For fire recovery information, please visit the McDougall Creek wildfire recovery page.
Building permits
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General Information |
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Building Regulation and Inspection Services are provided to:
For properties within a local municipality, please contact their office directly for information on their bylaws and processes. Building permits are required for the construction, addition, alteration or demolition of any building or structure. Accessory buildings less than 10 square meters are exempt. For more information or for general building and permit inquiries, please contact Inspection Services by phone 250-469-6211 or by email. |
| Building Bylaws |
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Our building inspectors follow Building Bylaw No. 1482 which administers the regulations of the BC Building Code, including local regulations, permits and building inspections. The bylaw is enforced on a continual basis and applies to the Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West Electoral Areas of the RDCO. For Building permit fees please review the Development Application Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1483 |
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Apply for a building permit |
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Building permit applications can now be submitted online. Please select your permit type and you will be prompted for required application files and application details. Only PDF documents will be accepted. Please note only complete applications will be accepted for processing. Online building permit application Please ensure your building permit application complies with the current zoning on the subject property. For your reference please find links to the GIS Mapping and planning and land use for additional information. If you require assistance with your online application please call Inspection Services at 250-469-6211 or email inspection@rdco.com. Please note, emailed applications will not be accepted. If you prefer to apply in person, applications can be submitted to Inspections Services at the Regional District of Central Okanagan office located at 1450 KLO Road on the 2nd Floor. We are open from 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. Building permits processing time may vary depending on the time of year, complexity of project and various factors. Fees for building permits range according to type of application and construction value. For building permit fees please review the Development Application Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1483 Please refer to the building permit application checklist to ensure all required documentation is included with your application. Only complete applications will be accepted. Note: Preferred size for drawings: 11 x 17 + submission of digital plans (PDF format) |
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Property File Request |
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A property file request allows for homeowners, contractors and real estate agents to obtain information regarding building permit history and zoning on a particular property. To request a property file, please submit a Service Request ticket, select building permits and inspections, property file. Fill in the required information and upload the signed listing agreement, accepted offer or owners authorization form. Due to the high number of requests and inquiries that we are currently receiving, response times vary and are taking longer than normal. Please note: Requests will be processed in the order that they are received |
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Re-Inspection Fee |
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The re-inspection fee is only for active building permits where an additional fee is required throughout the inspection process, determined by the building inspector. Follow the prompts on the re-inspection page to make payment. Once the re-inspection fee has been paid, follow the link below to schedule the next inspection on your building permit. |
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Resources |
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Application Documents: Bylaws: Booking an inspection
For Electrical Permit information, contact Technical Safety BC at 1-866-566-7233 For Septic information, contact Interior Health at 250-979-7665
To request a Title Search and Title documents, please contact: Land Title & Survey Authority of BC: 1-877-577-5872, OR Speedy Search: 250-763-9977 or speedysearch.ca
Online versions of the BC Building, Plumbing and Fire Codes are now available free of charge. To access the BC Codes, visit the following website: BC Publications website. |
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Building permit statistics and approved building permits |
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Monthly building permit statistics - May 2023 View map of current approved building permits: Approved building permits map
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Building Inspections
| Inspection checklist |
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In accordance with the building bylaws, the items listed on this inspection checklist will be reviewed by the building inspector while completing an inspection. Inspections are required at various stages in the construction process to ensure that construction conforms to the minimum standards of the BC Building Code. Please review your permit package for inspections required on your approved building permit. If you have any questions on the inspections required, please contact Inspection Services by phone at 250-469-6211 or by email |
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Book an inspection |
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Inspections are required at various stages in the construction process to ensure that construction conforms to the minimum standards of the BC Building Code. Please review your permit package for inspections required on your approved building permit. If you have any questions on the inspections required, please contact Inspection Services by phone at 250-469-6211 or by email The building permit package must be on site for all inspections. If these documents are not available for inspectors reference, no inspections will be made. Same day inspections are not available. If the date is not specified, the next inspection day for that area will be booked. 48-hour advance notice is required for your inspection booking. Inspection request MUST include:
To book an inspection:
Please note: confirmation of inspection bookings is auto-generated through the service request system. We do not provide call backs for booking. If you require confirmation, please submit a service request. |
| Inspection day schedule |
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Inspection schedule is as follows: West Electoral Area (Westside Road, Killiney Beach, Westshore Estates, etc.)
East Electoral Area (Joe Rich, Ellison, South end of Lakeshore Rd, etc.)
Inspections are carried out between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on each scheduled inspection day. Where a second re-inspection is required due to non-compliance to code or bylaw provisions, a re-inspection fee shall be paid prior to the re-inspection.
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BC Energy Step Code
The BC Energy Step Code is the new performance-based standard for the BC Building Code that establishes measurable energy-efficiency requirements for new construction. The BC Energy Step Code groups these performance requirements into a series of “steps” of increasing energy efficiency. To comply with these steps, applicants must use energy modelling software and on-site air tightness testing to demonstrate that both their design and the constructed building meet Step Code requirements.
As of January 1, 2023, all building permit applications for new construction under Part 9 of the Building Code must meet Step 3 of the Energy Step Code.
- Learn more with our BC Energy Step Code Information Bulletin
| Videos about Step Code |
| Timelines for Step Code |
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Program-Qualified Energy Search Tool |
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Rebates and Incentives |
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Please be aware that incentive programs exist for enhanced compliance:
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More Information |
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Please visit energystepcode.ca for more information about Energy Step Code. For further inquiries related to retrofitting or renovating, contact RDCO staff, who can help you provide the list of rebates and incentives available in our region. |