BC guides › Surrey · Last checked October 25, 2026
Can you build a coach house, Garden Suite or ADU in Surrey?
Yes, on almost every house lot in Surrey. Surrey has two names for a small second home in your yard (an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit). A coach house sits above or is attached to a detached garage. A Garden Suite stands on its own on the ground.
- From 377 to 807 sq ft (35 to 75 m²), or up to 1,292 sq ft (120 m²) on some bigger lots
- Up to 2 storeys and 7.0 m tall
- Most lots can have up to 4 homes in total, or 6 near a frequent bus stop
- 1 extra parking space, unless you are near a frequent bus stop
- Airbnb only if you live on the property, and in only one extra unit
Will it fit on your lot?
Enter your address. We check your lot size, zone and how many homes it can have, free by email.
Can I build one on my property?
Every Surrey residential zone that allows a house, a duplex or a houseplex (a building with 3 or 4 homes) also allows a coach house or a Garden Suite. Your lot has to pass three checks.
1. You must stay under the home limit. Surrey counts every home on the lot: your house, any suite inside it, and any backyard home. The limits are:
- Lot under 280 m² (about 3,000 sq ft): up to 3 homes
- Lot from 280 m² up to 4,050 m² (1 acre): up to 4 homes
- Eligible lot of 281 m² or more within 400 m of a frequent bus stop (15-minute service): up to 6 homes
- Only 2 homes on a lot of 1 acre or more, a lot inside a Transit-Oriented Area (the area right around a rapid transit station), a heritage-protected lot, or a lot not on City water or sewer
2. A coach house usually needs a lane. On R3, R4, R5, R5-S and R6 lots (most city lots), you need lane access to build a coach house. No lane? A Garden Suite may still work. On bigger RA, R1, R2 and R2-O lots, a coach house may be reached from your main driveway instead.
3. Nothing on title blocks it. An old covenant (a legal promise registered on your land title) can still limit what you build, and it wins over the new zoning. If your lot is in a Development Permit Area, you need that permit before you can even apply for a building permit.
Surrey coach house and Garden Suite rules at a glance
| Rule | Surrey (R3 zone unless noted) |
|---|---|
| What it’s called | Coach house (above or attached to a detached garage) or Garden Suite (stands on its own) |
| Size | 35 to 75 m² (377 to 807 sq ft), not counting a garage. Up to 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) in RA, R1, R2, R2-O and R3 if your house has not used all the floor space the lot allows |
| Max height | 2 storeys, 7.0 m (about 23 ft), roof peak up to 8.3 m. Only 6.5 m if any part of the roof is fairly flat |
| Homes per lot | 3 on lots under 280 m², 4 on most lots, 6 on eligible lots near a frequent bus stop |
| From the lot lines | Back: 1.2 m with a lane (1.0 m for a coach house over a garage), 1.8 m for a Garden Suite with no lane. Side: 1.2 m coach house, 1.8 m Garden Suite. Side street: 2.4 m |
| From your house | 5.0 m (3.0 m to stairs or a deck). Never in the front yard |
| Lot coverage | House plus backyard home: all buildings can cover 50% of a lot up to 560 m², dropping to 30% on big lots. At least 30% of the lot must soak up rain |
| Lane | Needed for a coach house in R3 to R6. Not needed for a Garden Suite |
| Parking | 1 extra space. None needed near a frequent bus stop or in a Transit-Oriented Area |
| Short-term rental | Owner only, must live on the lot, one unit at most, City business licence and BC registration |
Which zones? RA, R1, R2, R2-O, R3, R4, R5, R5-S and R6. Most city lots are R3. The bigger size limit and the height, setback and coverage numbers above vary by zone, and over 4,600 lots have their own CD (custom) zoning. Your free Site Report checks your zone for you.
Get my free Site ReportWhat will it cost, and what could it earn?
On top of the build, Surrey has its own charges. The building permit fee is based on the value of your build. When you apply, you pay a flat fee that you don’t get back: $700 for a build worth $100,000 to $999,999. The rest of the permit fee is due before the permit is issued.
