{"title":"West Kelowna permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/west-kelowna","name":"West Kelowna","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":"City of West Kelowna","url":"https://www.westkelownacity.ca"},"short_answer":"In West Kelowna, a deck or patio less than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above the ground is exempt from the Building Regulations Bylaw. No City text states a size limit for sheds, garages or carports, so call the Building Department at 778-797-8820 before you build.","aliases":["deck permit west kelowna","shed permit","garage permit","carport permit","accessory building"],"cost":"See the building-permit-fees answer. The City does not state a fee specific to decks, sheds or garages.","how_long":"The City's target for a complete small residential project (decks, pools, retaining walls) is 10 business days.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"778-797-8820"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Department","value":"building@westkelownacity.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"City Hall","value":"3731 Old Okanagan Highway, West Kelowna, BC V4T 0G7","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Building Regulations Bylaw 0086 (PDF)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/4wlh5jfc/0086-building-regulations.pdf"},{"title":"Building Permit Checklist (PDF)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/v3oicbx0/checklist-building-permit.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 0320 (PDF)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/fcyptsg5/b0320-zoning-bylaw-consolidated.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"West Kelowna building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"West Kelowna building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"West Kelowna fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"West Kelowna zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kelowna","name":"Kelowna","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kelowna/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lake-country","name":"Lake Country","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vernon","name":"Vernon","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"topic":{"title":"Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},"facts":{"shed":{"label":"Sheds","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_published","note":"The bylaw, permit page and checklist state no size threshold for sheds, garages or carports.","sources":[]},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":"A deck or patio less than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above the ground is exempt from the Building Regulations Bylaw; the exemption is limited to decks that low. Residential small projects (decks, pools, retaining walls) have a 10-day target for a complete application.","short":"No if less than 0.6 m above ground","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/4wlh5jfc/0086-building-regulations.pdf","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 0086 (PDF)","section":"s. 5.1.4","quotes":["Decks or patios which are less than 0.6 metre from the ground"]},{"url":"https://www.westkelownacity.ca/building-business-development/building-permits-and-inspections/","title":"Building permits and inspections, City of West Kelowna","section":"Target Permitting Timelines","quotes":["Residential small project (decks, pools, retaining walls, etc.) | 10 days"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_published","note":"The bylaw, permit page and checklist state no size threshold for sheds, garages or carports.","sources":[]},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":"Accessory buildings (Zoning s. 3.9): no dwelling use; not into the front or exterior side siting distance; over 2.0 m high, at least 1.5 m from rear and interior side lines. Combined limit for all accessory buildings: 2 buildings and 60 m² in RC1 to RC4, 3 buildings and 100 m² in other residential zones. Zone height limit is 5.0 m in most residential zones, 8.0 m in A1, RU4 and RU5.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/fcyptsg5/b0320-zoning-bylaw-consolidated.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 0320, section 3.9 Accessory Buildings (PDF)","section":"s. 3.9.1","quotes":["No accessory building or structure shall be used as a dwelling.","No accessory building or structure shall project into the required minimum siting distance from the front or exterior side parcel boundary unless otherwise exempted in this Bylaw.","it shall be a minimum of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) from the rear and interior side parcel boundaries and the eaves shall be a minimum of 0.9 m (3.0 ft)","RC1, RC2, RC3 or RC4 2 60 m2 (645.8 ft2)","All other Residential Zones 3 100 m2 (1,076.4 ft2)","Accessory buildings and structures 5.0 m (16.4 ft)","Accessory buildings and structures 8.0 m (26.2 ft)","Maximum floor area of all accessory"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of West Kelowna Building Regulation Bylaw No. 0086, 2009; City of West Kelowna Zoning Bylaw No. 0320, 2024 (s. 3.9)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/4wlh5jfc/0086-building-regulations.pdf","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 0086 (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["CITY OF WEST KELOWNA BUILDING REGULATION BYLAW NO. 0086, 2009"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/fcyptsg5/b0320-zoning-bylaw-consolidated.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 0320, section 3.9 Accessory Buildings (PDF)","section":"s. 3.9","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 0320, 2024","3.9 ACCESSORY USES, BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":3,"matched":3,"none":0,"unknown":2},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the City's [Building Regulations Bylaw 0086](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/4wlh5jfc/0086-building-regulations.pdf), a deck or patio less than 0.6 m (about 2 ft) above the ground is exempt, and the exemption is limited to decks that low. The bylaw lists new buildings, additions and alterations as needing a permit, so a higher deck is covered by those general rules.\n\nFor sheds, garages and carports, the bylaw and the City's permit page and checklist state no size threshold, and none says whether a detached garage or carport needs a permit. The bylaw also applies \"in addition to the exemptions specified in the Code\" (the BC Building Code), which this answer does not cover. Ask the Building Department.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Call 778-797-8820 or email building@westkelownacity.ca with the size, height and location of the structure.\n2. Check your zone on WestMap for setbacks and any Development Permit Area.\n3. If a permit is needed, apply at City Hall with the checklist documents.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Zoning applies either way. Under [Zoning Bylaw 0320](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/fcyptsg5/b0320-zoning-bylaw-consolidated.pdf) section 3.9, accessory buildings cannot be used as a dwelling and cannot extend into the front or exterior side siting distance.\n- Over 2.0 m high, an accessory building must be at least 1.5 m from the rear and interior side lines.\n- All accessory buildings combined are limited to 2 buildings and 60 m² in RC1 to RC4, and 3 buildings and 100 m² in other residential zones.\n- Zone height limits also apply: 5.0 m in most residential zones, 8.0 m in A1, RU4 and RU5. Some zones limit accessory buildings to one storey.\n- A bylaw notice for breaking the accessory building rules is $100.","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/4wlh5jfc/0086-building-regulations.pdf","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 0086 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/fcyptsg5/b0320-zoning-bylaw-consolidated.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 0320, section 3.9 Accessory Buildings (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.westkelownacity.ca/building-business-development/building-permits-and-inspections/","title":"Building permits and inspections, City of West Kelowna","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}