---
title: Prince George permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/prince-george
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Prince George
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Prince George permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Prince George a building permit is needed for a new sun deck, a detached garage, a shed of 10 m² (108 sq ft) or more, and enclosing a carport. One shed per property under 10 m² and patios at grade are exempt. Zoning rules on size and setbacks apply either way.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Prince George, https://www.princegeorge.ca)  
**Cost:** $100 processing fee plus a permit fee. The fee schedule lists unit values of $46 per ft² (sundeck) and $69 per ft² (garage or accessory building) but does not show how they become a fee; see the fees answer.  
**Where:**
- Email: Development Services, devserv@princegeorge.ca
- Phone: Development Services, 250-561-7611
- Online: PGMap (zoning layer), https://maps.princegeorge.ca/vertigisstudio/web/?app=58b18b1ecbc242898e66839f9b7a7673

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A new accessory building such as a shed needs a building permit, except one shed per property that is under 10 m² (108 sq ft).
  - Source: [Building Permits, Do you need a permit? (web page)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/business-development/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Construction of a new accessory building (detached garage, shed, etc.)." … "One shed per property, provided it is less than 108 square feet (10 m2)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** A new sun deck needs a building permit; so does enclosing a porch or putting a roof over a sun deck. Patios at grade do not. No height threshold is stated.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Do you need a permit? (web page)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/business-development/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Construction of a new sun deck." … "The enclosure of a porch or roof over a sun deck." … "Installing new fences, patios at grade, planters, or landscaping."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** A new detached garage (accessory building) needs a building permit, and so does enclosing a carport. The page does not say whether building a new open carport needs one.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Do you need a permit? (web page)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/business-development/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Construction of a new accessory building (detached garage, shed, etc.)." … "The enclosure of a carport."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** Zone by zone. RS1 and RS2: accessory buildings total 90 m² ground floor, 7.0 m high, set back 4.5 m front, 1.2 m interior side, 3.0 m exterior side, 1.2 m rear. RS3: 70 m². RS4: 60, 70 or 90 m² by lot width. Site coverage including accessory buildings: RS1 30%, RS2 40%, RS3 and RS4 45%.
  - Source: [City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 (consolidated October 5, 2026), s. 10.1.6, 10.2.6, 10.3.6, 10.4.7, 4.5.3](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/BL7850_CONSOLIDATED_2026-10-05.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The total maximum combined ground floor area of accessory buildings and structures on a site is 90.0 m²." … "The maximum total combined ground floor area of accessory buildings and structures on a site is 90 m²." … "The maximum total combined gross floor area of accessory buildings and structures on a site is 70.0 m²." … "For lot widths less than 9.0 m, the maximum total combined ground floor area of accessory buildings and structures on a site is 60.0 m²." … "The minimum rear yard is 1.2 m." … "No accessory building or structure shall be erected on any lot unless the principal building to which the accessory building is incidental has been erected or will be erected simultaneously" … "The maximum site coverage is 30%." … "The maximum site coverage is 40%." … "including principal and accessory buildings and structures permitted by this Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Prince George Building Bylaw No. 9482, 2024 (permits); City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 (accessory building limits)
  - Source: [City of Prince George Building Bylaw No. 9482, 2024, s. 1](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2024-09/BL9482_ADOPTED.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the "City of Prince George Building Bylaw No. 9482, 2024"."
  - Source: [City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 (consolidated October 5, 2026), ss. 4.5, 10.1 to 10.4](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/BL7850_CONSOLIDATED_2026-10-05.pdf)
  - Official wording: "City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 - CONSOLIDATED"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Prince George requires a building permit (see the [Building Bylaw](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2024-09/BL9482_ADOPTED.pdf)) for:

- a new accessory building such as a detached garage or shed, except one shed per property under 10 m² (108 sq ft);
- a new sun deck, or enclosing a porch or putting a roof over a sun deck;
- enclosing a carport.

Patios at grade do not need a permit. The City page states no deck height threshold, and it does not say whether a new open carport needs a permit. Ask Development Services.

Even when no permit is needed, the [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/BL7850_CONSOLIDATED_2026-10-05.pdf) still controls size and placement.

## Steps

1. Look up your zone in PGMap.
2. Check the zone's accessory building rules in the Zoning Bylaw (size, height, setbacks, site coverage).
3. If a permit is needed, apply to Development Services (see the building permit answer).
4. If your plan breaks a zoning rule, ask Development Services about a variance first.

## Good to know

- In RS1 and RS2, all accessory buildings together may have 90 m² of ground floor, up to 7.0 m high, set back 4.5 m from the front, 1.2 m from an interior side lot line, 3.0 m from an exterior side lot line and 1.2 m from the rear. RS3 allows 70 m²; RS4 allows 60, 70 or 90 m² depending on lot width.
- Site coverage including accessory buildings: RS1 30%, RS2 40%, RS3 and RS4 45%.
- A carriage or cottage house is counted separately, with its own limits (100 m² ground floor, 8.0 m high).
- Other zones (RT, RM, rural, commercial) have their own limits.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permits page](https://www.princegeorge.ca/business-development/building-permits)
- [Residential building permit application](https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-services/permits-applications/residential-building-permit-package-single-family-duplex-other)
- [Zoning Bylaw 7850 (PDF)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/BL7850_CONSOLIDATED_2026-10-05.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Prince George building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/building-permit.md)
- [Prince George building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Prince George fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/fence-rules.md)
- [Prince George zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/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)
- [Vanderhoof](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Fort St James](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Fraser Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permits, City of Prince George](https://www.princegeorge.ca/business-development/building-permits) (read 2026-11-05)
- [City of Prince George Building Bylaw No. 9482, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2024-09/BL9482_ADOPTED.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 (consolidated October 5, 2026) (PDF)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/BL7850_CONSOLIDATED_2026-10-05.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Comprehensive Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 7557, 2004, Schedule A-1 (PDF)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/BL7557_CONSOLIDATED_2025-12-15.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Prince George. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/deck-shed-garage-permit/_