---
title: Terrace permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Terrace, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/terrace
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Terrace
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Terrace permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In Terrace, a shed or other accessory building under 10 square metres does not need a building permit. Larger sheds, garages and carports do. The Building Bylaw does not exempt decks, so a deck appears to need one. Zoning rules apply either way.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Terrace, https://www.terrace.ca)  
**Cost:** When a permit is needed: $75 application fee plus $8 per $1,000 of work value and $1 per $1,000 for plan review.  
**Where:**
- Online: CloudPermit, https://ca.cloudpermit.com/terrace/
- Phone: Building and Licensing, 250-615-4000
- Phone: Development Services (zoning), 250-615-4022

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** A building permit is needed for a shed or other accessory building unless its floor area is less than 10 m².
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024, s. 3.4.2, 10.1.1](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres" … "constructing or altering a building or structure, unless exempt from the application of this Bylaw pursuant to Section 3.4;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** The Building Bylaw sets no deck height or size threshold. A permit is required to construct a structure unless s. 3.4 exempts it, and decks are not named in those exemptions.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024, s. 3.4, 9.3.2.d, 10.1.1](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959)
  - Official wording: "constructing or altering a building or structure, unless exempt from the application of this Bylaw pursuant to Section 3.4;" … "structures, including retaining walls, steps, stairs and decks, and" … "a fence, a trellis, an arbour, or other similar landscaping or decorative structures."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** A garage or carport is a building, so it needs a building permit unless it is an accessory building under 10 m². A garage or carport attached to the house is treated as part of the principal building.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024, s. 3.4.2, 10.1.1](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959)
  - Official wording: "an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres" … "constructing or altering a building or structure, unless exempt from the application of this Bylaw pursuant to Section 3.4;"
  - Source: [Zoning Consolidated Bylaw No. 2069-2014 (PDF, to Bylaw 2345-2026), s. 3.5.2](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4249)
  - Official wording: "Where accessory buildings or structures are permanently attached to the principal" … "building, they shall be considered part of the principal building and must comply in"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** No accessory building in a front yard; 1.5 m from the house or another accessory building. R1: up to 55 m² and 5.1 m high; setbacks 1.5 m rear, 1.2 m (parcels under 600 m²) or 1.5 m side, 2.0 m exterior side; coverage 50% or 45%. Other zones differ.
  - Source: [Zoning Consolidated Bylaw No. 2069-2014 (PDF, to Bylaw 2345-2026), s. 3.5.3, 3.5.4; R1 s. 11.1.3](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4249)
  - Official wording: "No accessory building or structure will be located in a front yard." … "A minimum setback of 1.5 m is required between an accessory building and a" … "buildings/structures 55 m2 55 m2 55 m2 without dwelling units" … "buildings/structures 5.1 m 5.1 m 5.1 m without dwelling units" … "d. rear parcel line 1.5 m 1.5 m 1.5 m" … "buildings/structures 1 per parcel 1 per parcel 1 per parcel without dwelling units (30 m2 and larger)" … ".7 Maximum Parcel Coverage 50% 45% 45%" … "c. exterior side parcel line 2.0 m 2.0 m 2.0 m"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024 (permits) and Zoning Bylaw No. 2069-2014 (accessory buildings, s. 3.5 and zone regulations)
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024, Title page](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959)
  - Official wording: "CITY OF TERRACE BYLAW NO. 2307-2024 "A BYLAW FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE BUILDING CODE AND REGULATION"
  - Source: [Zoning Consolidated Bylaw No. 2069-2014 (PDF, to Bylaw 2345-2026), Title page](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4249)
  - Official wording: "City of Terrace Zoning Bylaw No. 2069 - 2014" … "3.5 Accessory Buildings, Structures and Use"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Building Bylaw 2307-2024](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959) requires a permit to construct a building or structure unless s. 3.4 exempts it. It exempts an accessory building with a floor area under 10 m².

- **Shed:** needs a permit unless it is under 10 m².
- **Deck:** the bylaw sets no height or size threshold and does not name decks in its exemptions, so a permit appears to be required. This is a plain reading; no City page states a deck rule.
- **Garage or carport:** needs a permit unless it is an accessory building under 10 m². One attached to the house is treated as part of the house.

## Steps

1. Find your zone on TerraMap, or call Development Services (250-615-4022).
2. Check the zoning limits for your zone.
3. If a permit is needed, apply in CloudPermit. Confirm deck questions with Building and Licensing (250-615-4000).

## Good to know

- Zoning Bylaw 2069 applies to every accessory building, with or without a permit.
- No accessory building may be in a front yard, and there must be 1.5 m between it and the house or another accessory building.
- In R1: up to 55 m² and 5.1 m high; setbacks of 1.5 m at the rear, 1.2 m (parcels under 600 m²) or 1.5 m at the side, and 2.0 m on the exterior side; parcel coverage 50% or 45%. In AR1 and AR2 an accessory building may be up to 90 m² and 5.1 m high; in RS1, 55 m² and 5.1 m. Other zones differ.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw 2307 (PDF)](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2069 (PDF)](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4249)
- [TerraMap (find your zone)](https://www.terrace.ca/business-development/maps-zoning/terramap)

## Related questions

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

## Sources

- [Building Bylaw No. 2307-2024 (PDF), City of Terrace](https://www.terrace.ca/media/3959) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Consolidated Bylaw No. 2069-2014 (PDF, to Bylaw 2345-2026), City of Terrace](https://www.terrace.ca/media/4249) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Permits, City of Terrace](https://www.terrace.ca/business-development/building-permits) (read 2026-11-05)
- [TerraMap, City of Terrace](https://www.terrace.ca/business-development/maps-zoning/terramap) (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 Terrace. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/deck-shed-garage-permit/_