What this guide covers
- When you need a permit (and when you do not)
- What changed with Zoning Bylaw No. 2406 (April 10, 2025)
- The permit process, step by step
- What your application package needs
- What it actually costs — building permit formula, DCC, and concurrent permits
- The full inspection schedule
- Electrical and gas permits (separate process)
- What happens if you build without a permit
When You Need a Building Permit
The short answer: any time you are changing the structure, systems, or footprint of a building.
You always need a permit for
- New home construction
- Additions (adding square footage)
- Structural changes (removing or moving load-bearing walls, adding beams, modifying roof structure)
- Plumbing work (moving or adding fixtures, drainage changes)
- Mechanical work (furnace replacement, new HVAC systems, gas fireplace installation)
- Decks over 600 mm (about 2 feet) above grade
- Finishing a basement into livable space
- Carriage houses, ADUs, and secondary suites
- Retaining walls over 1.2 metres
- Wood stoves and fireplace inserts
- Converting a garage into living space
You typically do not need a permit for
- Painting, flooring, and cosmetic finishes
- Replacing fixtures in the same location (swapping a toilet, not moving it)
- Fences under 1.8 metres on residential property
- Small storage sheds under 10 square metres (no plumbing or electrical)
- Replacing a roof with the same materials and structure
- Minor repairs that do not change the structure
When in doubt, call.
The City of Revelstoke Development Services counter at 216 Mackenzie Avenue (250-837-3637, building@revelstoke.ca) can tell you in a five-minute phone call whether you need a permit. That call can save you from a costly mistake.
What Changed With the April 2025 Zoning Bylaw
Revelstoke adopted Zoning Bylaw No. 2406 on April 10, 2025.
It replaces Zoning Bylaw No. 1264, which had been in place since 1984. That is 41 years of patchwork amendments finally replaced with a modern framework, adopted alongside the new Official Community Plan (Bylaw No. 2405).
The biggest changes for residential property owners
- Small-scale multi-unit housing. The new bylaw aligns with BC's provincial small-scale multi-unit housing legislation, which allowed municipalities to permit more units on previously single-family lots. Depending on your specific zone and lot size, you may now be able to build more than one dwelling unit where previously only one was allowed.
- Reduced parking requirements. The old minimums made it difficult to fit additional units on smaller lots. The new rules reflect that not every unit needs two dedicated parking spaces.
- Clearer ADU and carriage house provisions. Purpose-built accessory dwelling units now have clearer rules around size, setbacks, and height. The regulatory path is more straightforward than a year ago.
Important:
If you are planning any construction in Revelstoke, make sure your designer and builder are working from Bylaw 2406, not the old 1264. Setbacks, lot coverage, building height, and permitted uses may have changed for your specific zone. Your exact entitlements depend on your zone and lot — confirm with City Hall before finalizing drawings.
The Permit Process, Step by Step
Step 1: Zoning verification
Before you draw a single line, confirm what is allowed on your lot. The City can tell you your zoning designation, permitted uses, setbacks, lot coverage limits, and building height maximums. This takes a phone call, a visit to Development Services at 216 Mackenzie Avenue, or a check of the City's interactive zoning map.
Step 2: Pre-application meeting (when it's required)
A pre-application meeting is not required for a straightforward single-family build. City Development Services staff advise that pre-application meetings are typically required for development permits, subdivisions, and more complex applications — not for a standard single-family home on a conforming lot.
That said, a pre-application meeting is still a smart idea if your project touches any of these: slopes over 30 percent, land near waterways or environmentally sensitive lands, heritage alterations, form-and-character development permit areas, or a Development Variance Permit application. Better to learn about these early than after you have spent on drawings.
Step 3: Prepare your application package
This is the most documentation-heavy step. Requirements vary by project type. See the full checklist in the next section.
Step 4: Application submission and review
Submit your complete package to the City's Development Services counter. For single-family residential projects, expect a review period of 6 to 8 weeks. Complex projects (multi-family, commercial, projects requiring concurrent development permits) or applications submitted during busy season may take longer. Incomplete applications get sent back. The cleaner your submission, the faster it moves.
Step 5: Permit issuance
Once approved, you receive your building permit. Post it visibly on the job site. It is valid for up to 2 years, and construction must commence within 12 months or the permit may expire.
Step 6: Inspections during construction
Your permit comes with a list of required inspections at specific stages. Fail an inspection and work stops until the deficiency is corrected and re-inspected. See the inspections section below.
Step 7: Occupancy permit
After the final inspection passes, the City issues an occupancy permit. This is your official green light to move in. Your mortgage lender will want to see this. Your insurer will want to see this. Do not skip it.
