{"title":"Ucluelet secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Ucluelet?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/ucluelet","name":"Ucluelet","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Ucluelet","url":"https://ucluelet.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes, in Ucluelet. Zones such as R-1, R-2 and R-4 allow one secondary suite in a single family dwelling, and many also allow one detached accessory residential dwelling unit (ADU). Both need a building permit and are limited to 2 bedrooms and 90 m².","aliases":["secondary suite ucluelet","basement suite ucluelet","carriage house ucluelet","accessory dwelling unit ucluelet"],"cost":"Building permit fees apply (see the building-permit-fees answer). The District's suite amnesty, which waived permit fees, ended September 1, 2025.","how_long":"Not stated. See the building-permit answer.","where":[{"type":"email","label":"Building Official","value":"building@ucluelet.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Municipal Office (Planning)","value":"250-726-7744"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Office","value":"200 Main Street, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Housing, District of Ucluelet","url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/housing/"},{"title":"Building Permits & Inspection, District of Ucluelet","url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/building-permit-inspection/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation","url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Ucluelet building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Ucluelet building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Ucluelet zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Ucluelet short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/tofino","name":"Tofino","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/secondary-suite/"}],"topic":{"title":"Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite/"},"facts":{"suite_allowed":{"label":"Secondary suite allowed","value":"Yes, in zones that list Secondary Suite as a secondary use with a single family dwelling as the principal use, one suite within one single family dwelling per lot: R-1, R-1H, R-2, R-4, R-5, R-6, RU, VR-1 and some CD zones.","short":"Yes, one per lot in zones that list it (R-1, R-2 etc.)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 403.1(1)","quotes":["(1) Secondary Suites are only permitted:","within one single family dwelling per lot; and"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"R-1.1.1","quotes":["R-1.1.1 The following uses are permitted, but secondary permitted uses are","(c) Secondary Suite"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/housing/","title":"Housing, District of Ucluelet","section":"Housing page","quotes":["While the District has proactively allowed these in all residential zones for years,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Yes. The bylaw's term is Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit (ADU): one detached accessory building used as a dwelling, in zones that list it as a secondary use with a single family dwelling (R-1, R-1H, R-2, R-4, R-6, RU, VR-1, some CD zones).","short":"Yes, one detached ADU in zones that list it","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"Definitions","quotes":["“Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit” (ADU) means one accessory building used"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 408.1(1)","quotes":["(1) Accessory Residential Dwelling Units are only permitted in the Zones where","single family dwelling is listed as a principal permitted use and Accessory"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Suite: at most 2 bedrooms; floor area at most the lesser of 90 m² or 35% of the house's habitable area; run by the full-time resident of a permanent residence; one per single family dwelling; not on a lot with a daycare or community care facility. ADU: at most 90 m² and 2 bedrooms.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 403.1","quotes":["(2) A Secondary Suite must not have more than 2 bedrooms.","(a) 90 m2 (969 ft2); or","(b) 35% of the habitable area of the single family dwelling in which it is","time and present resident;"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 408.1","quotes":["(5) An Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit must not have more than 2"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"Secondary suite: 1 space per suite. ADU: 1 space per dwelling unit. Single family dwelling alone: 2 spaces. A combined row for a single family dwelling plus suite and/or ADU says 1 space per dwelling unit; it is split across a page break, so confirm with Planning.","short":"1 space per suite","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 505.1 table","quotes":["Secondary Suite 1 space per suite","Accessory Residential Dwelling 1 space per dwelling unit,","Single Family Dwelling 2 spaces for use of principal dwelling unit","Single-Family Dwelling plus 1 space per dwelling unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit is required to build a new secondary suite or legalize an existing one. An ADU also needs a s. 219 covenant registered on title. A development permit may also apply if the lot is in a development permit area.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72420/","title":"Secondary Suite guide, District of Ucluelet","section":"Secondary Suite guide, Step 1","quotes":["A building permit is required to build a new"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/building-permit-inspection/","title":"Building Permits & Inspection, District of Ucluelet","section":"Building Permits & Inspection page","quotes":["Legitimizing or building a secondary suite"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 408.1(8)","quotes":["(8) An Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit is only permitted where the owner","of the lot has registered a covenant under section 219 of the Land Title Act"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Ucluelet Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, ss. 403, 408 and 505; Building Regulation Bylaw No. 2001, 2026.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","section":"footer","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013 (unofficial consolidation up to Bylaw 1412, 2026)"]},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/filepro/document/84287/2001%20Bylaw,%202026%20-%20Building%20Regulation%20Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 2001, 2026 (PDF), District of Ucluelet","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Building Regulation Bylaw No. 2001, 2026"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013](https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/), a secondary suite is allowed in zones that list it as a secondary use with a single family dwelling: R-1, R-1H, R-2, R-4, R-5, R-6, RU, VR-1 and some CD zones. It is one suite within one single family dwelling per lot. In R-6 a lot may have either a suite or an ADU. It is not allowed in a dwelling used as a Guest House.\n\nUcluelet's term for a carriage house or garden suite is an Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit (ADU): one detached accessory building used as a dwelling. Zones that allow it include R-1, R-1H, R-2, R-4, R-6, RU, VR-1 and some CD zones. R-5 allows a suite only.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone in the Zoning Bylaw or on UkeeMap (see the zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Apply for a building permit to build a new suite or legalize an existing one. A development permit may also apply if your lot is in a development permit area.\n3. For an ADU, register a section 219 covenant on title.\n4. Build to the BC Building Code and pass inspections.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Suite limits: at most 2 bedrooms; floor area at most the lesser of 90 m² or 35% of the house's habitable area; run by the full-time resident of a permanent residence; not on a lot with a daycare or community care facility.\n- ADU limits: at most 90 m² and 2 bedrooms, at least 4 m from the main dwelling, outdoor space equal to its floor area, a 1.0 m clear path to the front door, and a maximum height of 8.0 m.\n- A suite may not contain a home occupation if the main dwelling has one.\n- Parking: 1 space per suite, 1 space per ADU, and 2 spaces for a single family dwelling alone.\n- Some individual lots have their own exceptions. Ask Planning.","sources":[{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72466/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1160, 2013, unofficial consolidation, District of Ucluelet","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/housing/","title":"Housing, District of Ucluelet","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://ucluelet.ca/business-development/planning-building/building-permit-inspection/","title":"Building Permits & Inspection, District of Ucluelet","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/document/72420/","title":"Secondary Suite guide, District of Ucluelet","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://ucluelet.civicweb.net/filepro/document/84287/2001%20Bylaw,%202026%20-%20Building%20Regulation%20Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw No. 2001, 2026 (PDF), District of Ucluelet","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/secondary-suite.json"}}