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Tofino secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Tofino?

Tofino, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Tofino a secondary suite inside a house is a permitted use in the R1 and R2 residential zones and several others, and needs a building permit. The Zoning Bylaw does not name carriage houses or garden suites. Check your zone first.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedA secondary suite inside a house is a permitted use in the R1 and R2 residential zones, the R4, RM2 and RM3 zones, and the A1 to A4 and RA1 to RA3 zones, and in several comprehensive development zones.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Parts 8 to 20 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Secondary Suite.
One Secondary Suite in a single family dwelling or Secondary Suites in a two family
One Caretakers Cottage or One Secondary Suite; and,
Secondary Suites.
Coach house or garden suite allowedThe bylaw does not name coach houses or garden suites. A secondary suite must be inside a building. A separate 'caretaker cottage' of up to 70 m² footprint is allowed in RA1 to RA3, R4 and A1 to A4 zones, but not where a suite exists in the main dwelling.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 2 and s. 4.1.6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained dwelling unit located within a building or portion of a
A maximum of one caretaker cottage is permitted per lot in RA1, RA2, RA3,
The maximum building footprint of a caretaker cottage is 70 m2 (753 ft2)
A caretaker cottage not permitted where a Secondary Suite is permitted and
An accessory building or structure shall not be used as a dwelling.
LimitsA suite is a self-contained unit within a building, behind a 1-hour fire separation, in a building with only one other dwelling unit, and both units must be one real estate entity. One suite per single-family dwelling.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 2 (definition) and s. 9.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained dwelling unit located within a building or portion of a
of only residential occupancy that contains only one other dwelling unit and common
where both dwelling units constitute a single real estate entity.
One Secondary Suite in a single family dwelling or Secondary Suites in a two family
ParkingNot confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
PermitsA building permit is required for a new or converted secondary suite. The zone must allow the suite, and a development permit may also be needed in a development permit area.Building Permits and Inspections, Is a Building Permit Required?; Building Permit Guide, Building and Development Administration · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Secondary Suites
New or converted secondary suites
Legitimizing or installing a secondary suite in an existing building
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (as amended by Bylaw No. 1286) and Building Bylaw No. 1256, 2019Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Title; Building Bylaw No. 1256, 2019, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997
District of Tofino Building Bylaw No. 1256, 2019

How it works

The District of Tofino's Zoning Bylaw No. 770 allows a secondary suite inside a house in the R1 and R2 residential zones, the R4, RM2 and RM3 zones, the A1 to A4 and RA1 to RA3 zones, and several comprehensive development zones. Zones not listed, such as commercial zones, were not fully checked. Find your zone on the District's zoning map.

A suite is a self-contained unit within a building, behind a 1-hour fire separation, in a building with only one other dwelling unit, and both units must be one real estate entity. One suite is allowed per single-family dwelling.

The bylaw does not name coach houses or garden suites, and a suite must be inside a building. A separate caretaker cottage of up to 70 m² footprint is allowed in RA1 to RA3, R4 and A1 to A4 zones, but not where a suite exists in the main dwelling, and it is for caretaker accommodation.

Steps

  1. Look up your zone and confirm it allows a suite (see zoning-lookup). Ask Planning Services whether a development permit area applies.
  2. Apply for a building permit through the District's permit portal.
  3. Build to the permit, and book inspections.

Good to know

  • The Zoning Bylaw states no suite parking rate, no owner-occupancy rule and no suite floor-area limit that we found. Ask Planning Services.
  • For a suite built without permits, the guide says the District will not issue an Occupancy Permit but may allow conversion to a long-term suite if upgraded, with a Notice on Title. Such a unit should not be used for a short-term rental licence.
  • Separate rules limit short-term rental use of suites (see short-term-rental).

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Ucluelet · Gold River · Port Alberni · Cumberland · Courtenay · Comox

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

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building Bylaw No. 1256, 2019 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Building Permit Guide (PDF), District of Tofino (read 2026-11-08)
  4. Building Permits and Inspections, District of Tofino (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.