{"title":"Sechelt secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Sechelt?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/sechelt","name":"Sechelt","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Sechelt","url":"https://www.sechelt.ca"},"short_answer":"Sechelt permits secondary suites in all residential and rural zones, though not automatically on every property. Zoning allows one suite per dwelling unit in a single-detached or two-unit dwelling. Detached units such as carriage houses are allowed in some zones. A building permit is required.","aliases":["secondary suite sechelt","basement suite sechelt","carriage house sechelt","laneway house sechelt","legalize suite sechelt"],"cost":"Building permit fees depend on the value of the work (see building-permit-fees). Converting an unregistered suite costs $290.","how_long":"The District says a building permit can take 2 to 6 weeks, possibly longer.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"Cloudpermit","value":"https://ca.cloudpermit.com/gov/login"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"2nd Floor, 5797 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0","note":"9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (days of the week not stated on the page)"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning Department","value":"604-740-8459"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"604-740-8468"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF)","url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Sechelt building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Sechelt building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Sechelt zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Sechelt short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nanaimo","name":"Nanaimo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/secondary-suite/"}],"topic":{"title":"Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite/"},"facts":{"suite_allowed":{"label":"Secondary suite allowed","value":"The District says it permits secondary suites in all residential and rural zones, but not automatically on every property. A suite must be inside the single-detached dwelling, and the zoning bylaw allows one secondary suite per dwelling unit in a single-detached or two-unit dwelling.","short":"Yes, in residential and rural zones, not every property","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","section":"Secondary Suite Requirements","quotes":["the District of Sechelt permits secondary suites in all residential and rural zones.","Properties located within the allowable zones are not automatically permitted to have a secondary suite:","The secondary suite must be located within the single-detached dwelling, which is a single real estate entity."]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 2.3.2","quotes":["a) A maximum of one Secondary Suite is permitted per Dwelling Unit in a Single-Detached Dwelling or Two-Unit Dwelling."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"A Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (including carriage houses, laneway houses and garden suites) is an accessory use in zones such as R1 (on parcels 2,000 m² or larger) and R2. In R2 on water and sewer, a single-detached dwelling may have a suite plus two detached units. Infill housing such as laneway homes and coach houses needs a form and character development permit.","short":"Yes, in zones such as R1 (2,000 m²+) and R2","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 1.1.3 (R1)","quotes":["Parcels 2,000 m2 or larger One Single-Detached Dwelling One Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit"]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 1.2.4 (R2)","quotes":["a) Single Detached Dwelling with a Secondary Suite plus two Detached Accessory Dwelling Units."]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"definitions","quotes":["including guest cottages, carriage and laneway houses, and detached garage suites."]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/planning-and-development/development-permits/","title":"Development Permits, District of Sechelt","section":"Form and Character Development Permits","quotes":["infill housing such as laneway homes, cottages, and coach houses do require a form and character Development Permit under DPA 8"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"One secondary suite per dwelling unit in a single-detached or two-unit dwelling. A detached unit is limited to 120 m² floor area, including any attached garage or workspace. Neither may be divided off by strata. Zoning sets no floor-area limit for a suite, but the District's page says the suite plan must show a 40 percent total area limit and a 90 m² limit.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 2.3","quotes":["a) A Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit shall have a maximum Gross Floor Area of 120 m2.","b) A Secondary Suite does not contain a Gross Floor Area maximum.","must not be divided from the primary Dwelling Unit to create two separate parcels within a building strata."]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","section":"Floor Plans for Building Permit","quotes":["floor plans of the complete house to determine the 40 percent total area limit of the suite, and the 90 m2 limit."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"The District's page names a 40% / 90 m² suite limit that the Zoning Bylaw (consolidated May 2025) does not contain; those limits may come from the Building Code or older rules. No owner-occupancy rule found in Zoning Bylaw s. 2.3 or on the page."