City of Surrey

How to get a building permit in Surrey, BC

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

Where to apply in Surrey

MySurrey Account online permitting/inspection portal — https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-online-services (registration guide: https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/online-portal-registration-guide). Surrey went fully digital in 2024 and in Nov 2024 launched an enhanced Multi-Family & Complex Building Permit portal. Building service requests, electrical, plumbing and sign permits, inspection requests and status are handled online; account email must match the email registered with Surrey's Building/Electrical/Plumbing/Planning/Engineering sections.

Official City of Surrey permit page

Client Services Centre 604-591-4086; Development & Building inquiries via https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/development-building-inquiries. Surrey City Hall, 13450 104 Ave, Surrey BC.

Who issues electrical and gas permits

Surrey runs its OWN electrical AND plumbing permit programs (one of the few BC cities with delegated authority — like Vancouver and Burnaby). Electrical: apply via MySurrey — 'Electrical Contractor Installation Permit' and 'Electrical Operating Permit' issued by the City of Surrey Electrical section (a permit is required for all regulated electrical work unless exempt under the BC Electrical Safety Regulation). Plumbing: issued by City of Surrey Plumbing section via MySurrey. GAS: NOT issued by Surrey — gas installation permits go to Technical Safety BC (provincial). So: electrical = City of Surrey; plumbing = City of Surrey; gas = Technical Safety BC.

electrical: City of Surrey
gas: Technical Safety BC

Step by step in Surrey

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 — Surrey won't issue until land use is settled.
2
Work out which permits you need
Structural work needs a building permit from City of Surrey. Electrical and gas are separate and are issued by Surrey runs its OWN electrical AND plumbing permit programs (one of the few BC cities with delegated authority — like Vancouver and Burnaby). Plumbing is usually part of the building permit.
3
Prepare drawings and documents
City of Surrey asks for: All plans/forms/documents uploaded as single-page PDFs with the clear file-naming convention (fully digital submission as of 2024); Site plan scaled 1:200 showing property lines, setbacks, existing/proposed structures and drainage paths; Correct civic address shown clearly on every drawing sheet (plans not reviewed if address missing/incorrect); Architectural drawings: floor plans, elevations, sections, door/window schedules; Structural & mechanical drawings: foundation, framing, HVAC layout, HRV sizing; Proof of BC Energy Step Code compliance — Step 3 (Part 9) applies to all new building permit applications since Jan 1, 2021; energy model or prescriptive compliance forms (Part 3 for larger buildings); Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) to sign/seal structural, geotechnical and complex mechanical components — Letters of Assurance Schedules A / B / C-A / C-B; Geotechnical report where required (soils/slope); Home warranty insurance enrolment (Homeowner Protection Act) for all new homes, OR an owner-builder exemption; Owner authorization where applicant is not the owner.
4
Submit your application
MySurrey Account online permitting/inspection portal — https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/building-online-services (registration guide: https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/online-portal-registration-guide). Surrey went fully digital in 2024 and in Nov 2024 launched an enhanced Multi-Family & Complex Building Permit portal. Building service requests, electrical, plumbing and sign permits, inspection requests and status are handled online; account email must match the email registered with Surrey's Building/Electrical/Plumbing/Planning/Engineering sections.
5
Pay the permit fee
Building permit fees set by Surrey's fee bylaw, based on construction value; electrical and plumbing permits have their own fee schedules by scope of work. Deposits/securities may apply on new homes. (Confirm current amounts against the applicable Surrey bylaw/fee schedule.) Confirm the current schedule with Surrey 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 Surrey asks for

All plans/forms/documents uploaded as single-page PDFs with the clear file-naming convention (fully digital submission as of 2024)
Site plan scaled 1:200 showing property lines, setbacks, existing/proposed structures and drainage paths
Correct civic address shown clearly on every drawing sheet (plans not reviewed if address missing/incorrect)
Architectural drawings: floor plans, elevations, sections, door/window schedules
Structural & mechanical drawings: foundation, framing, HVAC layout, HRV sizing
Proof of BC Energy Step Code compliance — Step 3 (Part 9) applies to all new building permit applications since Jan 1, 2021; energy model or prescriptive compliance forms (Part 3 for larger buildings)
Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) to sign/seal structural, geotechnical and complex mechanical components — Letters of Assurance Schedules A / B / C-A / C-B
Geotechnical report where required (soils/slope)
Home warranty insurance enrolment (Homeowner Protection Act) for all new homes, OR an owner-builder exemption
Owner authorization where applicant is not the owner

Permit fees in Surrey

Building permit fees set by Surrey's fee bylaw, based on construction value; electrical and plumbing permits have their own fee schedules by scope of work. Deposits/securities may apply on new homes. (Confirm current amounts against the applicable Surrey bylaw/fee schedule.)

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

Surrey permit forms

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

Pick a form to open it here.

Worth knowing about Surrey

Surrey is fully digital — paper accepted only for a few excluded types. Owner-builders allowed with exemption. Home warranty mandatory for new homes. Development/rezoning may be required before a building permit for new subdivisions. Gas is the one trade Surrey does NOT permit (Technical Safety BC).

Surrey permit questions

Where do I submit a building permit application in Surrey?

Who issues electrical and gas permits in Surrey?

How much does a building permit cost in Surrey?

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

City of Surrey asks for: All plans/forms/documents uploaded as single-page PDFs with the clear file-naming convention (fully digital submission as of 2024); Site plan scaled 1:200 showing property lines, setbacks, existing/proposed structures and drainage paths; Correct civic address shown clearly on every drawing sheet (plans not reviewed if address missing/incorrect); Architectural drawings: floor plans, elevations, sections, door/window schedules; Structural & mechanical drawings: foundation, framing, HVAC layout, HRV sizing; Proof of BC Energy Step Code compliance — Step 3 (Part 9) applies to all new building permit applications since Jan 1, 2021; energy model or prescriptive compliance forms (Part 3 for larger buildings); Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) to sign/seal structural, geotechnical and complex mechanical components — Letters of Assurance Schedules A / B / C-A / C-B; Geotechnical report where required (soils/slope); Home warranty insurance enrolment (Homeowner Protection Act) for all new homes, OR an owner-builder exemption; Owner authorization where applicant is not the owner.

Anything else to know about permits in Surrey?

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 Surrey before you build.

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