--- title: "Victoria zoning: find your zone and what it allows" question: "How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it?" place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/victoria category: Building, renovating and your property owner: municipal owner_body: City of Victoria sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/zoning-lookup/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/zoning-lookup.json" --- # Victoria zoning: find your zone and what it allows **Question:** How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it? **Short answer:** In the City of Victoria, select your property on VicMap to see its zone, then read that zone in the Zoning Bylaw. Two bylaws are in force for different properties, Zoning Bylaw 2018 and the older Zoning Regulation Bylaw, so check which applies to yours. Email zoning@victoria.ca if unsure. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Victoria, https://www.victoria.ca) **Cost:** Free to look up; the City's pages state no fee for zoning information. **How long:** Not stated on the City's page. **Where:** - Online: VicMap, https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/maps - Email: Zoning, zoning@victoria.ca - Phone: Development Services (zoning), 250-361-0316 - Email: Planning and Development Department, planning@victoria.ca ## Key facts - **How to find your zone:** Use VicMap: select a property on the map to see its zoning, or turn on the Planning and Development theme under Show Layers and Themes. Then read that zone's rules in the Zoning Bylaw. - Source: [What Can I Do With My Property](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/what-can-i-do-my-property) - Official wording: "Select a property on VicMap to see the applicable zoning; consult the Zoning Bylaw to determine what is permitted in your zone." - Source: [Zoning, Zoning page](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning) - Official wording: "Click on a property or choose the Planning and Development theme under the Show Layers and Themes menu." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Zoning bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw 2018 (No. 18-072) covers the Downtown Core, Industry, Arts and Innovation District, Villages, Town Centres and most residential lands; the older Zoning Regulation Bylaw (No. 80-159) covers remaining properties. Copy of 2018 bylaw lists amendments to Oct 1, 2026 (header says June 9, 2022). - Source: [Zoning, Zoning page](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning) - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw 2018 regulates the Downtown Core Area and most of the commercial and low-density residential properties within Victoria." … "applies to most industrial properties, medium- to high-density residential properties outside of the downtown, comprehensive development districts and some commercial properties." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2018, Zoning Bylaw 2018 page](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning/zoning-regulation-bylaw-2018) - Official wording: "Ten zones now cover the Downtown Core Area, the Industry, Arts and Innovation District, the Villages and Town Centres and most residential lands." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **What the zone controls:** Permitted uses, density of development, height, setbacks, lot coverage and open space, lot size, and motor vehicle and bicycle parking, plus any site-specific rules for particular addresses. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Zoning Bylaw 2018, Part 4 (e.g. LVD-1 zone)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) - Official wording: "1. Permitted Uses" … "2. Density of Development" … "3. Height" … "4. Setbacks and Projections" … "6. Lot Coverage and Open Space" … "7. Lot Dimension and Area" … "8. Site Specific Regulations" - Source: [What Can I Do With My Property](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/what-can-i-do-my-property) - Official wording: "the density of development and the size and siting of all buildings and off-street parking" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Contact:** Development Services: 250.361.0316 or zoning@victoria.ca. The Zoning Bylaw 2018 cover also lists the Planning and Development Department, planning@victoria.ca. - Source: [Business Licensing, Business Licensing page, Step One](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/business-licensing) - Official wording: "For information on zoning, contact the City's Development Services at 250.361.0316 or zoning@victoria.ca." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Publishing information](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) - Official wording: "1 Centennial Square Victoria, BC V8W 1P6 E: planning@victoria.ca W: victoria.ca This consolidation is a copy of a bylaw consolidated under the authority of section 139 of the Community Charter." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw 2018 (No. 18-072) and Zoning Regulation Bylaw (No. 80-159) - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072), Publishing information](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) - Official wording: "Title: Zoning Bylaw 2018" - Source: [Zoning Regulation Bylaw (80-159), general regulations, title page](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-regulation-bylaw-general-regulations) - Official wording: "NO. 80 - 159" … "This bylaw may be cited as the "Zoning Regulation Bylaw"." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works [Zoning Bylaw 2018](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) (No. 18-072) covers the Downtown Core, the Industry, Arts and Innovation District, Villages, Town Centres and most residential lands. The older Zoning Regulation Bylaw (No. 80-159) covers the remaining properties. A zone sets permitted uses, density, height, setbacks, lot coverage and open space, lot size, and motor vehicle and bicycle parking, plus any site-specific rules for particular addresses. ## Steps 1. Open VicMap and select your property to see its zoning. You can also turn on the Planning and Development theme under Show Layers and Themes. 2. Note the zone name, and which of the two bylaws it belongs to. 3. Read that zone's rules in the matching bylaw. 4. If you are unsure, email zoning@victoria.ca or call Development Services at 250-361-0316. ## Good to know - A building permit and, in some cases, a development permit are still needed before you build. - The City's website copies of both bylaws are office consolidations. The City says to check City Hall for the current text. ## Zones 838 zones are listed from [Zoning Regulation Bylaw No. 80-159 (consolidated on October 17, 2019 up to Bylaw No. 19-074; zone Parts amended to Bylaw 24-060, August 2024) and Zoning Bylaw 2018 (consolidated on June 9, 2022 up to Bylaw No. 22-048)](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning/zoning-regulation-bylaw). Each zone has its own page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/zoning/index.json Look up the zone of an address: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/zoning/lookup?address=123+Main+St ## Official forms and pages - [Zoning (City page)](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning) - [Zoning Bylaw 2018 (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) - [Zoning Regulation Bylaw, general regulations (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-regulation-bylaw-general-regulations) ## Related questions - [Victoria secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/secondary-suite.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup.md) - [Oak Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/zoning-lookup.md) - [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/zoning-lookup.md) - [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/zoning-lookup.md) - [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/zoning-lookup.md) - [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/zoning-lookup.md) - [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/zoning-lookup.md) ## Sources - [Zoning, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning) (read 2026-11-05) - [What Can I Do With My Property, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/what-can-i-do-my-property) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Bylaw 2018, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/zoning/zoning-regulation-bylaw-2018) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Bylaw 2018 (18-072) (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-bylaw-2018) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Regulation Bylaw (80-159), general regulations (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/zoning-regulation-bylaw-general-regulations) (read 2026-11-05) - [Business Licensing, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/business-licensing) (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 Victoria. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/zoning-lookup/_