Tofino’s building bylaw doesn’t apply to an accessory building with a floor area under 10 m² (108 square feet), so a small shed generally needs no building permit. Zoning still controls the rest. In residential zones a shed can be up to 5.5 m (18 feet) tall, can sit 1 m (3.3 feet) from the rear and side lot lines when it’s in the rear yard, and must stay at least 1.8 m (6 feet) from the house.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in Tofino?
- Under 10 m² (108 square feet) of floor area: the building bylaw doesn’t apply, so no building permit.
- Over 10 m²: a building permit is needed. The District’s web page lists sheds among the buildings that typically need one.
- Any shed: zoning setbacks, height and the no-dwelling rule still apply.
| Bylaws | Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated copy), s.4.1.2 and Part 8. Building Bylaw No. 1256, 2019 (consolidated through Bylaw 1256.04, 2026), s.3.3(b). |
|---|---|
| Permit threshold | Building Bylaw s.3.3(b): the bylaw doesn’t apply to an accessory building with a floor area of less than 10 m² (108 square feet). |
| How area is measured | The building bylaw says “floor area” and gives no roof overhang rule. Zoning s.4.1.2(f) uses “gross floor area”. |
| Other conditions | Zoning s.4.1.2(g): an accessory building can’t be used as a dwelling. Conditions for plumbing or other uses in exempt sheds weren’t found. |
| Zoning check without a permit | The District tells owners to confirm zoning and setbacks before building. Over 10 m², a $1,000 security deposit applies, s.10.8(a). |
| Max total area | Total accessory gross floor area: 5% of the lot or 62 m² (665 square feet), whichever is greater, s.4.1.2(f). R1 lot coverage 25%, s.8.5; R2 30%, s.9.4. |
| Max height, flat roof | 5.5 m (18 feet) in R, RM, RA and CD zones; 8 m (26 feet) in A zones, s.4.1.2(i). |
| Max height, pitched roof | Same figure, 5.5 m (18 feet) in R zones. No separate flat or pitched rule was found. |
| Rear setback | 1 m (3.3 feet) if the shed is in the rear yard, s.4.1.2(c). Otherwise the principal building rule applies: R1 rear yard 9 m (30 feet), s.8.7.3. |
| Interior side setback | 1 m (3.3 feet) if in the rear yard, s.4.1.2(c). Otherwise R1 side yard 1.5 m (5 feet), s.8.7.2. |
| Exterior side setback | Not closer to the flanking street than the house, s.4.1.2(e). R1 flanking side yard is 3.7 m (12 feet), s.8.7.2. |
| Front yard | Not banned. The house’s front setback applies (R1: 7.5 m, s.8.7.1), and no more than one-third of the front yard width may hold accessory buildings, s.4.1.2(i). |
| Separation from house | At least 1.8 m (6 feet) from the principal building, s.4.1.2(d). |
| Zones covered | R1 read in detail (Part 8); R2 coverage noted. Height tiers: A zones 8 m; R, RM, RA, CD zones 5.5 m. RM zones have a 2 m rule next to R1 and R2 lots. Other zones weren’t checked. |
| Permit fee | Building Bylaw 1256, Schedule A: $9 per $1,000 of construction value (owner declaration), $120 minimum; a $120 processing fee is credited to the permit. |
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 under 10 m² in building area that don’t create a hazard, and “hazard” isn’t defined, so the local building official decides. Where a district’s own documents are silent the provincial rule is the default, but the district may be stricter; on this page the 10 m² permit figure comes from Tofino’s own building bylaw (s.3.3(b)), and the size, height and setback figures come from the zoning bylaw.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning: setbacks, height, the size cap and lot coverage apply to every shed.
- Electrical: wiring a shed is regulated separately by Technical Safety BC.
- Use as an office or bedroom: an accessory building can’t be used as a dwelling, and habitable space needs a permit.
- Easements and hazard areas: the District has a coastal floodplain bylaw and exemption page, so lots near the shore can have extra rules.
What isn’t confirmed
- The zoning bylaw copy reads “updated April 2024” on its cover but “2021” in its page footers, so it’s not certain it’s the latest version.
- Whether the 10 m² exemption has extra conditions such as plumbing or hazard, and whether a site plan is needed for an exempt shed.
- The residential height and coverage rules come from a table with check marks, which was read from a page image.
- Rules for lots in other zones, and for lots in flood or hazard areas.
Who to contact
District of Tofino Building Inspector: 250-726-6349 (District main line: 250-725-3229). Official sources used:
Frequently asked questions
Does a small shed need a building permit in Tofino?
Not if its floor area is under 10 m² (108 square feet). Building Bylaw 1256 s.3.3(b) says the bylaw doesn’t apply to those buildings. The District’s web page lists sheds as typically needing a permit without mentioning this, so the bylaw text is the better guide.
How close to the property line can a shed be?
One metre (3.3 feet) from the rear and side lot lines if the shed is in the rear yard. Elsewhere on the lot, the house’s setbacks apply.
How far must a shed be from the house?
At least 1.8 m (6 feet) from the principal building, under zoning s.4.1.2(d).
How much shed space is allowed in total?
All accessory buildings together can total 5% of the lot or 62 m² (665 square feet), whichever is greater, and the whole lot is still limited by its coverage cap (25% in R1).
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. Confirm them with the District of Tofino before building.