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City of Port Coquitlam

How to get a building permit in Port Coquitlam, BC

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

Where to apply in Port Coquitlam

eApply — secure online permit portal built on Tempest, accessed at https://my.portcoquitlam.ca/TempestprodNet/eApply/ (linked from https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/property-development-building/eapply ). Requires a free MyPortCoquitlam profile first. Available 24/7, paper-free.

Official City of Port Coquitlam permit page

Building Division — 604-927-5444 (also 604-927-3441 line referenced); contact via city web form; 2580 Shaughnessy Street, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2A8.

Who issues electrical and gas permits

Technical Safety BC (province) issues and inspects BOTH electrical and gas permits. Port Coquitlam's building pages state electrical and gas inspections are conducted by the provincial safety authority (Technical Safety BC / formerly BC Safety Authority). The city does NOT run its own electrical program.

electrical
Technical Safety BC
gas
Technical Safety BC

Step by step in Port Coquitlam

  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 — Port Coquitlam 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 Port Coquitlam. Electrical and gas are separate and are issued by Technical Safety BC (province) issues and inspects BOTH electrical and gas permits. Plumbing is usually part of the building permit.

  3. 3

    Prepare drawings and documents

    City of Port Coquitlam asks for: Building permit (which includes plumbing) required before you build, demolish, repair or alter any building/structure incl. carports, decks and pools; change occupancy; do interior renovations; alter exits; or add/change plumbing, furnaces, fire alarm or fire sprinkler systems; Submit application + drawings through eApply (no physical drawing submission needed for online applications); MyPortCoquitlam account required to use eApply; Non-refundable 50% of the building-permit fee due at time of application.

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    eApply — secure online permit portal built on Tempest, accessed at https://my.portcoquitlam.ca/TempestprodNet/eApply/ (linked from https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/property-development-building/eapply ). Requires a free MyPortCoquitlam profile first. Available 24/7, paper-free.

  5. 5

    Pay the permit fee

    Building permit fees are based on the value of construction, with a non-refundable 50% charge due at time of application; balance on issuance. Detailed rates are in Schedule D of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. Confirm the current schedule with Port Coquitlam 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 Port Coquitlam asks for

  • Building permit (which includes plumbing) required before you build, demolish, repair or alter any building/structure incl. carports, decks and pools; change occupancy; do interior renovations; alter exits; or add/change plumbing, furnaces, fire alarm or fire sprinkler systems
  • Submit application + drawings through eApply (no physical drawing submission needed for online applications)
  • MyPortCoquitlam account required to use eApply
  • Non-refundable 50% of the building-permit fee due at time of application

Permit fees in Port Coquitlam

Building permit fees are based on the value of construction, with a non-refundable 50% charge due at time of application; balance on issuance. Detailed rates are in Schedule D of the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

Fees change and vary by project — confirm the current schedule with City of Port Coquitlam.

Permit types in Port Coquitlam

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.

Demolition permit

A municipal permit to tear down or remove a building or structure, conditional on safe utility disconnections, a pre-demolition hazardous-materials (asbestos) survey and abatement, and — in many cities — recycling/deconstruction requirements backed by a refundable deposit.

Worth knowing about Port Coquitlam

Online permits are being expanded — currently eApply covers plumbing, fire sprinkler, barbecue, single-family, two-family, multi-family and small-scale multi-unit housing development permits. Tempest is the underlying platform.

Port Coquitlam permit questions

Where do I submit a building permit application in Port Coquitlam?

eApply — secure online permit portal built on Tempest, accessed at https://my.portcoquitlam.ca/TempestprodNet/eApply/ (linked from https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/property-development-building/eapply ). Requires a free MyPortCoquitlam profile first. Available 24/7, paper-free.

Who issues electrical and gas permits in Port Coquitlam?

Technical Safety BC (province) issues and inspects BOTH electrical and gas permits. Port Coquitlam's building pages state electrical and gas inspections are conducted by the provincial safety authority (Technical Safety BC / formerly BC Safety Authority). The city does NOT run its own electrical program.

How much does a building permit cost in Port Coquitlam?

Building permit fees are based on the value of construction, with a non-refundable 50% charge due at time of application; balance on issuance. Detailed rates are in Schedule D of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. Fees vary by project, so confirm the current schedule with City of Port Coquitlam before budgeting.

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

City of Port Coquitlam asks for: Building permit (which includes plumbing) required before you build, demolish, repair or alter any building/structure incl. carports, decks and pools; change occupancy; do interior renovations; alter exits; or add/change plumbing, furnaces, fire alarm or fire sprinkler systems; Submit application + drawings through eApply (no physical drawing submission needed for online applications); MyPortCoquitlam account required to use eApply; Non-refundable 50% of the building-permit fee due at time of application.

Anything else to know about permits in Port Coquitlam?

Online permits are being expanded — currently eApply covers plumbing, fire sprinkler, barbecue, single-family, two-family, multi-family and small-scale multi-unit housing development permits. Tempest is the underlying platform.

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 Port Coquitlam before you build.

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