Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in BC? The 600mm Rule Explained
The rule of thumb across Metro Vancouver: a permit is required once your deck is more than 600mm above grade or attached to the house. Here's what that means, what an application involves, and what happens if you skip it.
Whether your new deck needs a building permit comes down to two questions almost everywhere in Metro Vancouver: how high is it, and is it attached to the house? If the walking surface sits more than 600mm — about two feet — above the ground at any point, or the deck ledger-mounts to your home, plan on a permit. Here's how the rule works city by city, what an application actually involves, and why skipping it is a false economy.
The 600mm rule, in plain terms
Under the BC Building Code as applied by most Lower Mainland municipalities, a residential deck generally requires a building permit when either of these is true:
- The deck surface is more than 600mm (24 inches) above grade at any point. Note "at any point" — on a sloped lot, a deck that's ankle-height at the door can be well over 600mm at the far corner, and it's the highest point that counts.
- The deck is attached to the dwelling (a ledger board bolted to the house), regardless of height, in many municipalities.
Below 600mm and freestanding, most cities treat a deck as landscaping — no building permit, though zoning rules on setbacks and site coverage still apply.
The 600mm line isn't arbitrary: it's the same threshold at which the code requires guard rails, because a fall from above that height is the point where the code starts protecting people from the structure.
City by city: the same rule, different desks
Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, Langley and the rest of the region all apply the same core thresholds, but each municipality has its own application portal, drawing standards, fees and timelines. A few practical notes from building across all of them:
- Processing times vary widely — simple applications can clear in two to three weeks; complex or engineered decks can take six weeks or more. Build this into your season planning: a deck you want for July should have its permit application in by spring.
- Setbacks and site coverage differ by zone, not just by city. Two neighbours in the same municipality can face different rules if their lots are zoned differently.
- Heritage areas, floodplains and steep-slope lots can add review layers in any municipality.
We build in seventeen cities across the region, from North Vancouver to Chilliwack, and preparing the permit package is part of every elevated build we take on — measured drawings, site plan and the application itself.
What a deck permit application actually needs
A typical Metro Vancouver residential deck application includes:
- A site plan — property lines, the house, the proposed deck, and distances to each lot line.
- Construction drawings — framing plan, footing sizes and depths, beam and joist spans, ledger attachment detail, guard and stair details.
- Elevation drawings showing heights above grade.
- Engineering, when required — decks that are unusually high, carry hot tubs, or use non-standard spans generally need drawings stamped by a BC professional engineer.
If you're hiring a contractor, this package should be their job, not yours. It's part of what separates a quote from a professional bid.
What happens if you build without one?
Nothing — until something makes it visible. The common triggers we've seen: a neighbour's complaint brings a bylaw officer; a home sale falls into renegotiation when the buyer's inspector asks for the permit; an insurance claim after a failure gets complicated by unpermitted work. The remedy is usually a retroactive permit, which can mean opening finished work for inspection, redoing non-compliant structure, and paying double fees. On an elevated deck, guard height, footing depth and ledger attachment are exactly the things inspectors check — and exactly the things that fail dangerously when done wrong.
Does replacing an existing deck need a permit?
Usually yes, if the deck is over 600mm or attached — a like-for-like rebuild is new construction in the code's eyes. Resurfacing only (new boards on sound existing structure) is often exempt, but the structure has to actually be sound; that's worth a professional assessment rather than an assumption, because decking over rot buys a few tidy-looking years while the frame keeps failing underneath.
The takeaway
One number decides most of it: 600mm. Under it and freestanding, you're likely permit-free. Over it — or bolted to the house — budget a few weeks and a proper drawing package, and treat any contractor who suggests skipping it as telling you something about the rest of their work. If you'd rather not navigate any of this, that's what we're for: permits, drawings and inspections are included in how we build.
Requirements vary by municipality and change over time — always confirm current rules with your city's building department before starting work.
Daniel
Owner, PCC Decking