--- title: Surrey secondary suite and carriage house rules question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?" place: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/surrey category: Building, renovating and your property owner: municipal owner_body: City of Surrey sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/secondary-suite/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/secondary-suite.json" --- # Surrey secondary suite and carriage house rules **Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house? **Short answer:** Yes. The City of Surrey allows one secondary suite per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling, and coach houses or garden suites in residential zones that allow detached houses, duplexes and houseplexes. A building permit is required, and a suite carries an annual service fee of $893. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Surrey, https://www.surrey.ca) **Cost:** Secondary Suite Service Fee $893 per suite per year; a $1,000 penalty applies if the suite was not notified to the City. Building permit fees are extra. **Where:** - Phone: Zoning requirements, 604-591-4448 - Phone: Planning and Development Client Services Centre, 604-591-4086 ## Key facts - **Secondary suite allowed:** One secondary suite per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling, including in the small-scale multi-unit housing zones and Comprehensive Development zones. Not allowed in a houseplex, or within a coach house or garden suite. - Source: [Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, Acceptable zoning for secondary suites](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-or-legalizing-secondary-suite) - Official wording: "Only one secondary suite is permitted per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling unit." … "A secondary suite is not permitted within a coach house or garden suite." … "One secondary suite may be permitted in single family, semi-detached and duplex dwellings within small-scale, multi-unit housing zones and including Comprehensive Development zones." - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 1, Secondary Suite](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "and is not a separate strata lot, and are not permitted in a houseplex." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Yes. All residential zones that allow detached houses, duplexes and houseplexes also allow coach houses or garden suites. A coach house must be attached to a garage; on smaller R3, R4, R5, R5-S and R6 lots it needs lane access. - Source: [Coach Houses & Garden Suites](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) - Official wording: "All residential zones in Surrey that allow detached houses, duplexes and houseplexes also allow coach houses or garden suites." … "Coach houses must be attached to a garage." … "Smaller lots zoned R3, R4, R5, R5-S, and R6 require lane access to build a coach house." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Limits:** Secondary suite: one per dwelling, up to 40% of the principal unit, not a separate strata lot. Coach house or garden suite: 35 to 75 m² (up to 120 m² on some lots). Lots allow 3 to 4 units, 6 near a frequent bus stop. The City says the BC Building Code requires owner occupancy; the Zoning Bylaw states none. - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 1, Secondary Suite](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "means a dwelling unit, that is an accessory use, with its habitable floor area not exceeding 40% of a" - Source: [Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Building size, location and siting](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) - Official wording: "Coach houses and garden suites must be a minimum of 35 m2 and a maximum of 75 m2 in size" … "the size of the coach house or garden suite can be increased to 120 m2 for lots zoned RA, R2, R2-O, and R3" - Source: [Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, Requirements](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/zoning-small-scale-multi-unit-housing) - Official wording: "The BC Building Code permits only one secondary suite per house, provided that the owner also occupies the house" … "allow between 3-4 dwelling units on a lot, depending on the context. Six units may be possible on eligible lots within Frequent Bus Stop Areas." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Parking:** Secondary suite: 1 space per dwelling unit, none on eligible lots in a Transit-Oriented Area or Frequent Bus Stop Area. Garden suite: 1 per unit, none in a Frequent Bus Stop Area. Coach house: 1 per unit. The City says these are extra to the house requirement. - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 5, Table D.1](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "Secondary Suite 1 parking space per dwelling unit" … "a Frequent Bus Stop Area No minimum parking spaces per dwelling unit." … "Coach House 1 parking space per dwelling unit." … "Garden Suite 1 parking space per dwelling unit." … "Except: eligible lots within a Transit-Oriented Area No minimum parking spaces per dwelling unit." - Source: [Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Parking & road access](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) - Official wording: "Coach houses and garden suites require one extra parking space in addition to the spaces required for a single detached house, duplex and/or secondary suite." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Permits:** A building permit is required, and the suite must meet zoning and the BC Building Code. A development permit may be needed first if the property is in a Development Permit Area. An annual secondary suite service fee also applies. - Source: [Secondary Suite Permit](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/secondary-suite-permit) - Official wording: "You need a permit for legal secondary suites and structures." - Source: [Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, Applying for a secondary suite](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-or-legalizing-secondary-suite) - Official wording: "meet the conditions of zoning," … "meet the standards of the BC Building Code," - Source: [Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Referral requirements](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) - Official wording: "If your property is located within a Development Permit Area (DPA) you may require a development permit before you can submit for building permit." - Source: [Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356, s. 3](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17356) - Official wording: "The amount of the secondary suite service fee payable under Section 2 of this By-law shall be $893.00 per secondary suite." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000; Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850; Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356 - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Enacting clause](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000" - Source: [Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850, s. 1](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17850) - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850"." - Source: [Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356, s. 15](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17356) - Official wording: "Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Under [Zoning Bylaw 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000), one secondary suite is allowed per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling, including in the small-scale multi-unit housing zones and Comprehensive Development zones. A secondary suite is not allowed in a houseplex, or within a coach house or garden suite. Coach houses and garden suites are allowed in all residential zones that allow detached houses, duplexes and houseplexes. A coach house must be attached to a garage; on smaller R3, R4, R5, R5-S and R6 lots it needs lane access. Without lane access a garden suite may be possible instead. ## Steps 1. Check your zone and any Land Use Contract, building scheme or covenant that could prohibit a suite (604-591-4448). 2. Apply for a building permit. The suite must meet zoning and the BC Building Code. A development permit may be needed first if the property is in a Development Permit Area. 3. Pay the annual Secondary Suite Service Fee under [By-law 17356](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17356). ## Good to know - Size: a secondary suite is up to 40% of the principal unit and cannot be a separate strata lot. A coach house or garden suite is 35 to 75 m² (up to 120 m² on some lots). - A lot can have 3 to 4 units, or up to 6 on eligible lots near a frequent bus stop. - Parking: a secondary suite needs 1 space per dwelling unit, none on eligible lots in a Transit-Oriented Area or Frequent Bus Stop Area. A garden suite needs 1 per unit, none in a Frequent Bus Stop Area. A coach house needs 1 per unit. The City says these are in addition to the house requirement. - The City says the BC Building Code requires owner occupancy; the Zoning Bylaw states no such condition. Confirm with Planning and Development. ## Official forms and pages - [Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-or-legalizing-secondary-suite) - [Secondary Suite Permit](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/secondary-suite-permit) - [Coach Houses & Garden Suites](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) - [Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law 17356](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17356) ## Related questions - [Surrey building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/building-permit.md) - [Surrey zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning-lookup.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md) - [Langley City](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/secondary-suite.md) - [White Rock](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/secondary-suite.md) - [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/secondary-suite.md) - [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/secondary-suite.md) - [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/secondary-suite.md) - [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/secondary-suite.md) ## Sources - [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) (read 2026-11-05) - [Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17356) (read 2026-11-05) - [Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-or-legalizing-secondary-suite) (read 2026-11-05) - [Secondary Suite Permit, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/secondary-suite-permit) (read 2026-11-05) - [Coach Houses & Garden Suites, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits/coach-houses-garden-suites) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/provincial-housing-financial-regulations/zoning-small-scale-multi-unit-housing) (read 2026-11-05) - [Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/17850) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Surrey. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/secondary-suite/_