---
title: Osoyoos secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house 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/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Osoyoos secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

**Short answer:** In Osoyoos a secondary suite is allowed inside a single detached dwelling in the RS1 and Agriculture zones, and a separate accessory dwelling is allowed in RS1, AG and several other zones. The Zoning Bylaw names no separate suite permit; building work still needs a building permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Osoyoos, https://www.osoyoos.ca)  
**Cost:** No suite-specific fee is stated. Building permit fees apply; see the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The Town states no processing time for suites.  
**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

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes, inside a single detached dwelling, as an accessory use in the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Residential (RS1) zone and the Agriculture (AG) zone. In the RM1 zone only on listed site-specific lots.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 11.1.1; 19.1.1; 4.0 definition](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "h) secondary suite; And" … "secondary suite, subject to Section;" … "“secondary suite” means a second dwelling unit that is located entirely within a single detached" … "dwelling and that is clearly accessory to the principal dwelling unit, with direct access to the open" … "air without passage through any portion of the principal dwelling unit;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Yes: an "accessory dwelling" (a separate dwelling not inside the single detached house and not attached to a building with dwelling units) is allowed in RS1 and AG, and in the CS2, CT1, CT2, CT3, I1 and CD1 zones. RS1 allows one per parcel, maximum height 8.0 m.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 4.0; 7.2; 11.1](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "“accessory dwelling” means a dwelling unit which is permitted as an accessory use in" … "conjunction with a principal use and is not located within a single detached dwelling;" … "e) accessory dwelling, subject to Section 7.2;" … "An accessory dwelling shall not be attached to a principal building containing one or" … "c) one (1) accessory dwelling on the same parcel as one (1) single detached dwelling." … "an accessory dwelling shall not exceed a height of 8.0"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** RS1: one secondary suite in a single detached dwelling (or two units in one building, or one accessory dwelling). Accessory dwelling: up to 125 m² unless stated otherwise; not on parcels under 1.0 ha unless connected to community sewer; cannot be strata-subdivided.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, s. 7.2; 11.1.4](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "b) one (1) secondary suite in a single detached dwelling; or" … "No accessory dwelling shall have a floor area greater than 125.0 m2, unless otherwise" … "An accessory dwelling shall not be permitted on parcels less than 1.0 ha in area unless" … "An accessory dwelling cannot be subdivided under the Strata Property Act."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Parking:** One parking space per secondary suite and one per accessory dwelling, in addition to the house. An accessory dwelling's space must not be in tandem with spaces for other uses on the parcel.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024, Table 10.2.1; s. 7.2.5](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/)
  - Official wording: "accessory dwelling 1 per dwelling unit" … "secondary suite 1 per dwelling unit" … "A parking space for an accessory dwelling shall not be provided in tandem with parking"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permits:** The Zoning Bylaw names no separate suite permit. Building work needs a building permit (alteration or addition of a building), and in a development permit area the development permit must be issued first.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Building Permits page](https://www.osoyoos.ca/building-development/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "an alteration of any building, structural or non-structural" … "an addition to any building"
  - Source: [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009, s. 13.10](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/)
  - Official wording: "A building permit may be issued for works within Development Permit Areas and Development Authorization Areas so designated by the Town of Osoyoos only upon prior issuance of a Development Permit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (ss. 7.2, 10.2, 11.1); Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009
  - 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

The [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) allows a secondary suite inside a single detached dwelling as an accessory use in the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Residential (RS1) zone and the Agriculture (AG) zone. It is also allowed in the CD1 zone, and in the RM1 zone only on listed site-specific lots.

A separate "accessory dwelling" (a dwelling not inside the house and not attached to a building with dwelling units) is allowed in RS1 and AG, and in the CS2, CT1, CT2, CT3, I1 and CD1 zones. The bylaw does not use the terms "coach house" or "garden suite". Commercial and industrial zones add conditions.

In RS1 you may have one secondary suite in a single detached dwelling, or two units in one building, or one accessory dwelling. An RS1 accessory dwelling is limited to one per parcel and 8.0 m high.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone with Planning and Development Services (250-495-6191).
2. Check the limits below.
3. Apply for a building permit for the alteration or addition. If you are in a development permit area, the development permit must be issued first.

## Good to know

- An accessory dwelling may be up to 125 m² unless stated otherwise. It is not allowed on parcels under 1.0 ha unless connected to community sewer, and cannot be strata-subdivided.
- Parking: one space per secondary suite and one per accessory dwelling, in addition to the house. An accessory dwelling's space must not be in tandem with spaces for other uses.
- No size limit for a secondary suite and no owner-occupancy rule were found in the zoning bylaw. Ask Planning.
- Using an accessory dwelling contrary to the rules brings a $200 bylaw notice ($180 early, $210 late).
- Renting a suite short term needs a Town business licence; see the short-term-rental answer.

## Official forms and pages

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

## 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 zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Osoyoos short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/short-term-rental.md)
- [Osoyoos permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/secondary-suite.md)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/secondary-suite.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/secondary-suite.md)
- [Greenwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/secondary-suite.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/secondary-suite.md)
- [Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1395, 2024 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/154202/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Code Administration Bylaw No. 1251, 2009 (PDF)](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/15319/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Permits, Town of Osoyoos](https://www.osoyoos.ca/building-development/building-permits) (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 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. 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/secondary-suite/_