Surrey secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

Surrey, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

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.Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, Acceptable zoning for secondary suites; Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 1, Secondary Suite · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. and is not a separate strata lot, and are not permitted in a houseplex.
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.Coach Houses & Garden Suites · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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.
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.Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 1, Secondary Suite; Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Building size, location and siting; Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, Requirements · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording means a dwelling unit, that is an accessory use, with its habitable floor area not exceeding 40% of a 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 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.
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.Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 5, Table D.1; Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Parking & road access · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. 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.
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.Secondary Suite Permit; Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, Applying for a secondary suite; Coach Houses & Garden Suites, Referral requirements; Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356, s. 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording You need a permit for legal secondary suites and structures. meet the conditions of zoning, meet the standards of the BC Building Code, If your property is located within a Development Permit Area (DPA) you may require a development permit before you can submit for building permit. The amount of the secondary suite service fee payable under Section 2 of this By-law shall be $893.00 per secondary suite.
Bylaw	Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000; Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850; Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Enacting clause; Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850, s. 1; Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356, s. 15 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850". Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356.

How it works

Under Zoning Bylaw 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

Check your zone and any Land Use Contract, building scheme or covenant that could prohibit a suite (604-591-4448).
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.
Pay the annual Secondary Suite Service Fee under By-law 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

The same question in other places

Langley City · White Rock · New Westminster · Port Coquitlam · Township of Langley · Coquitlam

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (read 2026-11-05)
Surrey Secondary Suite Service Fee By-law, 2011, No. 17356 (read 2026-11-05)
Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Secondary Suite Permit, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Coach Houses & Garden Suites, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Surrey Building Bylaw, 2012, No. 17850 (read 2026-11-05)

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