What a complete application contains, and why completeness decides your schedule
Metro Vancouver cities do not queue incomplete applications and review them slowly. They refuse them. Richmond states that incomplete applications will not be accepted, and Surrey accepts only complete Single Family Dwelling applications. That single policy is why two owners who applied in the same week can receive permits months apart. The application package is the part of the process a homeowner and their builder control completely, and it is where the schedule is won or lost.
Part of Building permits in Metro Vancouver. Figures re-verified 2026-09-23.
Key takeaways
- Richmond does not accept incomplete applications, and Surrey accepts only complete single family applications.
- Surrey may require a registered professional to provide a Schedule B with signed and sealed drawings.
- Proof of home warranty insurance forms part of the Surrey residential application.
- Surrey may require a $2,500 damage deposit for work valued over $20,000.
- Burnaby issues permits only in digital format for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026.
- Site reports such as geotechnical, arborist, and survey work take weeks to produce and belong in the plan early.
The completeness rule, stated plainly by the cities themselves
Richmond's building approvals guidance says a building permit application requires all documentation and drawings listed on the application form, and that incomplete applications will not be accepted. Surrey says only complete Single Family Dwelling applications can be submitted, and that failure to include the required documents will result in the application being rejected.
Surrey goes further and ties its published processing times to this directly, noting that its stated times apply to submissions that are complete, and that unfulfilled requirements create further communication between staff and applicant and longer processing times.
For a homeowner this reframes the calendar. Time spent completing a submission before filing it is not time lost. It is the cheapest time in the entire process, because it happens while nothing else is waiting on it.
Drawings, and who has to seal them
The drawing set is the core of the application. It shows the building in plan, section, and elevation, sets out the structure, and demonstrates compliance with both the British Columbia Building Code and the zoning bylaw. On anything beyond simple work it is produced by an architect or a designer and coordinated with a structural engineer.
Cities can require a registered professional to take formal responsibility for parts of the design. Surrey notes that a registered professional may be required to provide a Schedule B to accompany signed and sealed drawings. A Schedule B is the letter of assurance in which a professional confirms they will provide field review of the work in their discipline. Where it is required, the application is incomplete without it.
Coordination between drawings is what reviewers look for and what applicants most often miss. A structural drawing that does not match the architectural drawing produces a correspondence cycle, and every cycle costs calendar time.
The reports a site may require
Beyond the drawings, the lot itself generates documents. A survey establishes the legal boundaries and the existing grades. A geotechnical report is required where soil or slope calls for it, and it sets the foundation design. An arborist report is required where protected trees are present, and it establishes root protection zones that the building has to respect. Energy compliance documentation demonstrates how the design meets the code's energy requirements.
Richmond's guidance also shows how site specific these can become. Where a property is on well water, a hydrogeologist may be required to provide proof of water potability and quantity.
Each of these has a lead time measured in weeks, and several of them shape the design rather than merely describing it. A geotechnical report that calls for a pile foundation changes the structural drawings, so commissioning it after the drawings are finished means paying for those drawings twice.
Fees, deposits, and the form of the submission
Cities collect part of the cost at application and the rest at issue. Surrey describes a non refundable flat fee based on the proposed cost of work, collected during application review, with the remaining balance due before the permit is issued. Surrey also notes that a damage deposit of $2,500 may be required for work valued over $20,000, which covers damage to city property such as sidewalks and boulevards during construction.
The form of the submission has changed across the region. Burnaby requires residential building permit applications and new commercial applications to be submitted online through its permits portal, with restoration and commercial tenant improvement applications handled in person. Burnaby also moved to digital permits: applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026 and issued on or after 31 March 2026 are processed and provided in digital format only. From 1 January 2027, Burnaby fire sprinkler permit applications must be submitted online, and paper applications will no longer be accepted.
Fee schedules and deposit amounts are set by each city and change. Confirm the current figures with the municipality at the point of applying rather than relying on a number quoted for a different city or a different year.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I submit a building permit application that is missing documents?
Metro Vancouver cities reject it rather than starting review. Richmond states that incomplete applications will not be accepted, and Surrey states that failure to include the required documents results in rejection. The application does not hold a place in the queue while you gather the missing items, so an incomplete submission costs the full time it takes to assemble the package properly, plus the resubmission.
What is a Schedule B in a BC building permit application?
A Schedule B is a letter of assurance signed by a registered professional, confirming they take responsibility for a discipline of the design and will carry out field review during construction. Surrey notes a registered professional may be required to provide a Schedule B to accompany signed and sealed drawings. Where the city requires one, the permit application is incomplete until it is included.
Do I need a survey to apply for a building permit?
Most Metro Vancouver applications for new construction require a current survey prepared by a BC land surveyor, showing legal boundaries and existing grades. The city uses it to confirm setbacks, height measured from the correct reference, and lot coverage. An old survey may not reflect current conditions or current bylaw measurement rules, so confirm with your municipality whether an updated one is required.
When does a project need a geotechnical report?
A geotechnical report is required where soil conditions or slope call for engineering judgment about how the building will be supported. It is routine on sloped lots and on soft soils such as those in parts of Richmond. The report sets the foundation design, so commissioning it before the structural drawings are complete avoids paying for drawings that then have to be redone.
How early should site reports be commissioned?
Before the drawing set is finalised. Survey, geotechnical, and arborist reports each take weeks to produce, and each one can change the design rather than simply describe the site. A geotechnical report calling for piles, or an arborist report setting a root protection zone, reshapes the building. Ordering them after drawings are complete means paying design fees twice and losing the calendar time.
Is a damage deposit required for a building permit in Surrey?
Surrey notes that a damage deposit of $2,500 may be required for work valued over $20,000. The deposit covers damage to city property such as sidewalks, curbs, and boulevards during construction, and it is separate from the permit fee itself. Confirm the current amount and the conditions for its return with the City at the time of applying, since deposit rules change.
Can building permits still be issued on paper in Burnaby?
No, for applications inside the current window. Burnaby processes and provides building permits exclusively in digital format where the application was submitted on or after 1 January 2026 and the permit is issued on or after 31 March 2026. From 1 January 2027, Burnaby fire sprinkler permit applications must also be submitted online, and paper applications for those will no longer be accepted.
Does a building permit application need proof of home warranty insurance?
For a new home, yes. Surrey lists proof of home warranty insurance among the documents that form part of the residential application, which reflects the provincial requirement that licensing and warranty are confirmed before a permit is issued. Owners building under an approved Owner Builder Authorization satisfy the requirement through that authorisation rather than through an insurance policy.
What does a hydrogeologist report have to do with a building permit?
On a property served by a well rather than municipal water, Richmond notes that a hydrogeologist may be required to provide proof of well water potability and quantity. The city needs confirmation that the home will have safe water in sufficient supply before permitting a dwelling. This applies to a small number of Metro Vancouver lots, and it adds a specialist report with its own lead time.
Are permit fees paid all at once?
Usually in two stages. Surrey collects a non refundable flat fee based on the proposed cost of work during application review, with the remaining balance due before the permit is issued. Other Metro Vancouver cities follow a similar split between an application fee and an issuance fee. Fee schedules are set by each municipality and change, so confirm current figures directly with the city.
Go deeper in the Journal
Sources and references
Rate and regulation figures on this page were re-verified on 2026-09-23. Construction cost ranges come from Venture Pacific's own Metro Vancouver projects and are described as such wherever they appear.
- Building Approvals, frequently asked questionsCity of Richmond. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Permitting TimelinesCity of Surrey. Figures published 21 September 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- General Building InformationCity of Burnaby. Accessed 23 September 2026.
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