Building Permits

The District of Sechelt regulates construction pursuant to the BC Building Code & District of Sechelt Building Bylaw 409, 2003 for reasons of health, safety and the protection of persons and property. A building permit needs to be issued before the start of ANY construction or renovation within the District of Sechelt. The District of Sechelt Building Bylaw calls for inspections throughout the building process in order to ensure that the BC Building Code is followed. Also, construction needs to comply with zoning provisions.

Building permits are required for all new construction, alterations, additions, decks, pools, chimneys, house moves, temporary buildings/structures, demolitions, structural repair, renovations and accessory buildings. Finishing or refinishing on houses, i.e. painting, wallpaper, paneling, trim work, etc. do not require permits. An accessory building, with less than 10 sq. metres (107 sq. ft.) in floor area, may not require a building permit depending on use, but a plan should be submitted showing its site location on the lot for the conformance with the District of Sechelt Zoning Bylaw.

A building permit is NOT required for some types of construction, as per section 1.5.2 of Bylaw 409, 2003:

“1.5.1

The Building Bylaw applies to the design, construction and occupancy of new buildings and structures, and the alteration, reconstruction, demolition, removal, relocation and occupancy of existing buildings and structures.

1.5.2 This bylaw does not apply to:

(1) buildings or structures exempt by Part 1 of the Building Code except as expressly provided herein,

(1) retaining structures less than 1.2 meters (4 ft) in height or a series of retaining structures not less than 1 vertical element to 2 horizontal elements with a cumulative height of not more than 1.2 m.

(2) fences

(3) bridges, except pedestrian and vehicle bridges attached to buildings

(4) docks or wharves

(5) floating structures except where they are used for commercial or industrial occupancy use, on the condition that all floating structures must conform to the District of Sechelt's Zoning Bylaw with respect to height and siting.

(6) free standing decks, except a deck where the difference in elevation between the deck surface and the ground surface at any point is 0.6 metres (2 ft) or more and on the condition that the deck is sited in accordance with the Zoning Bylaw, other bylaws or enactments

(7) Greenhouses or other similar structures covered by a polyethylene film and intended to be used only for storage purposes or the production of agricultural products; on the condition that the structure is sited, and the uses are in accordance with the Zoning Bylaw, other bylaws or enactments.”

Submitting a building permit can now be done electronically. Using Cloudpermit, applicants can:

• Apply for and see the status of Building Permit Application, anywhere and at any time;
• Start an application and finish it later;
• Receive email updates on the status of permit applications;
• Pay online for permits through a secure payment portal;
• Request building inspections, with results sent to email; and
• Review permit documents saved under online portfolios for future reference.

Apply for a Building Permit

The first time you use Cloudpermit, you will need to create an account. Watch the following quick videos for easy directions:

• How to submit a building permit application
• How to request a building inspection
• How to send a message on Cloudpermit

You may be required to submit additional forms as part of the requirements for your permit application. Missing documents will result in an incomplete permit application. Questions? Please contact the Building Department by phone (604-885-1986) or email.

NOTE: Before the permit is approved and construction starts, take photos of any existing damage to roads, curbs and/or sidewalks that abut your property. Provide these photos to the Building Department. This will help you in the timely release of a Security/Damage Deposit at the end of the project.