Saanich doesn’t require a building permit for a utility shed under 10 m² (108 square feet) that doesn’t create a hazard, but the shed still has to meet the zoning rules. Those rules cover height, setbacks and total coverage, and for most single-family (RS) lots they sit in Section 5.34 of Zoning Bylaw 8200. This page sets out the District’s figures with clause numbers and flags what couldn’t be confirmed.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in Saanich?
- No building permit is needed for an accessory building under 10 m² (108 square feet) used for utility purposes that don’t create a hazard.
- The District says the exemption depends on the shed complying with zoning, so setbacks and height still apply.
- Sheds of 10 m² or more need a building permit.
| Bylaws | Zoning Bylaw 8200, s.5.34 and s.5.29. Building Bylaw 9529 (2019), s.3.3(b) and s.7.3(c). |
|---|---|
| Permit exemption | Bylaw 9529, s.3.3(b) and s.7.3(c): no permit for “an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 square metres in area that is used for utility purposes that do not create a hazard.” |
| How area is measured | Bylaw 9529 says “floor area” and doesn’t define it in the text reviewed. For zoning coverage, lot coverage is measured by the outermost walls (Bylaw 8200, s.2), so roof overhangs aren’t counted. |
| Use limits | Zoning s.5.34(f) and (g): no dwelling unit, basement or crawl space. Section 5.25: a bathroom in an accessory building can’t exceed 3.0 m² (32 square feet) and can’t have a shower or bath. |
| Maximum total area | Table 5.3 (s.5.34(e)): all accessory buildings combined, 10% of the lot on lots under 1,000 m². Any one building, 7% of the lot on lots under 1,000 m², or 70 m² (753 square feet) on lots of 1,000 m² and over. Larger lots have lower combined limits (7% from 1,330 m², 5% from 2,000 m²). |
| Maximum height | 3.75 m (12.3 feet), one storey (s.5.34(b), (c)). A flat roof is measured to its highest point; a roof sloped 3:12 or more is measured to the midpoint between eaves and ridge (s.2 “Height”). |
| Rear setback | 1.5 m (4.9 feet) (s.5.34(a)(ii)). |
| Interior side setback | 1.5 m (4.9 feet) (s.5.34(a)(ii)). |
| Exterior (corner) side setback | 3.5 m (11.5 feet) (s.5.34(a)(iii)). |
| Front yard | Not banned outright, but the shed must be at least 7.5 m (24.6 feet) from the front lot line, or 15 m (49.2 feet) on lots over 2,000 m² (s.5.34(a)(i)). |
| Separation from the house | 1.2 m (4 feet) between walls, and 0.6 m (2 feet) between roof overhangs and gutters (s.5.29(a)). From a garden suite: 2.0 m (6.6 feet) between walls (s.5.29(b)). |
| Zones covered | Section 5.34 applies to RS zones except RS-1, RS-1GH, RS-2CR, RS-CH1, RS-CH2, RS-EL, RS-MF, RS-CR and RM-3TR. RS-6 follows s.5.34 (Schedule 210.9). Rural, other and excluded zones have their own rules and weren’t summarized here. |
| Permit fee (if needed) | Bylaw 9529, Appendix A: $100 for work valued up to $1,000, then $13 per $1,000 up to $500,000, with a non-refundable application fee of $100 for work under $15,000. A $1,000 security deposit applies only to accessory buildings over 25 m² (s.10.8(a)). No separate shed fee is published. |
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. “Hazard” isn’t defined, so the local building official decides, and where a city’s own documents are silent the provincial rule is the default, though a city may be stricter. On this page, the 10 m² permit figure and the hazard condition come from Saanich’s own Building Bylaw 9529, s.3.3(b), which matches the provincial rule, and the height, setback and coverage figures come from Zoning Bylaw 8200.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning: the District’s permit Q&A says the small-building exemption applies only if the shed complies with zoning requirements and doesn’t create a hazard.
- Electrical: wiring a shed needs an electrical permit from Technical Safety BC.
- Use: a shed can’t contain a dwelling unit, basement or crawl space (Zoning s.5.34(f), (g)). Using it as an office or bedroom raises separate Building Code and zoning questions.
- Easements and rights-of-way: sheds can’t be built over utility easements or covenants registered on title.
- Animals: a building used for keeping animals must also meet the siting and size rules in Table 5.2 (s.5.34(h)).
What isn’t confirmed
- Whether the District wants a site plan or zoning check for a shed that doesn’t need a permit isn’t published.
- The definition of “floor area” used for the 10 m² test wasn’t found in the bylaw text reviewed.
- Lane setbacks weren’t found.
- Zones excluded from Section 5.34, such as the RS-1 McKenzie zone, have their own rules that weren’t summarized.
- How the 7% and 10% coverage limits work on lots under 1,000 m² isn’t spelled out beyond Table 5.3. The consolidated building bylaw is also labelled “for convenience only,” so the official bylaw governs.
Who to contact
District of Saanich Inspection Services: 250-475-5457, or inspections@saanich.ca. Official documents used:
Frequently asked questions
How big can a shed be in Saanich without a permit?
Under 10 m² (108 square feet) of floor area, used for utility purposes that don’t create a hazard.
How tall can a Saanich shed be?
Up to 3.75 m (12.3 feet) and one storey on RS lots covered by Section 5.34. Flat roofs are measured to the top, and sloped roofs to the midpoint between eaves and ridge.
How far from the property line must a shed be?
At least 1.5 m (4.9 feet) from the rear and interior side lot lines, and 3.5 m (11.5 feet) from an exterior side lot line, with the shed at least 7.5 m (24.6 feet) back from the front lot line.
How far must a shed be from the house?
At least 1.2 m (4 feet) between walls, and 0.6 m (2 feet) between roof overhangs and gutters (s.5.29).
For the province-wide picture, see Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit in BC and Shed Rules by City. An older write-up is also available: Saanich Shed Bylaw Guide.
The figures on this page are a general guide, checked 26 October 2026. Confirm them with the District of Saanich before building.