},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"The District's page says the property must allow three off-street spaces: two for the main house and one for the suite. The Zoning Bylaw requires 1.0 space per secondary suite and 2.0 per single-detached dwelling, but only 0.5 space for suites in a Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) zone.","short":"1.0 space per suite; 0.5 in SSMUH zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","section":"Secondary Suite Requirements","quotes":["The property must allow for three (3) off-street parking spaces (2 are required for the primary residence and 1 for the secondary suite)."]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 3.13","quotes":["Secondary Suite and Detached 1.0 per Dwelling Unit","Single-Detached Dwelling, Two- 2.0 spaces per dwelling","Secondary Suites and Detached 0.5 spaces per Dwelling Unit","Accessory Dwelling Units within a SSMUH zone"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit must be applied for before any work to build or legalize a suite, through Cloudpermit. Plumbing, gas and electrical permits are also needed (gas and electrical by a licensed contractor), a separate meter and panel for new dwellings with a suite, and a septic assessment on septic systems. Converting an unregistered suite costs $290.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","section":"BUILDING / UPGRADING A SECONDARY SUITE","quotes":["Before commencing with any work associated with the legalization of a secondary suite, a Building Permit must be applied for.","For safety reasons Gas and Electrical Permits must be taken out by a licensed contractor.","a septic assessment is required before a secondary suite can be approved."]},{"url":"https://sechelt-ca.govstack.com/media/bz5dgd1e/575-2019-fees-and-charges-consolidated.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 575, 2019 (PDF, consolidated March 2026)","section":"Schedule F, item 11","quotes":["Conversion of an unregistered secondary 11 $290.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (ss. 2.3, 3.13 and the zone sections) and Building Bylaw No. 409, 2003","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","section":"s. 2.3","quotes":["2.3 Accessory Dwelling Units, Secondary Suites, and Caretaker Dwelling Units"]},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","section":"Secondary Suite Requirements","quotes":["District of Sechelt Zoning Bylaw 580, 2022"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe District of Sechelt permits secondary suites in all residential and rural zones, but not automatically on every property. A suite must be inside the single-detached dwelling. [Zoning Bylaw 580](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf) allows one secondary suite per dwelling unit in a single-detached or two-unit dwelling. Some zones add conditions, so check yours.\n\nA Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (carriage house, laneway house or garden suite) is an accessory use in zones such as R1 (on parcels 2,000 m² or larger) and R2. In R2 on water and sewer, a single-detached dwelling may have a suite plus two detached units. A detached unit is limited to 120 m² of floor area, including any attached garage or workspace, and neither type may be strata-divided. Laneway homes and coach houses need a form and character development permit.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone and whether a suite or detached unit is allowed (zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Apply for a building permit through Cloudpermit before any work to build or legalize a suite.\n3. Get plumbing, gas and electrical permits (gas and electrical by a licensed contractor). New dwellings with a suite need a separate meter and panel; septic systems need an assessment.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Suite size: the District's page says the suite plan must show a 40 percent total area limit and a 90 m² limit. The Zoning Bylaw sets no floor-area limit for a suite. Confirm with Planning.\n- Parking: the page says the property must allow three off-street spaces (two for the house, one for the suite). The Zoning Bylaw requires 1.0 space per suite and 2.0 per single-detached dwelling, but 0.5 for suites in a Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing zone. Ask Planning which applies.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/secondary-suites/","title":"Secondary Suites, District of Sechelt","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rdjpiexj/580-2022-zoning-bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 580, 2022 (PDF, consolidated May 2025)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://sechelt-ca.govstack.com/media/bz5dgd1e/575-2019-fees-and-charges-consolidated.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 575, 2019 (PDF, consolidated March 2026)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/planning-and-development/development-permits/","title":"Development Permits, District of Sechelt","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/business-and-development/building-and-renovating/","title":"Building and Renovating, District of Sechelt","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.sechelt.ca/contacts-directory/","title":"Contacts Directory, District of Sechelt","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/secondary-suite.json"}}