Which BC cities publish permit wait times and application dates

By Mark Dupuis · Last reviewed: October 9, 2026

Updated November 2026 · Published figures as of September 2026 · 10 cities with published data · Independent site — not a municipality or the Province

Last updated: September 2026. Figures were read from each city’s own page on September 25, 2026 (Chilliwack on September 28, 2026) and are refreshed monthly. Cities measure different things (median, average, queue date or target), so do not compare numbers across cities as if they were the same measure. Your own permit can take longer if the application is incomplete or needs revisions.

This page replaces our earlier Vancouver Island wait-times page. It now covers 10 BC municipalities that publish some official processing time, queue or target, and lists 13 more whose permit pages publish nothing we could find. Every figure below is copied from the city’s own page with its date and link. We do not estimate times for cities that publish nothing.

On this page

1. Summary: cities that publish wait times (September 2026)
2. City-by-city published figures
3. Cities that do not publish processing times
4. How to read the numbers
5. Frequently asked questions

Summary: cities that publish wait times (September 2026)

City-by-city published figures

Vancouver (Metro Vancouver)

What it measures: Median elapsed time, permits issued in the month. As of: August 2026 (monthly figures). Source: City of Vancouver: build a new house or laneway house (permit processing times) · Vancouver permit guide

The City’s pages show these medians from its Open Data “issued building permits” dataset. We ran the same query the page uses; elapsed time runs from when the permit number is created to issuance, weekends included.

Surrey (Metro Vancouver)

What it measures: Average of the last 30 days (building permits) vs. City target. As of: Last updated October 5, 2026 (we checked it October 9, 2026). Source: City of Surrey: permitting timelines · Surrey permit guide

Abbotsford (Fraser Valley)

What it measures: Queue: plans now being reviewed were submitted before this date (applications waiting). As of: Last updated September 24, 2026. Source: City of Abbotsford: permit wait times · Abbotsford permit guide

150 applications in total were waiting for plan review. On the day we read it, new homes submitted on Jun 30 were being reviewed, which is roughly 12 weeks of queue.

Chilliwack (Fraser Valley)

What it measures: Queue: residential permits now being reviewed have this application date. As of: Read September 28, 2026 (the page shows no update date). Source: City of Chilliwack: turnaround times

On the day we read it, residential files were being reviewed about 5 weeks after they were submitted. Multifamily applications are not included.

Nanaimo (Vancouver Island)

What it measures: Queue: applications waiting and the filing date of the next file up for review. As of: Live list, read September 25, 2026. Source: City of Nanaimo: pending building permits · Nanaimo permit guide

Nanaimo notes staff cannot give specific dates for individual files. A next-up date of Aug 17 on Sep 25 means single-family files were waiting about 5–6 weeks for first review.

Burnaby (Metro Vancouver)

What it measures: Average review time (news release) and pre-application review time. As of: News release August 26, 2026; pre-application figure undated on the page. Source: City of Burnaby news release, Aug 26, 2026 · Burnaby permit guide

The 13-day figure is a review time from a City news release, not a live dashboard. The pre-application figure is on the City’s new home construction page.

City of North Vancouver (Metro Vancouver)

What it measures: Average processing time, complete application to decision. As of: Undated on the page (read September 25, 2026). Source: City of North Vancouver: permits and inspections

The City says the figures vary by project complexity.

West Kelowna (Okanagan)

What it measures: Target timelines (business days, complete applications). As of: Undated targets (read September 25, 2026). Source: City of West Kelowna: building permits and inspections

These are targets, not measured results. Development permits are usually processed first and can add time.

Penticton (Okanagan)

What it measures: Estimated turnaround to first plan review or issuance (complete applications). As of: Undated PDF (file properties show 2016). Source: City of Penticton: estimated permit review times (PDF)

The document is old and says the times are not a guarantee. Confirm with the building file manager.

Coquitlam (Metro Vancouver)

What it measures: Service standard for pre-screening only. As of: Undated (read September 25, 2026). Source: City of Coquitlam: permit application review · Coquitlam permit guide

This is only the completeness check. Coquitlam does not publish a total processing time on this page.

Cities that do not publish processing times

For these places we checked the building permit pages linked below on September 25, 2026 and found no published processing time, queue or target. That does not mean permits are slow or fast, only that the city does not post a number. Ask the building department for a current estimate when you apply.

Missing a city that publishes times? Tell us and we will add it at the next monthly update.

How to read the numbers

• Medians (Vancouver) are the middle permit issued that month. Half took longer. The clock starts when the permit number is created, so it includes time the applicant spent answering comments.
• Averages (Surrey, Burnaby, City of North Vancouver) can be pulled up or down by a few unusual files. Surrey uses the last 30 days, which moves quickly.
• Queue dates (Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Nanaimo) tell you how far back the review line reaches today. They measure the wait for first review, not the full time to issuance.
• Targets and estimates (West Kelowna, Penticton, Coquitlam) are what the city aims for with a complete application, not measured results.
• Complete applications move fastest everywhere. Use the city’s checklist, and see how to prepare permit drawings.

Related: 30-second permit quiz · BC permit fee estimator · deck permit how-to · secondary suite how-to

Frequently asked questions

How long does a building permit take in BC?

It depends on the city and the project. Among cities that publish figures, Surrey reported 4.5 weeks for residential building permits (target 10, as of October 5, 2026), Vancouver a median of 20 weeks for new low-density homes issued in August 2026, and Abbotsford was reviewing new-home plans submitted about 12 weeks earlier. Check the table for your city and its date.

Why can’t I compare cities directly?

Each city measures something different: Vancouver publishes medians, Surrey and Burnaby averages, Abbotsford and Nanaimo queue dates, and West Kelowna and Penticton targets. A queue date for first review is not the same as total time to issuance.

My city says not published. What should I do?

Ask the building department for a current estimate when you apply, and submit a complete application. Incomplete applications are the most common cause of delay.

How often is this page updated?

Monthly. The last update was September 2026. Some city pages (Nanaimo, Abbotsford, Surrey) change more often than that, so follow the source link for the live figure.

What happened to the Vancouver Island wait-times page?

It was folded into this provincial page. The old address redirects here, and the Island cities (Nanaimo, Victoria, Saanich, Langford, Duncan, CVRD, Courtenay) are all still listed.

Independent information only. This guide is a planning aid, not legal, engineering or building-code advice. Codes and bylaws change, and the building official for your address has the final say. Confirm every requirement before you design, apply or dig.