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City of North Vancouver

How to get a building permit in City of North Vancouver, BC

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

Where to apply in City of North Vancouver

Electronic applications emailed to permitapplications@cnv.org (request a 'Send-It' link to upload large PDF files). CityServe (cityserve.cnv.org) is used to pay permit fees online and to check permit/licence status - it is NOT a full application-intake portal. City may request hard copies for large/complex projects.

Official City of North Vancouver permit page

Permits & Inspections: permitapplications@cnv.org, 604-982-WORK (9675); Planning reception 604-985-7761; City Hall, 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7M 1H9

Who issues electrical and gas permits

The City of North Vancouver runs its OWN electrical AND gas permit programs (NOT Technical Safety BC). CNV has dedicated Electrical Permit and Gas Permit pages/programs and issues those permits to licensed contractors or to owner-occupiers of single-family dwellings. This is a delegated municipality with its own electrical inspection.

electrical
City of North Vancouver
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City of North Vancouver

Step by step in City of North Vancouver

  1. 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 — City of North Vancouver won't issue until land use is settled.

  2. 2

    Work out which permits you need

    Structural work needs a building permit from City of North Vancouver. Electrical and gas are separate and are issued by The City of North Vancouver runs its OWN electrical AND gas permit programs (NOT Technical Safety BC). Plumbing is usually part of the building permit.

  3. 3

    Prepare drawings and documents

    City of North Vancouver asks for: Electronic-only submission; email completed application to permitapplications@cnv.org; All drawings must be PDF, to scale, saved and named as individual sets by discipline (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, etc.) per the City's naming standard; Electronic submissions must carry DIGITAL seals signed/sealed per AIBC, EGBC, and ABCLS - wet or photocopied seals are not accepted; Owner's Authorization Form; Registered Professional Schedule B (e.g. structural, geotechnical) for professionally designed/complex work; Survey plan (Posting Survey Plan Requirements apply); BC Energy Step Code compliance for new buildings (see 'Updated Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Homes' effective Nov 1, 2023); Building Permit Revision Submission Form for any revised drawings (full set with changes highlighted; single pages not accepted); Development permit required first in designated Development Permit Areas; All exterior signs require a sign permit.

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Electronic applications emailed to permitapplications@cnv.org (request a 'Send-It' link to upload large PDF files). CityServe (cityserve.cnv.org) is used to pay permit fees online and to check permit/licence status - it is NOT a full application-intake portal. City may request hard copies for large/complex projects.

  5. 5

    Pay the permit fee

    Fees set by City of North Vancouver bylaw (construction-value based); pay online via CityServe after the application is accepted, or by cheque at the 14th Street City Hall drop box. Processing times depend on project complexity and completeness of the package. Confirm the current schedule with City of North Vancouver before you budget.

  6. 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 City of North Vancouver asks for

  • Electronic-only submission; email completed application to permitapplications@cnv.org
  • All drawings must be PDF, to scale, saved and named as individual sets by discipline (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, etc.) per the City's naming standard
  • Electronic submissions must carry DIGITAL seals signed/sealed per AIBC, EGBC, and ABCLS - wet or photocopied seals are not accepted
  • Owner's Authorization Form
  • Registered Professional Schedule B (e.g. structural, geotechnical) for professionally designed/complex work
  • Survey plan (Posting Survey Plan Requirements apply)
  • BC Energy Step Code compliance for new buildings (see 'Updated Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Homes' effective Nov 1, 2023)
  • Building Permit Revision Submission Form for any revised drawings (full set with changes highlighted; single pages not accepted)
  • Development permit required first in designated Development Permit Areas
  • All exterior signs require a sign permit

Permit fees in City of North Vancouver

Fees set by City of North Vancouver bylaw (construction-value based); pay online via CityServe after the application is accepted, or by cheque at the 14th Street City Hall drop box. Processing times depend on project complexity and completeness of the package.

Fees change and vary by project — confirm the current schedule with City of North Vancouver.

City of North Vancouver permit forms

Open a form here and fill it in without leaving the page.

Pick a form to open it here.

Permit types in City of North Vancouver

Electrical permit

A safety permit required before doing regulated electrical work in BC — an Installation Permit for a defined project (new wiring, upgrades, alterations), or an Operating Permit for ongoing maintenance of existing electrical equipment in larger/commercial facilities.

Gas permit

A safety permit required before installing or altering regulated gas equipment/systems in BC (natural gas, LPG/propane, hydrogen, digester/landfill gas, etc.) — a Gas Installation Permit for the work itself, plus mandatory inspection notification after each phase.

Plumbing permit

A trade permit (often issued separately from, or alongside, the building permit) authorizing installation, extension, or alteration of potable water, drainage-waste-vent, and connections to municipal water/sewer, verified against the BC Plumbing Code.

Worth knowing about City of North Vancouver

Owner-builder electrical/gas/plumbing permits only issued to a homeowner living in their own single-family dwelling. Development-permit-first in DPAs. City occasionally requires hard-copy submissions for large projects. Permits phone line is 604-982-WORK (9675).

City of North Vancouver permit questions

Where do I submit a building permit application in City of North Vancouver?

Electronic applications emailed to permitapplications@cnv.org (request a 'Send-It' link to upload large PDF files). CityServe (cityserve.cnv.org) is used to pay permit fees online and to check permit/licence status - it is NOT a full application-intake portal. City may request hard copies for large/complex projects.

Who issues electrical and gas permits in City of North Vancouver?

The City of North Vancouver runs its OWN electrical AND gas permit programs (NOT Technical Safety BC). CNV has dedicated Electrical Permit and Gas Permit pages/programs and issues those permits to licensed contractors or to owner-occupiers of single-family dwellings. This is a delegated municipality with its own electrical inspection.

How much does a building permit cost in City of North Vancouver?

Fees set by City of North Vancouver bylaw (construction-value based); pay online via CityServe after the application is accepted, or by cheque at the 14th Street City Hall drop box. Processing times depend on project complexity and completeness of the package. Fees vary by project, so confirm the current schedule with City of North Vancouver before budgeting.

What do I need to apply for a building permit in City of North Vancouver?

City of North Vancouver asks for: Electronic-only submission; email completed application to permitapplications@cnv.org; All drawings must be PDF, to scale, saved and named as individual sets by discipline (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, etc.) per the City's naming standard; Electronic submissions must carry DIGITAL seals signed/sealed per AIBC, EGBC, and ABCLS - wet or photocopied seals are not accepted; Owner's Authorization Form; Registered Professional Schedule B (e.g. structural, geotechnical) for professionally designed/complex work; Survey plan (Posting Survey Plan Requirements apply); BC Energy Step Code compliance for new buildings (see 'Updated Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Homes' effective Nov 1, 2023); Building Permit Revision Submission Form for any revised drawings (full set with changes highlighted; single pages not accepted); Development permit required first in designated Development Permit Areas; All exterior signs require a sign permit.

Anything else to know about permits in City of North Vancouver?

Owner-builder electrical/gas/plumbing permits only issued to a homeowner living in their own single-family dwelling. Development-permit-first in DPAs. City occasionally requires hard-copy submissions for large projects. Permits phone line is 604-982-WORK (9675).

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 City of North Vancouver before you build.

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