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Richmond secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

Richmond, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Yes. Richmond allows one secondary suite inside a dwelling in zones that list it, never in a detached building, with a building permit and City inspection. A separate coach house is allowed only in certain zones (such as the Infill Residential zones RI1 and RI2); check your zone.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedYes, as an accessory use inside the dwelling, in zones that list it as a secondary use: single detached (RS1/RS2), two-unit, arterial road, townhouse, small-scale multi-unit and agricultural zones; not infill or apartment zones. It must be fully inside the main dwelling, not in a detached accessory building, and cannot be stratified.Bulletin Building-22 Secondary Suites, What is a Secondary Suite?; Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations, s. 5.4.1 a) and q) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
A secondary suite is an accessory, self-contained dwelling within single detached housing, two-unit housing, small-scale multi-unit housing or town housing
Please reference the Zoning Bylaw to identify zones that permit secondary suites.
and not in a detached accessory building
the secondary suite is not permitted to be stratified
the same dwelling unit or strata lot in two-unit housing, three-unit housing or town housing, and not in a detached accessory building
the secondary suite is not permitted to be stratified.
Coach house or garden suite allowedCoach house: permitted in the Infill Residential zones (RI1, RI2) and the site-specific Coach House zones ZS12 (Broadmoor) and ZS20 (Burkeville). No standard zone read lists a granny flat. Both are separate from a secondary suite; the fee schedule lists a development permit for coach houses and granny flats. A coach house has 75% or more of its floor area above a garage.Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 3 Interpretation, s. 3.4 definitions; Provincial Housing Legislation Changes, Does the City have to implement Bill 44?; Zoning Bylaw 8500, Infill Residential (RI1, RI2) zones, 8.5.1 and 8.5.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Coach house means a self-contained dwelling that
Granny flat means a self-contained dwelling that
is a separate and distinct use from a secondary suite
In Richmond, we allow at least one secondary suite and/or accessory dwelling unit such as a coach house or granny flat per lot.
The zone provides for single detached housing, coach houses, two-unit housing and town housing and other compatible uses on small infill lots.
LimitsOne secondary suite per dwelling unit. It must not exceed the lesser of 40% of the dwelling unit's floor area or 120 m². Minimum 33 m² in single detached housing; 25 m² in town housing and small-scale multi-unit housing. In town housing, suites in at most 50% of units. Internal access required.Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations, s. 5.4.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
no more than one secondary suite shall be permitted per principal dwelling unit
must not exceed the lesser of 40% of the total floor area of the
a minimum floor area of at least 33.0 m2 in a single
a minimum floor area of at least 25.0 m2 in town
a secondary suite is permitted in a maximum of 50% of the total units in town housing
internal access must be maintained between the secondary suite and the principal
ParkingOne extra on-site parking space for the suite is required only where the lot fronts an arterial road (shown in Diagram 1) in zones for single detached, two-unit, three-unit housing or town housing. The house's spaces may then be in tandem. Not required for town housing with side-by-side spaces.Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations, s. 5.4.1 m), n), o) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
where a secondary suite is on a lot fronting an arterial road
one additional on-site parking space must be provided for the exclusive use of each secondary suite
may be provided in a tandem arrangement
an additional on-site parking space for a secondary suite is not required
PermitsA building permit is needed for building work (Bylaw 7230 s. 5.1.1), and the building must be inspected by the City. A City water meter must be installed on the lot. For an existing unpermitted suite, submit an Interior Finishing, Alterations Residential Plan Review Application with drawings. No development permit is stated for a suite.Bulletin Building-22 Secondary Suites, Existing Secondary Suites; Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations, s. 5.4.1 l); Building Regulation Bylaw 7230, s. 5.1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
For a secondary suite to be permitted and legal, it must be reviewed and inspected by the City
Please submit a completed Interior Finishing, Alterations Residential Plan Review Application form
the building must be inspected by the City for compliance with the Building Code
a City water meter must be installed on the lot on which the secondary suite is located
the building must be inspected by the City for compliance with the Building Code, this bylaw and other applicable enactments
a building permit prior to commencement of construction
BylawRichmond Zoning Bylaw No. 8500, Section 5.4 (Secondary Suites); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 7230Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations, s. 5.4; Building Regulation Bylaw 7230, title; Bulletin Building-44 Residential Zones - Fence Heights · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
perpetuity. 5.4 Secondary Suites 5.4.1 The following regulations and prohibitions apply to every secondary suite permitted in a
5.15.2 If an owner elects to pay an amount into the affordable housing reserve pursuant to this Zoning Bylaw 8500, as amended or replaced from time to time: [Bylaw 8882, May 22/12] a) 70 per cent of the amount shall be deposited to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund
BUILDING REGULATION BYLAW BYLAW NO. 7230
Richmond Zoning Bylaw No. 8500

How it works

In Richmond, Zoning Bylaw 8500 section 5.4 allows a secondary suite as an accessory use inside a dwelling, in zones that list it as a secondary use: single detached (RS1/RS2), two-unit, arterial road, townhouse, small-scale multi-unit and agricultural zones. It is not allowed in infill or apartment zones. A coach house or granny flat is a separate thing, allowed only where a zone permits it.

Steps

  1. Ask Zoning (604-276-4017) whether your zone allows a suite.
  2. Check the limits: one suite per dwelling unit, fully inside the main dwelling (not in a detached accessory building), with internal access, and no more than the lesser of 40% of the dwelling unit's floor area or 120 m². The minimum is 33 m² in single detached housing and 25 m² in town housing and small-scale multi-unit housing.
  3. Apply for a building permit for the building work. For an existing unpermitted suite, submit an Interior Finishing, Alterations Residential Plan Review Application with drawings.
  4. Install a City water meter on the lot.
  5. Pass the City's inspections.

Good to know

  • A suite cannot be stratified. In town housing, suites are allowed in at most 50% of units.
  • One extra on-site parking space for the suite is required only where the lot fronts an arterial road, in zones for single detached, two-unit, three-unit or town housing. The house's spaces may then be in tandem. Provincial rules limit required parking near frequent bus service; ask the City.
  • Boarding and lodging and bed and breakfast are not allowed with a suite.
  • A coach house has at least 75% of its floor area above a garage. A granny flat is detached, on the ground floor only, in the rear yard of a single detached lot. Coach houses are permitted in the RI1 and RI2 zones and the site-specific zones ZS12 (Broadmoor) and ZS20 (Burkeville). The bylaw sections read list no zone for a granny flat.
  • Bulletin Building-22 covers existing unpermitted suites only.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Vancouver · Burnaby · North Vancouver · New Westminster · Delta · District of North Vancouver

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Bulletin Building-22 Secondary Suites (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 5 Specific Use Regulations (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 3 Interpretation (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Zoning Bylaw 8500, Infill Residential (RI1, RI2) zones (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Provincial Housing Legislation Changes, City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Building Regulation Bylaw 7230 (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  7. Consolidated Fees Bylaw 8636 (PDF), City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  8. Building Approvals FAQs, City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)
  9. Bulletin Building-44 Residential Zones - Fence Heights, City of Richmond (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.