Squamish permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Squamish?
In Squamish, a deck under 0.6 m high everywhere needs no building permit. If it reaches 0.6 m anywhere, it needs a permit and must meet setbacks. A shed of 10 m² or less is permit-exempt but must still meet zoning setbacks.
Key facts
| Sheds | A shed up to 10 square metres is exempt from a building permit. Setbacks still apply.FAQ - Building Permit, Do I need a permit for a deck or garden shed? · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wordingSheds that are a maximum of 10 m^{2} (107 ft^{2}) do not require a building permit. Minimum setbacks to property lines still apply and will depend on property zoning. Sheds larger than 10 m^{2} (107 ft^{2}) require a permit. |
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| Decks | No building permit is required for a deck under 0.6 m everywhere. At 0.6 m or higher at any point, a permit and compliance with setbacks are required.FAQ - Building Permit, Building permit FAQ, deck or shed · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wordingIf the deck structure is 0.6m (2.0 ft) or greater in height at any location, setbacks must be met and a building permit is required for. A building permit is not required for decks under 0.6m (2.0ft) in height. If you are unsure about a specific project, please contact our office. |
| Garages and carports | Not confirmed. Checked FAQ - Building Permit - District of Squamish, Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, consolidated September 2026; not found there. |
| Zoning limits | Even a permit-exempt shed must meet the setbacks for its zone.FAQ - Building Permit, Do I need a permit for a deck or garden shed? · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wordingSheds that are a maximum of 10 m^{2} (107 ft^{2}) do not require a building permit. Minimum setbacks to property lines still apply and will depend on property zoning. Sheds larger than 10 m^{2} (107 ft^{2}) require a permit. |
| Bylaw | Not confirmed. Checked FAQ - Building Permit - District of Squamish, Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, consolidated September 2026; not found there. |
How it works
Describe exactly what you are building. A storage shed, a roofed carport, an enclosed garage and an elevated or covered deck do different things, even when they have the same footprint. No building permit is required for a deck under 0.6 m everywhere. At 0.6 m or higher at any point, a permit and compliance with setbacks are required.
Steps
- Check your proposed structure against FAQ - Building Permit. Measure the footprint and height. For a deck, also record the height above ground and whether the work adds a roof or enclosure.
- Draw the structure in relation to the home, lot lines and other buildings. Compare the design with both the permit threshold and the rules for siting it on the lot.
Good to know
- A shed up to 10 square metres is exempt from a building permit. Setbacks still apply.
- Confirm the services to your lot. Submit the application and supporting documents to Development Services for a completeness review and pay the application fee on submission.
- Find your Squamish property on the Parcel & Land Use Map.
- If you later connect the structure to the house, enclose it or change its intended use, ask the permit office about that revised design.
- For a question about the footprint, height above grade and distance from each property line, call the building department at 604-815-6872. Give the height at the highest point above adjacent ground if the land slopes.
The same question in other places
Lions Bay · Bowen Island · West Vancouver · Gibsons · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver
Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- FAQ - Building Permit (read 2026-11-09)
- Building Permits (read 2026-11-09)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.