Nanaimo doesn’t require a building permit for a detached shed under 10 m² (108 square feet) that doesn’t create a hazard, but the shed still has to follow the setback and height rules in Zoning Bylaw No. 4500. The City’s handout “Accessory Buildings – Residential” (revised March 2025) sets out the rules, and the bylaw text in Section 6.6 backs up the numbers. The figures below apply to the R1 to R7, R10, R14, AR1 and AR2 zones unless noted.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in Nanaimo?
- No building permit is needed for a detached building under 10 m² (108 square feet) that doesn’t create a hazard.
- The shed must still meet Zoning Bylaw 4500: at least 1.2 m (4 feet) from the house, a rear setback of 1.5 m (5 feet) in most residential zones, and no placement in the front yard setback.
- Anything 10 m² or larger needs a building permit, which is applied for online with plans and a site plan.
| Zoning bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 4500, s.6.6 (consolidated 23 March 2026) |
|---|---|
| Building bylaw | Building Bylaw 2016 No. 7224, s.5.2: the bylaw doesn’t apply to buildings exempted by Part 1 of the BC Building Code |
| Permit-free size | Under 10 m² (107.64 square feet) if no hazard is created (City handout, March 2025) |
| How area is measured | The handout doesn’t say. Zoning uses gross floor area, measured to the inside face of the exterior walls and including covered decks (Part 5 definition; s.6.6.3.1). |
| Other conditions | Plumbing, or heating and insulation, brings requirements like a house. Covenants, riparian setbacks, steep slopes and rights-of-way still apply. |
| Survey | A BC Land Surveyor survey is needed if the shed is within 0.15 m (6 inches) of a setback or 0.305 m (1 foot) of the height limit |
| Max total area | R1 to R7, R10, R14, AR1, AR2: 100 m² (1,076 square feet) for all accessory buildings (s.6.6.6). Other zones: no larger than the principal building. Up to 42 m² of parking may be excluded (s.6.6.6.2). |
| Max height | 4.5 m (14.8 feet) under 6:12 pitch; 5.0 m (16.4 feet) at 6:12 or more; 5.5 m (18 feet) at 8:12 or more, for at least 80% of the roof in plan view (s.6.6.5) |
| Rear setback | 1.5 m (5 feet); 1.0 m (3 feet 3 inches) from a lane (s.6.6.3). A building under 10 m², not fixed to the ground and no taller than 3 m (9.8 feet) gets 1.5 m in any zone (s.6.6.3.1). |
| Side setbacks | Not allowed inside the zone’s side or flanking side setback; where that setback is 0 m, at least 1.5 m (5 feet) from the side lot line (s.6.6.4). The zone-specific numbers weren’t confirmed. |
| Front yard | Not allowed in the front yard setback (s.6.6.4). A through lot may hold one building under 10 m² within 1.5 m of the front and side lot lines (s.6.6.3.2). |
| Separation from house | At least 1.2 m (4 feet), foundation to foundation (s.6.6.2). It is 3 m (9.8 feet) if the building holds a secondary suite. |
| Zones covered | Rear setback and area rows: R1 to R7, R10, R14, AR1, AR2. All other zones: rear 3.0 m (1.5 m from a lane) and no larger than the principal building. A 7 m height exception applies in R8, R9 and CC3 (s.6.6.5.1). |
| Permit fee | Not confirmed for a small building. The handout says an application fee applies only where construction value is over $20,000. |
What the BC Building Code says
BCBC 2024 Division A 1.1.1.1(2)(e) says the Code doesn’t apply to accessory buildings less than 10 m² in building area that don’t create a hazard, but “hazard” isn’t defined and the local building official decides. The 10 m² permit figure on this page comes from Nanaimo’s own handout, which matches the provincial rule (Bylaw 7224 only points to Part 1 of the Code), and the height, setback and area numbers come from the City’s Zoning Bylaw No. 4500, which the City is free to make stricter than the province.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning: Section 6.6 of Bylaw 4500 sets height, setbacks and total area for every accessory building. A principal use, such as a house, must exist on the lot first.
- Electrical: wiring a shed needs an electrical permit from Technical Safety BC.
- Use: an accessory building with sleeping space or a secondary suite follows a separate, house-like set of rules, and a bedroom or office use can bring in building code requirements.
- Easements and covenants: restrictive covenants, riparian setbacks, steep slopes and utility rights-of-way can affect the location, and the owner is responsible for checking them.
What isn’t confirmed
- The exact side-yard setbacks by zone weren’t confirmed, because the bylaw ties them to each zone’s house setbacks.
- The building permit fee for a small shed, and the lot coverage percentage for accessory buildings, weren’t confirmed.
- The handout doesn’t say how roof overhangs count toward the 10 m² limit, and the bylaw only cross-refers to the BC Building Code for the exemption.
Who to contact
City of Nanaimo Building Inspections: 250-754-4251 (handout footer). The handout also lists Current Planning at 250-755-4429. Official documents used: Accessory Buildings Requirements (PDF), Zoning Bylaw No. 4500 (PDF) and Building Bylaw No. 7224 (PDF).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a 10 m² shed in Nanaimo?
The handout says buildings “under 10 m²” don’t need a permit, so a shed of exactly 10 m² or more should be treated as needing one. Confirm with Building Inspections if the size is close to the limit.
How far must a shed be from the house?
At least 1.2 m (4 feet), measured between foundations (Bylaw 4500, s.6.6.2).
Can a fabric-covered shed go on a Nanaimo property?
Yes, according to the City’s Accessory Building Permit page, which points to Zoning Bylaw 4500 for the rules.
Can a shed be built before the house?
No. An accessory building isn’t permitted unless a principal use is performed on the lot or a building for it is under an active building permit (s.6.6.1).
For province-wide context, see Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit in BC and Shed Rules by City.
These figures are a general guide checked 26 October 2026, so confirm them with the City of Nanaimo before building.