The University Endowment Lands (UEL), next to Vancouver’s Point Grey, aren’t a city. They’re administered by the Province, and the rules sit in the UEL Land Use, Building and Community Administration Bylaw. For single-family lots, the R-4/R-6 Residential Infill District controls sheds: an accessory building can be up to 3.6 metres high, must sit in the rear yard or one side yard, and needs 1.5 metres from the lot lines. The bylaw requires a building permit for any structure, and no shed-size exemption was found.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in the University Endowment Lands?
- Section 8.2 of the UEL bylaw says no structure may be erected without a building permit, and no size exemption for sheds was found.
- A separate Development Permit isn’t needed for an accessory building under 9.29 m² (100 square feet) of floor area that fully complies with the bylaw (clause 27.3.1(c)).
- Because the permit rule is stricter than the provincial default, the UEL Administration Office should be contacted before any shed is built.
| Bylaws | UEL Land Use, Building and Community Administration Bylaw (B.C. Reg. 160/89, consolidated 13 April 2026); UEL Fees Bylaw (Ministerial Order M91, effective 1 April 2022) |
|---|---|
| Zones covered | R-4/R-6 Residential Infill District (section 27), which covers single-family lots. The former SF-2 district was deleted by Ministerial Order M292 (2024). “Areas A, B and C” are UEL neighbourhoods defined in section 2.0, not Metro Vancouver’s Electoral Area A. |
| Building permit threshold | Not confirmed as a size. Section 8.2 requires a building permit for any structure or improvement, and no exemption was found. |
| Development Permit | Not needed for an accessory building under 9.29 m² (100 square feet) of floor area that fully complies with all other bylaws (clause 27.3.1(c)). |
| How area is measured | Floor area of accessory buildings is measured to the extreme outer limits of the building (clause 27.11(3)). |
| Max total accessory area | All accessory buildings combined: the larger of 20% of the required rear yard or 46 m² (495 square feet) (27.11(3)). No more than 50% of the rear yard width (27.11(4)). Parts in a required side yard total no more than 28 m² (301 square feet) (27.11(5)). Site coverage is 30% to 35% in Areas A and B and 40% to 50% in Area C (27.13). |
| Max height | 3.6 m (12 feet) to the highest point of a flat roof, or to the mean height between eaves and ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel roof, with no part more than 4.6 m (15 feet) above average grade (27.11(6)). |
| Rear setback | 1.5 m (5 feet) with no rear lane; 1.2 m (4 feet) where a rear lane abuts (27.11(2)(b) and (c)). |
| Interior side setback | 1.5 m (5 feet) from any side lot line (27.11(2)(a)). Sheds may be in the rear yard and in one side yard only. |
| Exterior side setback | Not confirmed for accessory buildings. Clause 27.11(2) gives only a 1.5 m figure for “any side lot-line”. |
| Front yard | Accessory buildings may be only in the rear yard and one side yard, so not in the front yard (27.11(2)). |
| Separation from house | 12.0 m (39 feet) between the house and an accessory building in Areas A and B; 8.0 m (26 feet) in Area C, measured face to face (27.6.3). |
| Use limits | An accessory building can’t contain a dwelling unit (27.11(1)) and, apart from a cabana, can’t contain a toilet, bath or shower (section 2.0 definition). |
| Permit fee | Fees Bylaw: building permit $160 for the first $5,000 of work, then $10 per $1,000 up to $50,000, then $5 per $1,000. A Development Permit for an accessory building under 60 m² is $450, when one is needed. |
| Other districts | MF-1, MF-2 and Commercial districts have separate accessory building rules (for example, MF-1 clause 29.9: rear yard only, 3.66 m height). |
What the BC Building Code says
The BC Building Code 2024 (BCBC), Division A, clause 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 city’s own documents are silent, that provincial rule is the default, but a city can be stricter, and the permit, height, area and setback figures on this page come from the UEL’s own bylaw, which requires a permit for any structure.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning still applies to every shed: yard location, setbacks, height, total area and site coverage.
- Electrical work, such as running power to a shed, is regulated separately by Technical Safety BC.
- A shed can’t be a dwelling unit, and using one as a bedroom or a regular office can trigger building and zoning rules.
- Utility easements and rights-of-way on the title can block a shed location, whatever the setbacks say.
What isn’t confirmed
- Whether any small shed is exempt from a building permit. The bylaw requires a permit for any structure, and no exemption was found. The only small-shed relief found is for the Development Permit.
- The exterior side setback for accessory buildings.
- Which area (A, B or C) a particular lot is in. The bylaw defines the areas by street boundaries, and that wasn’t mapped here.
- The lane setback beyond the 1.2 m rear figure.
- Current fees. The Fees Bylaw read is the 2022 version, and later changes weren’t checked.
- Building envelope rules for sheds placed outside the envelope.
Who to contact
UEL Administration Office: (604) 660-1808. Official documents used for this page:
- UEL Land Use, Building and Community Administration Bylaw (PDF)
- UEL Fees Bylaw (PDF)
- UEL Contact Page
Frequently asked questions
Does a shed in the University Endowment Lands need a building permit?
The bylaw says no structure may be erected without a building permit (section 8.2), and no size exemption was found. Confirm with the UEL Administration Office before building.
Where can a shed go on a UEL lot?
Only in the rear yard and in one side yard, never the front yard. It needs at least 1.5 m (5 feet) from side lot lines, and 1.5 m from the rear line, or 1.2 m (4 feet) where a rear lane abuts the lot.
How tall can a shed be in the University Endowment Lands?
Up to 3.6 m (12 feet), measured to the highest point of a flat roof or the mean height of a pitched roof, and no part may rise more than 4.6 m (15 feet) above average grade.
How far does a shed have to be from the house in the University Endowment Lands?
The bylaw sets 12 m (39 feet) between the house and an accessory building in Areas A and B, and 8 m (26 feet) in Area C. Which area a lot falls in depends on its location.
For the provincial picture, 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 UEL Administration Office before building.