--- title: "Surrey zoning: find your zone and what it allows" question: "How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it?" 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/zoning-lookup/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning-lookup.json" --- # Surrey zoning: find your zone and what it allows **Question:** How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it? **Short answer:** Look up your address on the City of Surrey's online map, COSMOS, to find your zone, then read that zone in Zoning Bylaw 12000. For Zoning Bylaw questions call Planning and Development at 604-591-4086 or email planningdevelopment@surrey.ca. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Surrey, https://www.surrey.ca) **Cost:** The City's pages do not mention a charge for looking up zoning in COSMOS. **Where:** - Online: COSMOS (mapping system) and maps, https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/online-services/maps-cosmos - Phone: Planning and Development (Zoning Bylaw questions), 604-591-4086 - Phone: Zoning requirements and address verification, 604-591-4448 - Email: Planning and Development, planningdevelopment@surrey.ca ## Key facts - **How to find your zone:** Every property in Surrey has a zone. Use COSMOS, the City's online mapping system, which includes property zoning information, to find your zoning category. - Source: [Zoning](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) - Official wording: "Every property in the City of Surrey is assigned a zone." … "Use COSMOS, the City's online mapping system, to find your zoning category and corresponding bylaws." - Source: [Maps & COSMOS](https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/online-services/maps-cosmos) - Official wording: "Explore our interactive maps to find information such as: - Property reports - Property zoning information - Park locations - Community boundaries" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Zoning bylaw:** Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (the City's consolidation is dated September 21, 2026). Zones are regulated in Zoning Bylaw 12000 and its Schedules. - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Consolidation date](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000" … "September 21, 2026" - Source: [Zoning](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) - Official wording: "These zones are regulated in the Zoning Bylaw 12000 and the Zoning Bylaw 12000 Schedules." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **What the zone controls:** Each zone sets the permitted uses, lot size, density (floor area ratio), lot coverage, setbacks, building height and parking. The City page lists building types, size, permitted use, off-street parking and setbacks. - Source: [Zoning](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) - Official wording: "the types of buildings allowed;" … "the size of building allowed;" … "the permitted use of the building on the property;" … "the amount of off-street parking you need; and" … "setbacks (distance from property lines)." - Source: [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 15, R3 Zone (example)](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) - Official wording: "Land, buildings and structures in this R3 Zone must only be used for the following uses," … "The maximum lot coverage for all buildings and structures in this R3 Zone must be as" … "Building and structure heights in this R3 Zone must be in accordance with the following" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Contact:** Zoning Bylaw questions: 604-591-4086 or planningdevelopment@surrey.ca. Zoning requirements and address verification: 604-591-4448. - Source: [Zoning, Contact](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) - Official wording: "For all Zoning Bylaw questions, call 604-591-4086 or email planningdevelopment@surrey.ca." - Source: [Building or Legalizing a Secondary Suite, Contacts](https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-or-legalizing-secondary-suite) - Official wording: "For questions or concerns about secondary suites, select from the following contacts: - Zoning requirements: 604-591-4448 - Planning & Development Client Services Centre (building permit information and general inquiries): 604-591-4086" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 - 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" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Every property in the City of Surrey is assigned a zone. The zones are regulated in [Zoning Bylaw 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) and its Schedules. Each zone sets the permitted uses, lot size, density (floor area ratio), lot coverage, setbacks from property lines, building height and off-street parking. ## Steps 1. Open COSMOS, the City's online mapping system, and search your address. It includes property zoning information. 2. Note your zone code, then find that zone in Zoning Bylaw 12000 and its Schedules. 3. Call or email Planning and Development before you design anything, to confirm what the zone allows. ## Good to know - The City's Zoning Bylaw consolidation is dated September 21, 2026 and is for convenience only; the City does not warrant it is current. - Zoning does not show every restriction. For design guidelines, easements, rights of way and restrictive covenants, check with the Land Title Office. - If your plan does not fit the zone, you may need to rezone, or apply to the Board of Variance for a minor variance. - Zoning requirements and address verification: 604-591-4448. ## Zones 63 zones are listed from [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (consolidation includes amendments up to By-law 22120, adopted 09/21/2026)](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_Zoning_12000.pdf). Each zone has its own page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/index.json Look up the zone of an address: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/lookup?address=123+Main+St ## What you'll need - Your civic address ## Official forms and pages - [Zoning, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) - [Zoning Bylaw 12000 (PDF)](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_Zoning_12000.pdf) - [Zoning Bylaw 12000 Schedules (PDF)](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/Zoning_12000_Schedules_0.pdf) ## Related questions - [Surrey secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/secondary-suite.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup.md) - [Langley City](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/zoning-lookup.md) - [White Rock](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/zoning-lookup.md) - [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/zoning-lookup.md) - [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/zoning-lookup.md) - [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/zoning-lookup.md) - [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/zoning-lookup.md) ## Sources - [Zoning, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/zoning) (read 2026-11-05) - [Maps & COSMOS, City of Surrey](https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/online-services/maps-cosmos) (read 2026-11-05) - [Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000) (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) _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 City of Surrey. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning-lookup/_