What Your Application Package Needs (New Home)
The City of Revelstoke Building Permit Application Package (last updated March 2025) spells out the full checklist. For a new single-family home, your application typically requires:
- Stamped architectural drawings. Floor plans, elevations, building sections, and construction details prepared by a registered architect or certified residential designer.
- Structural engineering. Stamped by a professional engineer registered in BC. This is where the specified ground snow load for your site gets calculated into every beam, joist, and connection. Engineers and Geoscientists BC classifies Revelstoke as a 'high snow load region' (specified ground snow load above 4.0 kPa in its May 2022 Practice Advisory). Skip this and nothing gets approved.
- Energy modelling and Step Code compliance. A Certified Energy Advisor must produce an energy model demonstrating Step 3 compliance of the BC Energy Step Code. Revelstoke has required Step 3 since January 1, 2022 under Building Bylaw No. 2294, and Step 3 became mandatory province-wide on March 10, 2025 under the 2024 BC Building Code.
- Site survey. A legal survey showing property boundaries, existing structures, setbacks, and elevation data. Prepared by a BC Land Surveyor.
- Geotechnical report (when triggered). Required for steep lots, lots near waterways, or areas with known soil issues. Per the City's Building Permit Application Package, a geotechnical assessment and Environmentally Hazardous Lands Development Permit are triggered on sites with slopes greater than 30 percent. In Revelstoke's mountain terrain, this comes up more often than in the valley.
- Site servicing plan. Showing how the building connects to municipal water, sanitary sewer, and storm drainage.
- Plumbing fixture unit load calculation. Required under the 2024 BC Building Code. The City's application form includes a PDF calculator you fill in.
- Site Disclosure Statement (Contaminated Sites Regulation). Required if your project site has any of the Schedule 2 industrial or commercial uses in the Contaminated Sites Regulation. Submitted through the provincial online form.
- Floodplain Exemption Permit (if applicable). If your development does not comply with the City's Floodplain Bylaw, a Floodplain Exemption Permit must be submitted prior to or concurrently with the building permit application.
- Agent Authorization Form. If the applicant is not the property owner, all property owners must sign authorizing the agent.
For smaller projects like renovations or decks, the requirements are less extensive. The City can tell you exactly what is needed for your scope of work.
What a Permit Actually Costs in Revelstoke
Building permit fees are calculated on a valuation formula — not a flat rate.
In Revelstoke, residential building permit fees start at $10.25 per $1,000 of project value under the City's Fees and Charges Bylaw. On a $1 million new-home build, that works out to roughly $10,250 as a base building permit fee. Fee schedules are updated periodically, so confirm the current rate with City Development Services when you apply. Note that commercial, industrial, and other non-residential uses are calculated on a different rate schedule.
How the City calculates 'project value'
For single-family residential applications, the City will generally accept the construction value you list on your permit application if it looks reasonable. The Fees and Charges Bylaw also publishes a base valuation schedule that the City can fall back on, with per-square-foot values assigned to different space types. As of the current Building Permit Application Package, those base values are:
- Above-ground residential: $210 per square foot
- Below-ground residential: $100 per square foot
- Attached/detached garages: $45.50 per square foot
- Carports and mobile-home additions: $52 per square foot
- Decks and accessory structures: $32.50 per square foot
In practice, actual construction costs in Revelstoke are well above these base per-square-foot figures. On our projects we list the real contract value on the permit application rather than the bylaw floor, because the permit value flows through to insurance and should reflect the true cost of the build. Commercial, industrial, and other non-residential uses are calculated on a different rate schedule than residential work.
Development Cost Charges (DCCs)
On top of the building permit fee, new construction in Revelstoke is subject to Development Cost Charges. The City adopted a new DCC Bylaw on June 24, 2025 (effective August 1, 2025). DCCs are charged per square metre of floor area and vary by area of the City:
- Primary City area: DCCs for transportation, water, sewer, and parks
- Big Eddy area: DCCs for transportation, parks, and water (no sewer DCCs in Big Eddy)
- Westside Road / Kelly Flats / Dalles area: DCCs for transportation and parks only (no sewer or water DCCs)
On a single-family home in the Primary City area with a secondary suite, combined building permit and DCC costs can land around $60,000 or more per Nathan's recent project experience — the exact number depends on floor area, zone, and which DCC area you are in. Ask City Development Services to quote the current rates against your specific plan before you finalize a construction budget.
Concurrent permits that stack on top
Certain sites or project types require additional permits that run alongside or before the building permit application. Each has its own fee and review time. These can include:
- Form & Character Development Permit (in designated DP areas)
- Environmentally Sensitive Lands Development Permit (near watercourses, on slopes >30%, or within mapped sensitive areas)
- Development Variance Permit (to relax specific zoning requirements)
- Heritage Alteration Permit (on heritage-registered properties)
- Floodplain Exemption Permit (if your project does not comply with the Floodplain Bylaw)
- Subdivision approval (if you are creating new lots)
Your builder or designer can flag which of these apply to your specific lot during Step 1 zoning verification.
