Town of Creston

How to get a building permit in Creston, BC

Where to apply, what Creston asks for, what it costs, and who issues electrical and gas permits — with links to the city's own forms.

Where to apply in Creston

In person / email — no online permitting portal. Drawings submitted as two paper sets plus a digital copy emailed to building@creston.ca; large-format plans (over 11x17) must be provided as hard copies dropped at Town Hall. (No Cloudpermit/ProjectDox.)

Official Town of Creston permit page

Town of Creston Building Department, 238 10th Ave N, PO Box 1339, Creston BC V0B 1G0 — phone 250-428-2214 ext. 431, fax 250-428-9164, email building@creston.ca. Manager of Building & Bylaw Services: Brandon Vigne (Brandon.Vigne@creston.ca).

Who issues electrical and gas permits

Technical Safety BC — electrical and gas installation permits are handled provincially by TSBC, not by the Town (BC standard; the Town issues building & plumbing only).

electrical: Technical Safety BC; Sending this to Town of Creston instead won't get forwarded — it starts over. On a service upgrade that also pushes out your BC Hydro reconnect, usually the longest lead time on the whole job.
gas: Technical Safety BC; Sending this to Town of Creston instead won't get forwarded — it starts over, and gas work can't be inspected or turned on until the right authority has issued the permit.

Step by step in Creston

1
Confirm zoning before anything else
Check the property's zone, setbacks, height and lot coverage, and whether it sits in a Development Permit Area. If it does, that approval has to come before the building permit — Creston won't issue until land use is settled.
2
Work out which permits you need
Structural work needs a building permit from Town of Creston. Electrical and gas are separate and are issued by Technical Safety BC — electrical and gas installation permits are handled provincially by TSBC, not by the Town (BC standard; the Town issues building & plumbing only). Plumbing is usually part of the building permit.
3
Prepare drawings and documents
Town of Creston asks for: Two sets of scaled drawings + one digital copy emailed to building@creston.ca; Sealed engineer's drawings + Schedule B where applicable; engineered truss & beam layouts (note solar-panel locations on truss layouts); Owner authorization if applicant is not the owner; BC Energy Step Code Pre-Construction Compliance Report for all new commercial & residential construction (Step Code adopted by reference in Building Bylaw 1394); HPO / BC Housing New Home Registration for new residential construction (home warranty); Current State of Title (within 30 days) with any covenants, easements, rights-of-way; Detailed site plan (lot area/dimensions, foundation outline, setbacks, driveway, septic, easements, retaining walls); Retaining walls over 1.2 m require a separate permit; Commercial/Part 3: sealed architectural & engineering drawings, sealed Building Code Analysis, Construction Fire Safety Plan, Interior Health approval (food/pool/salon), Site Disclosure Statement; WorkSafeBC asbestos/hazmat pre-work inspection for pre-1990 buildings (recommended per OHS).
4
Submit your application
In person / email — no online permitting portal. Drawings submitted as two paper sets plus a digital copy emailed to building@creston.ca; large-format plans (over 11x17) must be provided as hard copies dropped at Town Hall. (No Cloudpermit/ProjectDox.)
5
Pay the permit fee
Fees set by the Town's Fees and Charges Bylaw (referenced in Building Bylaw 1394), based on value/estimated cost of construction. Permit fee reduced 10% (max $300) where professional certification/Letters of Assurance replace the plan-checking otherwise done by the Building Inspector. Confirm the current schedule with Creston before you budget.
6
Plan review, then build to inspections
The building department reviews against the BC Building Code and zoning; answer any comments quickly. Once issued, post the permit on site and book inspections at each stage — footings, framing, rough-in, insulation, final. Don't cover work before it's inspected.

What Creston asks for

Two sets of scaled drawings + one digital copy emailed to building@creston.ca
Sealed engineer's drawings + Schedule B where applicable; engineered truss & beam layouts (note solar-panel locations on truss layouts)
Owner authorization if applicant is not the owner
BC Energy Step Code Pre-Construction Compliance Report for all new commercial & residential construction (Step Code adopted by reference in Building Bylaw 1394)
HPO / BC Housing New Home Registration for new residential construction (home warranty)
Current State of Title (within 30 days) with any covenants, easements, rights-of-way
Detailed site plan (lot area/dimensions, foundation outline, setbacks, driveway, septic, easements, retaining walls)
Retaining walls over 1.2 m require a separate permit
Commercial/Part 3: sealed architectural & engineering drawings, sealed Building Code Analysis, Construction Fire Safety Plan, Interior Health approval (food/pool/salon), Site Disclosure Statement
WorkSafeBC asbestos/hazmat pre-work inspection for pre-1990 buildings (recommended per OHS)

Permit fees in Creston

Fees set by the Town's Fees and Charges Bylaw (referenced in Building Bylaw 1394), based on value/estimated cost of construction. Permit fee reduced 10% (max $300) where professional certification/Letters of Assurance replace the plan-checking otherwise done by the Building Inspector.

Fees change and vary by project — confirm the current schedule with Town of Creston.

Worth knowing about Creston

Own building department — does not rely on RDCK/RDKB. BC Energy Step Code is formally adopted by reference in Building Bylaw No. 1394. Incomplete applications do not enter the review queue; building without a permit can trigger stop-work orders, fines, or a notice on title. Secondary suites need a separate Advisory #1 from the Building Official.

Creston permit questions

Where do I submit a building permit application in Creston?

Who issues electrical and gas permits in Creston?

Technical Safety BC — electrical and gas installation permits are handled provincially by TSBC, not by the Town (BC standard; the Town issues building & plumbing only).

How much does a building permit cost in Creston?

What do I need to apply for a building permit in Creston?

Town of Creston asks for: Two sets of scaled drawings + one digital copy emailed to building@creston.ca; Sealed engineer's drawings + Schedule B where applicable; engineered truss & beam layouts (note solar-panel locations on truss layouts); Owner authorization if applicant is not the owner; BC Energy Step Code Pre-Construction Compliance Report for all new commercial & residential construction (Step Code adopted by reference in Building Bylaw 1394); HPO / BC Housing New Home Registration for new residential construction (home warranty); Current State of Title (within 30 days) with any covenants, easements, rights-of-way; Detailed site plan (lot area/dimensions, foundation outline, setbacks, driveway, septic, easements, retaining walls); Retaining walls over 1.2 m require a separate permit; Commercial/Part 3: sealed architectural & engineering drawings, sealed Building Code Analysis, Construction Fire Safety Plan, Interior Health approval (food/pool/salon), Site Disclosure Statement; WorkSafeBC asbestos/hazmat pre-work inspection for pre-1990 buildings (recommended per OHS).

Anything else to know about permits in Creston?

Sources

General information only, not legal or code advice. Requirements vary by project and change over time — always confirm what applies to your job with Town of Creston before you build.

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