Development cost charges (fees that help pay for pipes, roads and parks) are the big unknown. Today Surrey charges them on a house lot when the lot is created. Its charges bylaw has no line for a coach house or Garden Suite. A new charge for these extra homes, based on their floor area, has passed Third Reading and is waiting for Provincial approval. We could not confirm what, if anything, you would pay today. Ask the City at 604-591-4086 before you budget. Regional (Metro Vancouver and TransLink) charges, a school site charge and Surrey’s new amenity cost charge (in force since 15 June 2026) may also apply.
Your backyard home must connect to water, sewer and power through your main house. Surrey does not allow separate City connections. The City’s Engineering counter tells you the connection cost for your lot. The money comes from long-term rent, or housing family. Your free report works out the numbers for your lot.
Your free Surrey Site Report includes:
- Your PID, real lot size and zone
- Whether your lot can have 2, 3, 4 or 6 homes
- A drawing of your lot’s shape and size
- Rough build cost and City charges for the size you want
- Permit steps and ways to pay for it
Featured builder: Surrey
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Common questions
Can I rent it on Airbnb?
Yes, but only if you own the property and live there as your main home, in the house or in another unit on the same lot. Tenants can’t host. Only one suite, coach house or Garden Suite on the lot can be rented this way, for stays under 90 days. You need a City business licence ($358 a year, plus any application fee) and a registration number from the Province for each unit you rent.
How big can it be?
Between 35 and 75 m² (377 to 807 sq ft) in every zone. For a coach house, the garage under it does not count toward the 75 m², but the garage does count toward your lot’s total floor space. In the RA, R1, R2, R2-O and R3 zones, it can grow to 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) if your house has not used up all the floor space the lot allows.
Can I put it over my garage?
Yes. That is what Surrey calls a coach house: a home above or attached to a detached garage. In R3 it can sit 1.0 m from the back line if it is built over a garage. On most city lots (R3 to R6) you need lane access for one. A through lot (with a street at the back) also counts as lane access.
Can I have a suite in my house and a backyard home?
Yes, as long as you stay under the home limit for your lot. The City’s own example is a house, plus a suite inside it, plus a coach house or Garden Suite: 3 homes. A suite inside the house can be no bigger than 40% of the house’s living space. A houseplex can’t have a suite inside it. On lots that can have 6 homes, the City shows examples with two coach houses or two Garden Suites.
Can I sell the backyard home on its own?
Plan on keeping it. Surrey’s zoning calls a coach house or Garden Suite an extra home that belongs to the house on the same lot. We could not find a City rule that lets you sell it separately or turn it into a strata unit. Ask the City at 604-591-4086 before you count on a sale.
Do I need a parking spot?
Usually yes: one extra space on your lot, on top of what your house and any suite need. Street parking doesn’t count. You don’t need one on an eligible lot near a frequent bus stop, or in a Transit-Oriented Area. Your free Site Report tells you which applies to your lot.
How do I get a permit?
Check your zone, lot size and title first, and whether you need a development permit. Talk to Engineering about water, sewer and drainage, and to BC Hydro and FortisBC. Then send a complete building permit package: the application form, a title search, drawings, signed forms from your designers and engineer, a BC Step Code checklist and home warranty paperwork. A factory-built unit needs CSA certification. You pay the flat fee when you apply. The City reviews zoning, building code, servicing and trees, then you pay the rest of the fees and any charges before the permit is issued. After it is built, you register the unit with the City. Planning & Development Client Services: 604-591-4086.
Are the rules about to change?
Possibly. On 27 July 2026 Surrey’s Council approved a full review of its small-home rules, including height, setbacks, lot coverage, floor area and parking. The new development cost charge is also waiting for Provincial approval. Nothing in the zoning has changed yet, so today’s rules are the ones above.
See what fits on your Surrey lot
General information only. Rules checked 25 October 2026. Rules change, so always confirm with the City of Surrey before you build.
Sources: Surrey Zoning By-law No. 12000 (consolidated September 2026) · City of Surrey: Coach Houses & Garden Suites · City of Surrey: Garden Suites guide · City of Surrey: Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing · City of Surrey: Short-Term Rentals · City of Surrey: Building Permit Fees · Surrey Development Cost Charge Bylaw No. 21174 · Corporate Report R162 (2026) · BC principal residence requirement