Osoyoos permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Osoyoos?"
place: Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/osoyoos
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Osoyoos
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Osoyoos permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Osoyoos a shed or other accessory building in a residential zone needs no building permit if it is no more than 10 m² and 4.5 m high. The Town's page says 10 m² and larger need a permit. The bylaw sets no deck threshold; ask Planning.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Osoyoos, https://www.osoyoos.ca)  
**Cost:** No separate fee is stated. If a permit is needed, see the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** About three weeks for the initial plan check of a single family dwelling. The Town states no time for small buildings.  
**Where:**
- In person: Planning and Development Services, 8711 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Planning and Development Services, 250-495-6191
- Email: Planning and Development Services, plan@osoyoos.ca

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** No building permit for an accessory building in a residential zone that is no more than 10 m² in area and 4.5 m high. Larger or taller ones need a permit. The Town's page says accessory buildings of 10 m² and larger need a permit. (Sources differ: Conflict at exactly 10 m² (bylaw "does not exceed" vs page "and larger"); bylaw followed. A foundation design is normally required but may be waived for detached accessory buildings under 55 m² (s. 10.5). Zoning ticket for accessory building use contrary to the zoning rules: bylaw notice $100 ($90 early, $110 late).)
  - Source: [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009, s. 13.8](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/)
  - Official wording: "No permit is required for an accessory building within residential zones, provided such building does not exceed a maximum of 10m2 in area and 4.5m in height."
  - Source: [Building Permits, Building Permits page](https://www.osoyoos.ca/building-development/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "construction of all accessory buildings 10 m2 (108 square feet) and larger"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** Not confirmed. The building bylaw, permits page and Zoning Bylaw state no height or size threshold for decks.
- **Garages and carports:** Not named. A detached garage is an accessory building: no permit in a residential zone if no more than 10 m² and 4.5 m high, otherwise a permit is needed. The bylaw does not mention carports separately. Confirm with Planning (250.495.6191).
  - Source: [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009, Definitions "Accessory Building"; s. 13.8](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/)
  - Official wording: "“Accessory Building” means a building, the use or intended use of which is ancillary and subordinate to that of a principal building situated on the same lot." … "No permit is required for an accessory building within residential zones, provided such building does not exceed a maximum of 10m2 in area and 4.5m in height."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory buildings in the RS1 zone: height 4.5 m maximum; setbacks front 3.0 m, rear 2.0 m, interior side 1.2 m, exterior side 3.0 m; all buildings together up to 50% of the parcel. Not between the front lot line and the house; no bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms or decks inside.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 7.1; s. 11.1.5 to 11.1.7](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "No accessory building or structure shall exceed a height of 4.5 metres;" … "Accessory building or structure:" … "Exterior side parcel line 3.0 metres" … "Maximum Parcel Coverage: a) 50%" … "An accessory structure is not to be situated between a front parcel line and a principal structure." … "No accessory building or structure shall be used for residential occupancy or contain showers and bathtubs, bedrooms, sleeping facilities, cooking facilities, wet bars, balconies or decks."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009 (permit threshold, s. 13.8); Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (height, setbacks, coverage)
  - Source: [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009, s. 13.8](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/)
  - Official wording: "No permit is required for an accessory building within residential zones, provided such building does not exceed a maximum of 10m2 in area and 4.5m in height."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, cover](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "BYLAW NO. 1395, 2024" … "Updated September 22, 2026"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

**Sheds and other accessory buildings.** Under the [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/), no permit is needed for an accessory building in a residential zone that does not exceed 10 m² in area and 4.5 m in height. Larger or taller ones need a permit. The Town's permits page says accessory buildings of 10 m² and larger need a permit, so a building of exactly 10 m² is unclear. Confirm with Planning.

**Garages and carports.** Neither is named in the building bylaw or on the permits page. A detached garage is an accessory building, so the same 10 m² and 4.5 m threshold applies. The bylaw does not mention carports separately.

**Decks.** The building bylaw, the permits page and the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) state no height or size threshold for decks. Ask Planning and Development Services (250-495-6191).

## Steps

1. Check the size and height of what you plan to build against the 10 m² and 4.5 m threshold.
2. Check your zone's rules (see below), and that the lot already has a principal building.
3. If a permit is needed, follow the building-permit answer. A foundation design is normally required but may be waived for detached accessory buildings under 55 m².

## Good to know

- In the RS1 (Small-Scale Multi-Unit Residential) zone an accessory building may be up to 4.5 m high. Setbacks are 3.0 m front, 2.0 m rear, 1.2 m interior side and 3.0 m exterior side. All buildings together may cover up to 50% of the parcel. Other zones have their own numbers.
- An accessory building cannot sit between the front lot line and the house, and cannot contain bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms or decks.
- Zoning limits apply even where no permit is needed.
- A zoning ticket for an accessory building used contrary to the rules is a $100 bylaw notice ($90 early, $110 late).

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permits, Town of Osoyoos](https://www.osoyoos.ca/building-development/building-permits)
- [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)

## Related questions

- [Osoyoos building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/building-permit.md)
- [Osoyoos building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Osoyoos fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/fence-rules.md)
- [Osoyoos zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Osoyoos secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/secondary-suite.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)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permits, Town of Osoyoos](https://www.osoyoos.ca/building-development/building-permits) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/150460/) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Osoyoos. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/deck-shed-garage-permit/_