In New Westminster, a backyard shed is a “detached accessory building,” and the RS-1 zoning district sets its size, height and where it can sit. The City’s Building Bylaw doesn’t list a shed size that skips the permit, and the zoning text doesn’t give a minimum distance from the rear or side lot lines, so those figures aren’t confirmed here. This page lists what the bylaws do say, with clause numbers.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in New Westminster?
- No permit-free shed size is confirmed. Building Bylaw 8125 (s.2.4.2) exempts only what the BC Building Code exempts, and s.3.1.4 requires a permit to construct a building.
- The City publishes a permit package for detached accessory structures, so ask the building department before assuming a small shed is exempt.
- Zoning limits apply to any shed: one storey, no dormers, not in the required front yard, and detached accessory area up to 10% of the lot.
| Bylaws | Zoning Bylaw 6680, 2001 (RS-1 district s.310; general s.170.9 and s.120.2); Building Bylaw 8125, 2019 (consolidated 27 December 2023); Development Services Fees and Rates Bylaw 7683, 2014. |
|---|---|
| Permit-free size | Not confirmed. Bylaw 8125 s.2.4.2 exempts only what BC Building Code Part 1 exempts (plus plastic-hoop greenhouses over 10 m², fences and tank removal). No shed-size exemption was found, and s.3.1.4 requires a permit to construct a building. |
| How area is measured | Zoning “detached accessory area” is the horizontal area of enclosed buildings, including sheds, plus the site coverage of unenclosed structures (s.310.4). Permit area: not confirmed. |
| Conditions that still apply | Not confirmed. No exemption was found in Bylaw 8125. |
| Zoning check without a permit | Not confirmed. The City’s detached accessory structure permit package asks for a site plan with the permit application. |
| Total accessory area | 10% of the site area for detached accessory area (s.310.16). Attached accessory structures are also capped at 10% (s.310.15). Principal buildings are limited to 35% site coverage (s.310.13). |
| Maximum height, flat roof | 3.6 m (11.8 feet) for a roof pitch of 4:12 or less, measured from the finished floor; one storey maximum (s.310.21(a)(ii)). |
| Maximum height, pitched roof | 4.57 m (15 feet) for a peaked roof, measured from the finished floor (s.310.21(a)(i)). No dormers (s.310.21(h)). |
| Rear setback | Not confirmed. No rear minimum for sheds appears in s.310.21. Where the rear line is bounded by a street, 1.52 m (5 feet) applies (s.310.21(g)). |
| Interior side setback | Not confirmed. No interior side minimum appears in s.310.21. A shed must be at least twice the minimum side setback from a neighbour’s habitable-room window, unless that window is entirely above the shed’s roof line (s.310.21(c)). |
| Exterior side setback | 1.52 m (5 feet) from any rear or side site line bounded by a street (s.310.21(g)); at least 4.57 m (15 feet) from the corner of a street and lane intersection (s.310.21(f)). |
| Front yard | Not allowed in the required front yard (s.310.21(b)). |
| Separation from the house | Not confirmed. No separation distance was found in s.310.21. |
| Other limits | One storey, no dormers, and no plumbing fixtures other than one toilet and one sink (s.310.21(a),(h),(i)). An accessory building can’t be used for housing or business, except a home-based business (s.170.9). |
| Zones covered | RS-1 district (s.310) only. RS-2 and other districts have their own sections and were not read. |
| Building permit fee | $18.50 per $1,000 of construction value up to $50,000. The plan review fee is 50% of the permit fee with a $169 minimum, credited toward the permit (Bylaw 7683, 2014, Schedule A, 2026 fees). |
What the BC Building Code says
BC Building Code 2024, Division A, 1.1.1.1(2)(e) says the Code doesn’t apply to accessory buildings with a building area under 10 m² that don’t create a hazard. This wording is verified from a BC Building Code Appeal Board decision. The Code doesn’t define “hazard,” so the local building official decides. Where a city’s documents are silent, this provincial rule is the default, but a city can be stricter. New Westminster’s building bylaw is silent on a shed size threshold, so 10 m² is only the provincial starting point here and hasn’t been confirmed by the City. The height, area and other zoning figures on this page come from the City’s Zoning Bylaw.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning: height, location, area and the other RS-1 limits apply to every shed.
- Electrical: wiring a shed needs an electrical permit. Technical Safety BC regulates this work: Technical Safety BC.
- Use: an accessory building can’t be used for housing or business, other than a home-based business (s.170.9).
- Easements, covenants and street or lane corner clearances can limit where a shed can go.
What isn’t confirmed
- The shed size below which no building permit is needed, and what could remove that exemption.
- Whether a site plan or zoning check is needed for a shed that skips the permit.
- The rear and interior side setbacks for sheds, and the distance from the house.
- Whether the 2023 consolidation of the Building Bylaw is the latest version. The RS-1 page footer also carries an older date (5 May 2025) than the file name (8 June 2026).
- Rules for RS-2 and other districts, and a direct phone line for the Building Division.
Who to contact
City of New Westminster main number: 604-521-3711 (a direct Building Division line wasn’t found). Official documents used for this page:
- Zoning Bylaw 6680: One and Two Unit Residential Districts
- Building Bylaw No. 8125, 2019
- Planning and Development Fees and Rates Bylaw No. 7683
Frequently asked questions
Can a shed in New Westminster be built without a permit?
That isn’t confirmed. The Building Bylaw exempts only what the BC Building Code exempts and requires a permit to construct a building, so ask the City before assuming a small shed is exempt.
How big can a detached shed be in an RS-1 lot?
Detached accessory area can total up to 10% of the site area (s.310.16). On a 557.4 m² (6,000 square feet) lot, the minimum RS-1 size, that works out to about 55.7 m² (600 square feet).
How tall can a shed be?
Up to 4.57 m (15 feet) with a peaked roof, or 3.6 m (11.8 feet) if the roof pitch is 4:12 or less, measured from the finished floor, and one storey only (s.310.21(a)).
Can a shed have a sink and toilet?
It can have no more than one toilet and one sink (s.310.21(i)), and it can’t be used for housing. Plumbing work also needs its own permit.
For the provincial picture, see Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit in BC and Shed Rules by City.
The figures on this page are a general guide, checked 26 October 2026. Confirm them with the City of New Westminster before building.