---
title: Sidney permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Sidney, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sidney
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Sidney
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Sidney permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Sidney a deck, garage or carport needs a building permit. For sheds the Town's sheets differ: over 10 m², over 107 ft², or 100 sq ft or more, and the bylaw itself gives no size. Confirm with Development Services (250-656-1725) before you build.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Sidney, https://www.sidney.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** No fixed time; see the building-permit answer.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Development Services (building, planning, business licences), 250-656-1725
- In person: Town Hall, 2440 Sidney Avenue, Sidney, BC V8L 1Y7 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** The Town's accessory building sheet says a building permit is required for accessory buildings or structures over 10 m² (108 ft²); the homeowner's guide says sheds larger than 10 m² (107 ft²). Another Town sheet says 100 square feet or greater. (Sources differ: Town documents differ (10 m² vs 100 sq ft); Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016 itself gives no shed size. All three are older sheets that refer to Zoning Bylaw No. 2015; confirm with Development Services (250-656-1725).)
  - Source: [Accessory Building Information, Building and Planning Requirements](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/Accessory-Building-Information.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A Building Permit is required for accessory buildings or structures that exceed 10m2 (108 ft2)."
  - Source: [A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits, When is a Building Permit required](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Building-Permits.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Sheds larger than 10m2 (107 ft2)"
  - Source: [When is a Building Permit Required?, list](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/When-is-a-Building-Permit-Required.pdf)
  - Official wording: "building an accessory building 100 square feet or greater;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** A building permit is required to build a deck, porch, sunroom, gazebo or covered structure; the Town's lists give no height or size exemption.
  - Source: [A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits, When is a Building Permit required](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Building-Permits.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building a deck, porch, sunroom, gazebo or a"
  - Source: [When is a Building Permit Required?, list](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/When-is-a-Building-Permit-Required.pdf)
  - Official wording: "building a deck, gazebo or a covered structure;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** Yes. A building permit is required to build a garage or carport, attached or detached.
  - Source: [A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits, When is a Building Permit required](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Building-Permits.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building a garage/carport (either attached or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** Accessory buildings and structures (other than utility kiosks, fences and signs) must be at ground level, no more than 5 m high, not in a front or exterior side yard, at least 1.2 m from any lot line, no more than 25% of the rear yard area, and no wider than 50% of the rear lot line width. They may not be used for human habitation (no sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities or bath/shower). They count toward lot coverage.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (PDF, consolidated July 21, 2025), s. 5.1.9.a](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "be located only at ground level;" … "not exceed a height of 5 metres;" … "not be located within a front or exterior side yard;" … "be located no less than 1.2 metres from any lot line." … "not exceed a gross" … "have a width that does not exceed 50% of the width of the rear lot line."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (PDF, consolidated July 21, 2025), s. 4.1.2](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No accessory buildings or structure may be used or constructed so as to be capable of being"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Town of Sidney Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (s. 5.1.9, 4.1.2); Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (PDF, consolidated July 21, 2025), s. 5.1.9](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "5.1.9 Accessory Buildings and Structures" … "Town of Sidney “Zoning Bylaw No. 2275”"
  - Source: [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016 (PDF, consolidated May 2022), title](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016-Building-CON.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

A building permit is required to build a deck, porch, sunroom, gazebo or covered structure; the Town's lists give no height or size exemption. A building permit is also required to build a garage or carport, attached or detached.

Sheds differ by Town document. The accessory building sheet says a permit is required for accessory buildings or structures over 10 m² (108 ft²). The homeowner's guide says sheds larger than 10 m² (107 ft²). Another Town sheet says 100 square feet or greater. The [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016-Building-CON.pdf) itself gives no shed size. Confirm with Development Services before you build.

## Steps

1. Check your zone and the building rules (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Call Development Services (250-656-1725) to confirm whether your shed, deck or garage needs a permit.
3. Apply following the building-permit answer.

## Good to know

- The [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) says accessory buildings and structures (other than utility kiosks, fences and signs) must be at ground level, no more than 5 m high, not in a front or exterior side yard, at least 1.2 m from any lot line, no more than 25% of the rear yard area, and no wider than 50% of the rear lot line width.
- Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation: no sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities or bath or shower. They count toward lot coverage.
- The Town's accessory building sheet also says 4.5 m from a lot line abutting Highway 17, and that development permit areas need a development permit before the building permit.
- All three Town sheets are older and refer to Zoning Bylaw No. 2015, which No. 2275 replaced.

## Official forms and pages

- [Accessory Building Information (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/Accessory-Building-Information.pdf)
- [A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Building-Permits.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Sidney building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/building-permit.md)
- [Sidney building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Sidney fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/fence-rules.md)
- [Sidney zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/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)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Accessory Building Information (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/Accessory-Building-Information.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Building-Permits.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [When is a Building Permit Required? (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/When-is-a-Building-Permit-Required.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 (PDF, consolidated July 21, 2025)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2275-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 2016 (PDF, consolidated May 2022)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016-Building-CON.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Town of Sidney. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/deck-shed-garage-permit/_