Seasonal cutoff for municipal servicing
One practical Revelstoke-specific note: per the Building Permit Application Package, the City does not install new water and sewer service connections after October 15 each year. If your project depends on new service connections, you need to plan the timing of your application and construction schedule around that cutoff — otherwise you can find yourself with a foundation in the ground and no way to service it until the following spring.
Inspections During Construction
Your permit comes with a sequence of required inspections at specific construction stages. A builder calls for each inspection when that stage is ready, and work stops on the relevant element until it passes. For a typical new single-family home in Revelstoke, the inspection sequence generally covers the stages below. Your exact list comes from the City when your permit is issued — this is the general pattern, not a substitute for the actual inspection schedule on your specific permit.
Your builder should know exactly what each inspection covers and when to call for it. Inspection fees are included in the building permit fees — there is no separate per-inspection charge on a standard single-family project, though a failed inspection requiring re-inspection can trigger an additional fee under the Fees and Charges Bylaw.
Electrical and Gas Permits: A Separate Process
Your building permit covers the structure. Electrical and gas work are permitted separately through Technical Safety BC.
Electrical and gas permits go through Technical Safety BC (TSBC), not through the City of Revelstoke. Your licensed electrician files the electrical permit directly with TSBC. Your licensed gas fitter does the same for gas installations. They handle the inspections for their respective trades.
You do not need to manage this yourself. Any qualified electrician or gas fitter in Revelstoke does this routinely. But you should know it exists, because 'I got my building permit' does not mean your electrical work is covered.
What Happens If You Build Without a Permit
This is the part people should read twice.
Title issues: Outstanding permits and bylaw violations can be registered against your property title. This follows the property, not the owner. The next buyer inherits your problem.
The permit system exists to protect you. Inspections catch errors that cost far more to fix after the drywall is up. The building code exists because people died in buildings that were not built to standard.
Building Permit FAQs
How long does it take to get a building permit in Revelstoke?
For single-family residential projects, expect 6 to 8 weeks from complete submission to permit issuance. Complex projects, projects requiring concurrent development permits, or applications submitted during busy season may take longer. Incomplete applications get sent back, which adds time. The cleaner your submission, the faster it moves.
How much does a building permit cost in Revelstoke?
Residential building permit fees start at $10.25 per $1,000 of project value under the Fees and Charges Bylaw. On a $1 million home, that is around $10,250 as a base building permit fee. Commercial, industrial, and other non-residential uses are calculated on a different rate schedule. Development Cost Charges are on top of the permit fee and are charged per square metre of floor area under the DCC Bylaw (effective August 1, 2025). On a single-family home with a secondary suite in the Primary City area, combined permit and DCC costs can land around $60,000 or more. Confirm current rates with City Development Services for your specific project.
Do I need a permit to finish my basement?
Yes. Finishing a basement into livable space requires a building permit. This includes framing, insulation, electrical, plumbing (if adding fixtures), fire egress, and smoke/CO detection. The inspections verify all of this meets code.
Do I need a pre-application meeting before submitting?
Not for a standard single-family home on a conforming lot. Pre-application meetings are required for development permits, subdivisions, and more complex applications. They are also strongly recommended if your project involves slopes above 30 percent, environmentally sensitive lands, heritage alterations, or a Development Variance Permit — but for a straightforward SFD, you can go directly to application submission with a complete package.
What about the new zoning bylaw? Do I need a permit to add a suite?
Yes. While Bylaw 2406 (April 2025) makes secondary suites, ADUs, and carriage houses easier to zone for in many residential zones, you still need a building permit for the construction work. The zoning bylaw tells you what you can build. The building permit ensures it is built safely.
Can my builder handle the permit process?
Yes. A qualified builder handles the application, manages the inspections, and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks. In our integrated design process, permits are coordinated alongside design and engineering so there are no gaps between what was designed and what gets submitted.
What is the difference between a building permit and a development permit?
A building permit covers the construction itself (structure, systems, safety). A development permit covers the design and siting relative to design guidelines in certain zones — Form & Character, Environmentally Sensitive Lands, Heritage, and others. Not all projects require a development permit, but if yours does, it is a separate review layer that adds time and has its own fees. Your builder or designer can tell you if one applies to your zone.
Getting Started
If you are planning a construction project in Revelstoke, the permit process is a known quantity. It is not fast, but it is predictable. A qualified builder will handle the application, manage the inspections, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Straight Up Construction has been working the Revelstoke permit process since we were founded in 2005.
The first step is understanding what you want to build. The second step is talking to someone who has been through the process hundreds of times.
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