Secondary Suites

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A secondary suite inside a home

Secondary suites help provide Edmontonians with a diverse range of housing choices.

A secondary suite is a separate dwelling located within a single-detached, semi-detached, or row house with its own living, cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities.

A suite may be created through the development or conversion of a basement or other interior space within a house, accessed without passing through the principal (main) dwelling, such as through common interior space, or directly into the suite from outside.

A secondary suite is not permitted in an apartment or a boarding/lodging house. No subdivision is fundamental to the use and definition of a secondary suite. A secondary suite remains subordinate—secondary—to the principal dwelling or suite.

To see if your property is zoned for a secondary suite, check your property’s zoning designation. Visit maps.edmonton.ca to see if secondary suites are listed in your zone.

Secondary suites are typically allowed in zones where single detached, semi-detached, duplex or row houses are allowed. You can also consult a Development Officer at the Edmonton Service Centre.

Important Information About Permits

For detailed information regarding secondary suite design requirements and considerations, including Suite Rough-in provisions, please refer to the Secondary Suite Design Guide .
Plans for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas or electrical systems are not reviewed prior to the issuance of permits, as code compliance is audited during inspections. Homeowners and/or contractors are responsible for ensuring that design and construction meet code.
Inspections may be required at various stages of your project. Review your building permit conditions to understand when to request inspections.
Projects may require both a development permit and a building permit. Separate permits are required for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical work.
Any Secondary Suite, regardless of the construction year, that exists without the required Development Permit is subject to double the regular application fees.

Who can apply for permits?

A certified trade contractor is required to apply for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical permits when the home shares any wall or floor/ceiling with a neighbour.
Homeowners must live in their single-detached house in order to apply for homeowner heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical permits for that house.

Permit Information:

Application Requirements

The site plan shows the entire existing property. City staff need the site plan to understand where tenants and firefighters will enter the suite.

A site plan must include:

Property address
Suite entrance location
The distance between the house and fence on both sides of the house (side setback measurements)

Drawing Tips

There are different ways to make a site plan:

Real Property Report with markups — Sample Site Plan
Aerial photo with markups — Sample Site Plan
Hand drawn - Sample Site Plan

City staff need a detailed floor plan to make sure your application follows the zoning bylaw and building code requirements.

The secondary suite floor plan must include:

The layout of the suite, including stairs, doors, and windows
Room labels (such as bedroom, kitchen, living room, storage, and other rooms)
Bedroom window labels including dimensions and window style (for example awning windows, sliders, basement hopper windows)
Utility and mechanical room details including furnaces, baseboard heating, heat recovery ventilators, and other details (primary and secondary heating and ventilation sources)

City staff might ask for a main floor plan if they need more information about how the main floor connects to the secondary suite.

Drawing Tips:

Sound Separation

Sound absorbing material (batt insulation or cellulose fill) must be installed in walls and in the ceiling between the secondary suite and the main dwelling, as well as between the suite and any common area where noise may be generated.
Sound separation construction intentions must be declared on the:

Sound Separation Declaration within a House with Secondary Suite, OR
On the floor plan in clear terms

Pictures of the outside of the house (Exterior Photographs)

City staff need pictures to understand how the fire department will access the secondary suite in the event of a fire.

In the application, please include pictures of the:

front of the house
left side of the house
right side of the house
back of the house

Please see the Sample (front, left, right and back) pictures for reference.

Elevation Drawings

Elevation drawings are required if you are making changes to the outside of the house, such as enlarging windows, adding windows or adding exterior doors. Elevation drawings show four sides of the house and the types of exterior finishing materials.

Elevation drawings must:

Show existing exterior walls and proposed alterations, including any windows and doors, and their dimensions
Specify finishing materials for walls (such as brick, stucco), roof (for example, asphalt shingle, concrete tile), fascia, soffit
Provide dimensions of:
- grade to top of the finished main floor
- top of the finished main floor to the eave
- eave to roof ridge (highest point)
- see the Zoning Bylaw for definitions and diagrams
Provide sufficient detail about the intended changes, the materials involved, methods of installation or construction, and any supporting documentation for materials not found in the Alberta Building Code

Structural and Engineering Documents

If there are changes to the structure of the house (beams, posts supporting beams, load-bearing walls, floors, wall opening enlargement or new openings in foundation walls), engineer stamped drawings are required.

Submit Your Application

Most projects require a development permit and a building permit. City staff will determine which permits and fees apply.

Starting work without permit(s) is subject to penalties.

Each application is unique. Typical applications involve the following fees:

Fixed Price Application Fees Effective January 1, 2024
Permit Type	Permit Fee	Safety Codes Fee	Total
Development Permit	$400	-	$400
Gas Permit	$115	$4.60	$119.60
Plumbing Permit	$115	$4.60	$119.60
Heating, Cooling or Ventilation (HVAC) Permit	$115	$4.60	$119.60

Building Permit Fee 2024 fees effective January 1, 2024
Construction Value	Building Permit Fee	Safety Code Fee	Total
$0 - $10,000	$115	$4.60	$119.60
$10,001 - $50,000	$370	$14.80	$384.80
$50,001 - $100,000	$1035	$41.40	$1,076.40
Over $100,000	$2015	$80.60	$2095.60

Electrical Permit Fee

Consult the 2024 Planning and Development Fee Schedules , effective January 1, 2024, for details on electrical permit fees.

