---
title: Stewart permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Stewart, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/stewart
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Stewart
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Stewart permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Stewart you need a building permit to build a new building, including a garage, or to enclose a carport or turn a garage into living space. The District does not say whether sheds or decks need one, so ask before you build.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Stewart, https://districtofstewart.com)  
**Cost:** A permit review fee based on construction value; the rate is not stated in the readable text. See the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** The District does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: District office, 705 Brightwell Street, Stewart, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: District office, 250-636-2251
- Email: Clerk, clerk@districtofstewart.com
- Email: CAO, cao@districtofstewart.com

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** The Building Permits page does not name sheds. Zoning: accessory buildings (which include sheds) are not allowed in the front yard, must be at least 1.0 m from the principal building and from parcel lines, and one under 6.7 m² may be adjacent to a side or rear parcel line.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014, s. 1.0 Accessory Building](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)
  - Official wording: "and includes" … "garages, carports, sheds, soft-sided structures, and greenhouses."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014, s. 3.23, 3.24, 3.27](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)
  - Official wording: "Accessory buildings or structures are not permitted in the front yard in any zone." … "Accessory buildings shall be located at least 1.0 m away from any principal building and 1.0 m" … "Where an accessory building or structure has a floor area of less than 6.7 m 2"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Decks:** Not stated whether a deck needs a permit. Zoning allows an uncovered patio, sundeck or terrace in a side or rear yard that is not closer than 1.5 m to the parcel line, subject to fence height limits.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014, s. 3.43 Projections](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)
  - Official wording: "an uncovered patio, sundeck, or terrace in a side or rear yard, subject to the fence height" … "that is not closer than 1.5 m to the parcel line;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Garages and carports:** A building permit is required to enclose a carport or change a garage to living space, and to construct a new building.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Building Permits page](https://districtofstewart.com/business-resources/developing-in-the-district/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "enclose your carport or change your garage to living space." … "construct a new building."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning limits:** R1 zone: accessory buildings total at most 50.0 m² and 5.0 m high; parcel coverage 33%. R2 zone: accessory building height 12.0 m and floor area 5% of the parcel area.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014, s. 5.2 (R1)](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)
  - Official wording: "Maximum floor area of all accessory buildings 50.0 m2" … "Maximum height of accessory buildings 5.0 m" … "Maximum parcel coverage 33%"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014, s. 6.2 (R2)](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)
  - Official wording: "Maximum floor area for accessory buildings 5% of the parcel area"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014; Building Regulation Bylaw No. 843, 2010
  - Source: [Building Permits, Building Permits page](https://districtofstewart.com/business-resources/developing-in-the-district/building-permits)
  - Official wording: "Read Bylaw 843, 2010" … "Zoning Bylaw 881, 2014"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District's [Building Permits page](https://districtofstewart.com/business-resources/developing-in-the-district/building-permits) says a permit is required to construct a new building and to enclose a carport or change a garage to living space. Garages and carports are accessory buildings under the [Zoning Bylaw No. 881](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/).

The page does not name sheds or decks, and the Building Regulation Bylaw No. 843 is a scanned image. Whether a shed or deck needs a building permit is not stated in text we could read.

Zoning rules apply either way:

- Accessory buildings, which include sheds, are not allowed in the front yard. They must be at least 1.0 m from the principal building and from parcel lines. One under 6.7 m² may sit next to a side or rear parcel line.
- An uncovered patio, sundeck or terrace is allowed in a side or rear yard if it is not closer than 1.5 m to the parcel line, subject to fence height limits.
- R1 zone: accessory buildings total at most 50.0 m² and 5.0 m high; parcel coverage 33%.
- R2 zone: accessory building height 12.0 m and floor area 5% of the parcel area.

## Steps

1. Find your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer) and check the limits above.
2. Ask the District office whether your shed or deck needs a building permit.
3. If a permit is needed, follow the building-permit answer.

## Good to know

- Garages and carport conversions need a permit.
- Limits for zones other than R1 and R2 were not summarized here; check the bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permits, District of Stewart](https://districtofstewart.com/business-resources/developing-in-the-district/building-permits)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014 (PDF)](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/)

## Related questions

- [Stewart building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/building-permit.md)
- [Stewart fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/fence-rules.md)
- [Stewart zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/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)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permits, District of Stewart](https://districtofstewart.com/business-resources/developing-in-the-district/building-permits) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 881, 2014 (PDF)](https://districtofstewart.civicweb.net/document/928/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 District of Stewart. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/deck-shed-garage-permit/_