Free PDF guide
Building permits in Metro Vancouver
The permits a Metro Vancouver project needs, what has to be in place before applying, what a complete application contains, how review works, how long it takes, and the sequence from first inspection to occupancy.
39 pages, 7 parts, 8 sources. Written by Mark Van Ek. Figures re-verified 2026-09-23.
Free guide
Building permits in Metro Vancouver
PDF, 39 pages
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What is inside
Overview
Building permits in Metro Vancouver.
Part 1
Which permits your project needs, and who issues each one
Building, development, demolition, and trade permits, and who issues each.
Part 2
What has to be in place before you can apply
Builder licensing, warranty registration, and owner builder rules.
Part 3
What a complete application contains, and why completeness decides your schedule
Drawings, schedules, reports, and the completeness rule.
Part 4
What happens during review, and how to answer a reviewer quickly
Referrals, reviewer comments, and the correspondence cycle.
Part 5
How long permits take across Metro Vancouver
Published processing times, and what they actually measure.
Part 6
From first inspection to occupancy
The inspection sequence, trade inspections, and occupancy.
Key points from the guide
- A building permit covers the structure. Electrical and gas work is permitted separately by Technical Safety BC.
- A New Home Registration Form, proving builder licensing and warranty, is needed before a new home permit is issued.
- An Owner Builder Authorization is required before construction anywhere in BC, even where no building permit is needed.
- Richmond does not accept incomplete applications, and Surrey rejects applications missing required documents.
- Surrey reported residential building permits at 5 weeks against a 10 week target, published 21 September 2026.
- Surrey's processing clock starts after referrals and servicing review, not at submission.
- Burnaby requires a development permit before a building permit for some projects, effective 1 July 2026.
- Occupancy is a separate step from the final inspection, and it starts the warranty coverage periods.
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