Construction Value: total cost of materials and services.

Construction Value does not include: landscaping, parking lots, sidewalks, furnishings, appliances, interior window coverings, temporary service connections, insurance or bonding, interim financing, permit fees, professional consulting fees, GST.

See the 2024 Residential Permits and Fees , effective January 1, 2024, for more information. Additional fees may apply.
There are several ways to make a payment.

Online Application Checklist

Required For All Applications:

Site plan
Floor plan
Sound Transmission Confirmation Form
Exterior Pictures

Additional documents required for specific cases:

Elevation Drawings (for adding / changing the exterior windows and doors)
Engineer-stamped drawings (for making changes to the structural components)

File Instructions:

Name files to describe contents and project address (Example: “Site Plan - 321 45 Street NW)
One combined file or multiple files are accepted
Ensure the project address is included within every file

In-Person Application Checklist

To apply in person, complete the following documents and visit the Edmonton Service Centre located in the Edmonton Tower Building. There are several ways to make a payment.

Required For All Applications:

Home Improvement Permit Paper Application Form
Site plan
Floor plan
Sound Separation Declaration within a House with Secondary Suite
Exterior Pictures

Additional documents required for specific cases:

Elevation Drawings (for adding/changing the exterior windows and doors)
Engineer-stamped drawings (for making changes to the structural components)

File Instructions:

Ensure the project address is included on every file
Do not include personal information on site plans or drawings

Apply: Homeowners Apply: Contractors & Professionals

After You Apply

Application Processing

City staff will review your application to ensure your project complies with the City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw and applicable Safety Codes.

Processing Times

Overall application processing times can be found on the development and construction application processing times web page. Applicants can also check the status of their specific application by visiting their project dashboard at SelfServe.

Building Permit Queue Times

See up-to-date queue times for building permit applications.

More Information Requests

City staff may request additional information at various stages of the Development Permit and Building Permit process. To learn how to reply to a more information request in SelfServe, see the More Information Requested (MIR) Guide.

Changing Your Application or Permit

Changes and revisions can be submitted at various stages of the process.

To make changes:

Before a Home Improvement Permit is issued, consult with the City staff assigned to your file.
After a Home Improvement Permit is issued, request revisions by visiting the project dashboard on SelfServe.

Additional charges may apply for revisions.

To cancel your application, email the Cancellation/Refund Request form to the City employee handling your application.

Scheduling Your Mandatory Inspection

The Building Permit holder should request inspections online at SelfServe.

To learn more, visit Residential Inspections.

Construction Site Management

Consult the Working With Neighbourhoods page for a listing of resources and tips for best practices for building.

Temporary use or crossing of the road right-of-way for demolition, deliveries, and construction requires On-Street Construction and Maintenance (OSCAM) Permits. This is to ensure you are not damaging the boulevard, sidewalk or City-owned trees while you access your site. You should apply for your OSCAM Permit once your Demolition or Building Permit applications have been submitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there size, height and parking requirements for secondary suites?

Yes, there are restrictions on secondary and backyard housing. With the exception of some speciality zones, secondary suite regulations apply.

Effective July 2, 2020 minimum on-site parking requirements were removed from the Zoning Bylaw. This means that homeowners can now decide how much parking to provide with their backyard housing, based on their own particular needs. For more information, please visit Parking Rules for New Homes and Businesses.

What other zoning regulations are applicable to secondary suites?

Additional zoning regulations can be read in the Zoning Bylaw.

Part 2 - Special Land Use Provision
Section 86 - Secondary Suites

How do I know if my house already has permits for existing secondary suites?

The Secondary Suites Registry map lists the locations of all secondary suites within Edmonton. These secondary suites have acquired development and building permits and have been inspected to meet Alberta Safety Code and Fire Code requirements. This map will be updated as the City approves new secondary suites.

What is the purpose of the registry?

The registry is a search tool that allows Edmontonians to identify safe secondary suites in Edmonton. These suites have obtained necessary permits and been inspected to meet Alberta’s safety code requirements.

Will adding a secondary suite affect my taxes?

Property assessments are based on market value. Renovating a home to create an additional living unit will increase the assessed market value of the home and the taxes. The amount of increase depends on the extent of the renovation.

Secondary suite rental revenue must also be declared as income to the Canada Revenue Agency.

What happens if I don’t get a permit for my secondary suite or backyard housing?

Any suites that are investigated by the City and found to not have a valid development permit in place are subject to an initial fine of $1000, with subsequent fines for ongoing offences up to $2500. You will then be required to either decommission your suite or apply for permits.

Any Secondary Suite, regardless of construction year, that exists without the required development permit will be charged double the regular application fees.

What is the City doing to address complaints about secondary suites?

If the City receives a complaint about an illegal suite, it will investigate the complaint and if an unpermitted suite is confirmed, the homeowner will be advised of the options: upgrade or decommission the suite.

Contact Us

Development and Building Permits
2nd floor, Edmonton Tower
10111 - 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton AB T5J 0J4

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
TTY	780-944-5555
Email	developmentservices@edmonton.ca