Courtenay charges $150 plus 1% of construction value, takes applications online only, and has required EL-3 of the Zero Carbon Step Code since January 1, 2026. Here is the whole process.
Who this is for. Properties inside the City of Courtenay. The Town of Comox, the Village of Cumberland and the rural areas of the Comox Valley Regional District are separate authorities with their own permit offices, so confirm the address with the Permit Finder first. Not sure the work needs a permit? Try the permit quiz.
Courtenay’s rules are in Building Bylaw No. 3114 (consolidated October 2025), with fees in its Appendix A. Amendment Bylaw No. 3193 added the Zero Carbon Step Code from January 1, 2026. All applications are submitted online, and the City calculates the fees and collects them when the permit is issued (City of Courtenay: building and plumbing permits).
Is my project allowed? Zoning decides setbacks, height, lot coverage and whether a suite is allowed on your lot. Check it before you draw or apply for the permit: look up your address on the map, then read your zone in the bylaw.
Checked October 26, 2026 (City of Courtenay): zoning map (PDF) · Zoning Bylaw
The City says a building permit is required before you build, demolish, repair or alter most structures, including buildings, accessory buildings and structures, decks, garages and carports, and secondary suites. A plumbing permit is needed for plumbing alterations, fire suppression systems and irrigation systems. If the project already has a building permit, the plumbing goes on that application and no separate plumbing permit is needed.
Section 3.3 of Bylaw 3114 says the bylaw does not apply to, among other things:
Zoning still applies to exempt work: setbacks, height and lot coverage are in Zoning Bylaw 3203 (Courtenay Zoning Bylaw). The City’s guide to residential deck construction is worth reading before you draw a deck, alongside our deck inspection checklist.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit | $150 + 1% of the value of construction |
| Application fee (non-refundable, credited to the permit fee) | $150 or 25% of the building-permit fee, whichever is higher |
| Demolition permit | $150 |
| Stand-alone plumbing permit | Simple buildings $75 + $10 per fixture; complex buildings $125 + $15 per fixture (application fee $75 / $125) |
| Fire suppression system | Simple $75 + 1% of value; complex $125 + 1% of value |
| Re-inspection | $125 (Appendix A) |
| Special inspection | $125 |
| Design modification | $85 per hour |
| Permit extension, simple buildings | $125 + 1% of the estimated value of the remaining work |
| Permit transfer, simple buildings | $125 |
| Security deposit, single- or two-family dwelling | $3,000 |
| Work started before the permit | Fee doubled, up to a maximum of $10,000 (s.10.21) |
Worked examples. A $30,000 deck or renovation: $150 + $300 = $450; the application fee is the $150 minimum (25% would be $112.50), credited at issuance. A $100,000 addition: $150 + $1,000 = $1,150, with a $287.50 application fee. A $500,000 house: $150 + $5,000 = $5,150, with a $1,287.50 application fee and a $3,000 security deposit.
Two dates to watch: an application is cancelled and its fee forfeited if the permit isn’t issued within 180 days (unless the City caused the delay), or if the permit fee isn’t paid within 60 days of issuance (s.10.22). A permit expires if work doesn’t start within 180 days of issuance or stops for 180 days. The City’s inspections page quotes a $100 re-inspection fee while Appendix A says $125; the bylaw governs, so confirm the amount with Building Services. Development cost charges are separate (Courtenay DCCs).
Section 10.2 of Bylaw 3114 lists what a building permit application must include:
The City also publishes handouts on secondary suites, garage conversions, accessory buildings, glass guards and solar panels (secondary suites guide). Packaging tips: how to submit building permit drawings in BC.
Under Bylaw 3193, Part 9 buildings (most houses) must meet Step 4 of the Energy Step Code, rising to Step 5 once the BC Building Code itself adopts Step 4. Part 3 buildings must meet Step 3, then Step 4. For the Zero Carbon Step Code, Part 3 and Part 9 buildings must meet EL-3 for applications received on or after January 1, 2026 and EL-4 from January 1, 2028 (Bylaw 3193, PDF; City zero carbon page). That affects heating and hot-water choices, so settle them with your energy advisor before you apply.
Email inspections@courtenay.ca at least 24 hours ahead with the permit number, address, inspection type and a contact name and phone number. Inspections happen Monday to Friday, 9 am to noon; inspectors take questions 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (City of Courtenay: inspections). Common stages:
| Stage | When |
|---|---|
| Footing forms | Before concrete is poured |
| Drain tile and damp-proofing | After forms are stripped and drainage installed, before backfill |
| Services | Water, sewer and storm connections at the street, under test, before cover |
| Under-slab insulation and vapour barrier | After the services inspection |
| Under-slab plumbing | Before it is concealed |
| Rough-in plumbing | DWV and water piping complete and under test |
| Framing | Framing and sheathing complete, before insulation or exterior finish; a site survey must be submitted first |
| Insulation and vapour barrier | Before it is covered |
| Final | All work complete, before occupancy |
Work must not go past a stage until it has been accepted. For decks, sheds and fences, our deck, shed and fence checklists walk through what inspectors check.
Removing a tree for your project? Our BC tree-cutting permit checker shows when Courtenay's tree bylaw needs a tree cutting permit, with fees and official links.
| Purpose | Contact |
|---|---|
| Building Services (Development Services) | 250-703-4862 · building@courtenay.ca |
| Inspection bookings | inspections@courtenay.ca |
| City Hall | 830 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay, BC V9N 2J7 · 250-334-4441 · info@courtenay.ca |
| Electrical and gas | Technical Safety BC |
Pricing a deck, shed or fence? The deck, shed and fence materials calculator gives dated BC material prices.
Building Bylaw 3114 sets the fee at $150 plus 1% of the value of construction. A $30,000 job is $450 and a $100,000 addition is $1,150. The application fee is the higher of $150 or 25% of the permit fee and is credited when the permit is issued.
Bylaw 3114 doesn’t apply to decks without roofs less than 0.6 m above grade. Higher decks and decks with a roof need a building permit.
Not a building permit. Fences on single-family lots and outdoor pools, spas and hot tubs are outside Bylaw 3114, but zoning rules still apply.
Courtenay doesn’t publish a processing time. Ask Building Services; our wait-times page lists the cities that publish one.
Step 4 of the Energy Step Code and EL-3 of the Zero Carbon Step Code for applications from January 1, 2026, with EL-4 from January 1, 2028.
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.
This guide relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked September 28, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.