Existing Secondary Suites

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Unlock Your Home’s Existing Secondary Suite Potential

The City of Delta offers a special pre-application service to homeowners of unapproved secondary suites. This service provides homeowners the option of having City of Delta Secondary Suite Ambassadors attend the secondary suite before the building permit process begins. The intent of this service is to help homeowners better understand the application process.

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Service fees are FREE of charge for the following:

* Pre-Application Service Fee
* Building Permit Application Fees

What You Need to Know

A secondary suite cannot be strata-titled or sold.
Only one secondary suite is permitted by the BC Building Code in a single detached dwelling, (house).
A duplex may have two suites; however, only one suite is allowed per side and must be located in the lower part of the duplex.
A City of Delta issued building permit is required before any secondary suite Fire & Life Safety upgrade works are conducted.
We no longer require or issue Secondary Suite Rental Permits as of April 8, 2024.

Secondary suites must meet the regulations of Delta's Zoning Bylaw and the BC Building Code, but are permitted in most single detached houses in Delta.

If you have questions about eligibility for or how to achieve an approved secondary suite, contact the Application Centre at development@delta.ca or 604-946-3380.

View the Home Suite Home brochure for more information.

What You Need To Do

All Building Permit applications must be submitted on City of Delta’s Delta Online platform.
Submit your application by visiting Delta Online and click on “Permit & Development Applications" click on "Existing Secondary Suite” then follow the prompts.
City staff will review your submitted Existing Secondary Suite building permit application.
Once the review is completed, you will be contacted by City staff and informed your building permit is ready for issuance.
You will need to sign for the building permit conditions, once signed your building permit will be considered active.
Construction Upgrades:
- Begin work on the upgrades to your secondary suite.
- Login to your Delta MyCity account to schedule your inspections as noted within your building permit conditions.

Approving an Existing Secondary Suite

All applications to approve an Existing Secondary Suite will require a building permit which is issued online at through the Development Department.

Application requirements for an Existing Secondary Suite building permit:
- Application submitted through Delta Online.
- Size of suite.
If you have questions about eligibility or how to approve an existing secondary suite, contact the Application Centre at Development@delta.ca or 604-946-3380.
Properties that have a secondary suite are required to have a water meter installed, as this is the most equitable way to charge for utility usage, on a user pay-as-you go basis. Almost all of Delta’s industrial, commercial and agricultural properties now have water meters installed. Once a water meter is installed, water and sewer will be charged quarterly based on consumption, rather than being charged annual flat rates for water and sewer.