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Victoria secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

Victoria, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Yes. The City of Victoria permits secondary suites in residential buildings and garden suites (its term for a carriage house) in the rear yard. Both need a building permit, plus plumbing and electrical permits. Rules differ between the City's two zoning bylaws, so check which covers your lot.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedSecondary suites are permitted in residential buildings, built to the BC Building Code with all required permits. Zoning Bylaw 2018 zones such as GRD-1 permit 'Residential' (any self-contained dwelling unit). Under the Zoning Regulation Bylaw, restricted zones may have 3 to 6 housing units per lot, including suites, with exceptions.What Can I Do With My Property, What Can I Do With My Property, Can I build a secondary suite · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Secondary suites are permitted in residential buildings, and must be built in accordance with the BC Building Code and with all required building, plumbing and electrical permits.
Coach house or garden suite allowedZoning Bylaw 2018: a garden suite (detached dwelling unit in the rear yard) on a lot with a single-detached dwelling or duplex; one per lot. Zoning Regulation Bylaw: Schedule M allows one only if the house is a single family dwelling without a secondary suite, but in restricted zones s. 52 waives those two limits.Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Zoning Bylaw 2018, s. 2 definition and Part 3, s. 28; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M Garden Suites, Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M, s. 1; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations, Zoning Regulation Bylaw general regulations s. 52(1)(d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
used or designed as a Dwelling Unit
located on a Lot with a single-detached dwelling or duplex.
Garden Suites must be located in the Rear Yard;
Only one Garden Suite is permitted on a Lot;
A garden suite is only permitted when the primary building is used for a single family
c. No more than one garden suite is permitted on a lot.
a garden suite is permitted on a lot, subject to the regulations within Schedule “M”,
sections 1.a., 1.b. and 6.a. of Schedule “M” do not apply; and
LimitsZoning Bylaw 2018: garden suite max 56 m² and 4.2 m high, one per lot, within 25% of rear yard. Zoning Regulation Bylaw restricted zones: up to 3 housing units (lot 280 m² or less), 4 (larger lot), or 6 (larger lot near a bus stop); Schedule M garden suite 37 m² and 3.5 m. No owner-occupancy rule found.Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Zoning Bylaw 2018, Part 3, s. 28; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M Garden Suites, Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M, s. 1, 4, 5; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations, Zoning Regulation Bylaw general regulations s. 52(1)(a)-(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
The Floor Area of a Garden Suite must not exceed 56m2;
The Height of a Garden Suite must not exceed 4.2m;
constructed prior to July 11, 2019 or a minimum of 5 years before the proposed conversion;
The Garden Suite must not occupy more than 25% of the rear yard.
A garden suite is not permitted on a lot when a single family dwelling contains a
Floor area (maximum) 37m2
iii. Floor area (maximum) 56m2
up to three housing units are permitted on lots with a site area equal to, or less than,
up to four housing units are permitted on lots with a site area greater than 280m2;
ParkingNo parking is required for a secondary or garden suite under Zoning Bylaw 2018. Under the Zoning Regulation Bylaw none is required unless two suites share a lot (then one extra space), and none for residential uses in transit oriented areas or on lots using the 6-unit allowance (s. 52(1)(f), 53).Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Zoning Bylaw 2018, Part 5, Table 1; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule C Off-Street Parking; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations, Zoning Regulation Bylaw general regulations s. 52(1)(f), s. 53(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Secondary Suite,
Garden Suite or a
unless two Secondary Suites, two Garden Suites,
shall be provided in addition to the number of
no vehicle parking spaces are required on lots that utilize the housing unit allowances
within transit oriented areas no vehicle
parking spaces are required for residential uses, subject to subsection (2).
PermitsA building permit is required to create a secondary suite (and a garden suite), with all required plumbing and electrical permits. Secondary suites generally need no rezoning or development permit; a development permit applies if the property's development permit area requires one. Development permits are approved first.Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113, s. 6(1); Building Permits, How to Apply; What Can I Do With My Property, What Can I Do With My Property, secondary suite and residential infill sections · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
unless a building official has issued a valid and subsisting permit
all applicable development permits must be approved before applying for building permits
A building permit is required to create a garden suite or secondary suite.
In addition to obtaining a building permit, development may require a development permit or heritage alteration permit,
BylawZoning Bylaw 2018 (No. 18-072), Part 3 s. 28 and Part 5; Zoning Regulation Bylaw (No. 80-159), general regulations s. 52, Schedule M (Garden Suites) and Schedule C; Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw No. 17-113.Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Part 3, s. 28; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M Garden Suites; Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations, Zoning Regulation Bylaw general regulations s. 52 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Garden Suites must be in compliance with the following:
Schedule M – Garden Suites
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Bylaw, the following regulations apply to restricted

How it works

Victoria permits secondary suites in residential buildings, built to the BC Building Code with all required permits. Zoning Bylaw 2018 zones such as GRD-1 permit "Residential", which means any self-contained dwelling unit. A garden suite is a detached dwelling unit in the rear yard.

Victoria has two zoning bylaws, each covering different properties: Zoning Bylaw 2018, which covers most residential lands, and the older Zoning Regulation Bylaw. Check which applies to your property, since the rules below differ.

Steps

  1. Look up your zone and bylaw on VicMap (see the zoning-lookup answer), or call Development Services at 250-361-0316 or email zoning@victoria.ca.
  2. If your property's development permit area requires a development permit, get it approved first. Secondary suites generally need no rezoning.
  3. Apply for a building permit, plus plumbing and electrical permits.

Good to know

  • Zoning Bylaw 2018: a garden suite goes on a lot with a single-detached dwelling or duplex; one per lot; up to 56 m² and 4.2 m high; within 25% of the rear yard.
  • Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M: a garden suite is up to 37 m² and 3.5 m high (one storey), or up to 56 m², 4.2 m and 1.5 storeys on a "plus site" (a corner lot, a lot with two street frontages or rear lane access, or a lot over 557 m²). It is allowed only if the house is a single family dwelling without a secondary suite.
  • In restricted zones under the Zoning Regulation Bylaw, section 52 allows up to 3 housing units on a lot of 280 m² or less, 4 on a larger lot, or 6 on a larger lot near a bus stop. It also waives the Schedule M limits on the house type and an existing secondary suite.
  • Parking: none is required for a secondary or garden suite under Zoning Bylaw 2018. Under the Zoning Regulation Bylaw none is required unless two suites share a lot (then one extra space), and none in transit oriented areas or on lots using the 6-unit allowance.
  • Building a garden suite may require tree information under the Tree Protection Bylaw; see the tree-removal answer.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oak Bay · Esquimalt · View Royal · Saanich · Colwood · Langford

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

Sources

  1. What Can I Do With My Property, City of Victoria (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule M Garden Suites (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Zoning Regulation Bylaw, Schedule C Off-Street Parking (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  7. Building Permits, City of Victoria (read 2026-11-05)
  8. Starting a Business, City of Victoria Business Hub (Development Services contact) (read 2026-11-05)

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