---
title: Trail permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages
question: "Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?"
place: Trail, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/trail
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Trail
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/deck-shed-garage-permit/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"
---

# Trail permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Trail a deck, garage or other accessory building typically needs a building permit. A storage shed does not if it is 10 m2 (107 sq. ft.) or less, one storey, 3 m (9.8 ft.) or less to the peak, and on a non-permanent foundation. The Zoning Bylaw still applies.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Trail, https://www.trail.ca)  
**Cost:** $40 minimum, or $8 for each $1,000 of estimated value, under the Building Bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Email: Development Services, Planning@Trail.ca
- Phone: City Hall, 250-364-1262

## Key facts

- **Sheds:** No building permit is needed for a storage shed that is 10 m² (107 sq. ft.) or less in floor area, one storey, 3 m (9.8 ft.) or less to the peak, and on a non-permanent foundation. A shed that does not meet all four conditions is not covered by this exemption.
  - Source: [City of Trail Building Bylaw No. 2548, 2003, s. 5.4](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw does not apply to storage sheds provided that:" … "the storage shed does not exceed 10 m2 (107 sq. ft.) in floor area;" … "the storage shed is one storey;" … "the storage shed does not exceed 3m (9.8 ft.) to peak in height; and" … "the storage shed is situated on a non-permanent foundation."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Decks:** The City's page says you typically need a building permit to build a deck. The Building Bylaw sets no height or size threshold that exempts a deck.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Do I Need a Building Permit?](https://www.trail.ca/building-infrastructure/building-construction/building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "Finishing a basement or building a deck"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Garages and carports:** Garages and carports are not named in the Building Bylaw, and the City says accessory buildings typically need a permit. Exempt: work exempted by Part 1 of the BC Building Code, non-structural repairs under $1,000, and qualifying sheds. Zoning s. 3(8)(i) separately allows one temporary vehicle shelter on a lot.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Do I Need a Building Permit?](https://www.trail.ca/building-infrastructure/building-construction/building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "Installing fireplaces, pools, or accessory buildings"
  - Source: [City of Trail Building Bylaw No. 2548, 2003, s. 5.3](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw does not apply to non-structural repairs valued at less than One Thousand" … "private garages or residential accessory buildings." … "This bylaw does not apply to buildings or structures exempted by Part 1 of the Building Code"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Zoning limits:** R1: accessory buildings up to 5 m (16.4 ft.) high, 1.2 m from exterior side and rear lot lines, lot coverage 50% (70% with an accessory suite). R3: 5 m high, 1.2 m yards, coverage 60% (80% with a suite). One accessory building under 10 m² on a non-permanent foundation may go anywhere, but not nearer the front or exterior side line than the house.
  - Source: [City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002, ss. 6(3), 6(5)(e), 6(6)(c)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The maximum height of an accessory building or structure that does not contain an accessory suite is 5 m" … "the maximum lot coverage shall be 50%, including the principal building and all accessory buildings and structures." … "the maximum lot coverage shall be 70%, including the principal buildings and all accessory" … "accessory buildings and structures shall be placed a minimum of 1.2 m (3.9 feet) from the exterior side and rear lot lines." … "one accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 m2 (107 ft2) and situated on a non-permanent foundation, may be located anywhere on a lot"
  - Source: [City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002, ss. 7(4), 7(6), 7(7)(c)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be 60%, including the principal building and all accessory buildings and structures." … "shall be 80%, including the principal buildings and all accessory" … "The minimum front, interior side, exterior side, and rear yards shall be 1.2 m (3.9 feet)."
  - Source: [City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002, s. 3(8)(h)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "one accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 m2 (107 ft2) and" … "closer to a front or exterior side property line than the corresponding face of the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Trail Building Bylaw No. 2548, 2003; City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002
  - Source: [City of Trail Building Bylaw No. 2548, 2003, Title page](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING BYLAW NO. 2548, 2003"
  - Source: [City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002, Title page](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 2503, 2002"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Trail's page says you typically need a building permit to build a deck, and that accessory buildings typically need one too. The [Building Bylaw](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf) sets no height or size threshold that exempts a deck, and does not name garages or carports.

A storage shed needs no building permit if it is all of: 10 m2 (107 sq. ft.) or less in floor area, one storey, 3 m (9.8 ft.) or less to the peak, and on a non-permanent foundation. A shed that misses any one of these is not covered by the exemption. Non-structural repairs under $1,000 and work exempted by Part 1 of the BC Building Code are also exempt.

## Steps

1. Check the shed exemption above. If you qualify, you still must follow the [Zoning Bylaw](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf).
2. Otherwise, apply for a building permit (see building-permit).
3. Ask Development Services (Planning@Trail.ca) about setbacks and height for your zone.

## Good to know

- Accessory building limits: in R1, up to 5 m (16.4 ft.) high, 1.2 m from exterior side and rear lot lines, and lot coverage of 50% (70% with an accessory suite). In R3, 5 m high, 1.2 m yards, and coverage of 60% (80% with a suite). In R4, R6, R7, R8 and R9, accessory buildings are limited to 4.5 m high, with 1.2 m yards.
- One accessory building under 10 m2 on a non-permanent foundation may go anywhere on the lot, but not nearer the front or exterior side line than the house.
- Decks built less than 0.61 m (2 ft.) above natural grade are not subject to setbacks. This is a zoning rule, not a permit exemption. Other decks and porches may project 1.5 m into front or exterior side setbacks and 3 m into rear setbacks.
- The Zoning Bylaw also allows one temporary vehicle shelter on a lot.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Permits, City of Trail](https://www.trail.ca/building-infrastructure/building-construction/building-permits/)
- [Building Bylaw 2548, 2003 (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2503, 2002 (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Trail building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/building-permit.md)
- [Trail building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Trail fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/fence-rules.md)
- [Trail zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/zoning-lookup.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)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## Sources

- [Building Permits, City of Trail](https://www.trail.ca/building-infrastructure/building-construction/building-permits/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [City of Trail Building Bylaw No. 2548, 2003 (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Building-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [City of Trail Zoning Bylaw No. 2503, 2002 (PDF)](https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Trail. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/deck-shed-garage-permit/_