--- title: Pemberton secondary suite and carriage house rules question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Pemberton?" place: Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/pemberton category: Building, renovating and your property owner: municipal owner_body: Village of Pemberton sources_read: 2026-11-09 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/secondary-suite/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/secondary-suite.json" --- # Pemberton secondary suite and carriage house rules **Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Pemberton? **Short answer:** Pemberton permits secondary suites in detached homes. Unless the zone says otherwise, the limit is two suites per lot, with no more than two bedrooms in a suite. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Pemberton, https://www.pemberton.ca) **Where:** - Phone: Municipal Hall, 604-894-6135 ## Key facts - **Secondary suite allowed:** In R-1, a secondary suite is an accessory use to the permitted detached dwelling. Check the schedule for the actual parcel. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018, Section 11.1.2, R-1 permitted accessory uses](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446) - Official wording: "11.1Residential 1 (R-1) The Residential 1 (R-1) Zone is intended to accommodate detached dwellings within residential neighbourhoods. 11.1.1 Permitted Principal Uses (a) Dwelling, Detached 11.1.2 Permitted Accessory Uses (a) Bed and Breakfast (b) Home Occupation (c) Secondary Suite (d) Short-Term Rental" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Where the zone permits a carriage house, the home is on the second storey above a garage, storage building or similar use. Keep it at least 3 m from the dwelling. The residential floor area may not exceed 90 m². - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018, Zoning Bylaw section 7.10(a)](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446) - Official wording: "7.10 Carriage Houses (Amendment Bylaw No. 975, 2024/Adopted December 10, 2024) (a) Where permitted in a zone, carriage houses shall be subject to the following regulations: i. The distance between the permitted dwelling unit and the carriage house shall be a minimum of 3.0 m; ii. The accessory dwelling unit of the carriage house shall be located on the second storey of an accessory building over top of a garage, storage building, or similar; (Amendment Bylaw No. 924, 2022/Adopted May 17, 2022) iii. Notwithstanding any other regulation in a zone, accessory buildings with a carriage house may be constructed to a maximum height of two (2) storeys; iv. The gross floor area of the residential dwelling in a carriage house shall not exceed 90 m2;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Limits:** A maximum of two bedrooms per suite. Unless the zone provides otherwise, up to two suites per lot. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018, PDF p. 66](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446) - Official wording: "(b) Unless a zone specifically provides for otherwise, only two (2) secondary suites are permitted on a lot; (c) A secondary suite shall not have more than two (2) bedrooms;Village of Pemberton Zoning Bylaw 832, 2018" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Parking:** Not confirmed. Checked Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018; not found there. - **Permits:** Not confirmed. Checked Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018; not found there. - **Bylaw:** Village of Pemberton Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018, consolidated December 18, 2025. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018, PDF p. 1](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446) - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON BYLAW NO. 832, 2018 CONSOLIDATED VERSION Final Readings July 24, 2018 LAST OFFICE CONSOLIDATION: December 18, 2025" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 ## How it works First identify the kind of dwelling you want to add. A suite inside the main building and a separate dwelling in a backyard building can have different names and different permissions in the zoning bylaw. A maximum of two bedrooms per suite. Unless the zone provides otherwise, up to two suites per lot. ## Steps 1. Check the housing guidance in [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018 (PDF)](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446). Find the parcel's zone and look up the dwelling type you intend to create. Describe whether the space is existing, new or part of a detached building. 2. Show the existing dwellings, proposed entrance and parking on a sketch. Ask planning about permitted use and the building office about the work needed for the space. ## Good to know - Where the zone permits a carriage house, the home is on the second storey above a garage, storage building or similar use. Keep it at least 3 m from the dwelling. The residential floor area may not exceed 90 m². - In R-1, a secondary suite is an accessory use to the permitted detached dwelling. Check the schedule for the actual parcel. - Enter your address on Pemberton’s map or locate the parcel manually. - When discussing an existing unit, distinguish what a current zone permits from any approvals already on file for that particular unit. - For a question about the dwelling type, the zone and whether the proposed suite is attached or detached, call the Municipal Hall at 604-894-6135. ## Related questions - [Pemberton fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/fence-rules.md) - [Pemberton zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/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) - [Whistler](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/secondary-suite.md) - [Squamish](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/secondary-suite.md) - [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/secondary-suite.md) - [Lytton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/secondary-suite.md) - [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/secondary-suite.md) - [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/secondary-suite.md) ## Sources - [Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018 (PDF)](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/322446) (read 2026-11-09) - [Using the Village geographic information system (PDF)](https://www.pemberton.ca/public/download/files/251768) (read 2026-11-09) - [Pemberton municipal office contact information](https://www.pemberton.ca/contact) (read 2026-11-09) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Pemberton. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/secondary-suite/_