What can I build in Vancouver?
BuildHere covers 49 residential zones in Vancouver, with rules read from the Zoning and Development By-law. On a standard 33 × 122 ft lot with a rear lane, these zones allow up to 6 units, and 23 of them allow four or more. The table shows the most units each zone allows outright on three common lot sizes, worked out by the same engine as a BuildHere report.
Units by zone and lot size
Each lot is a plain rectangle with a rear lane, not on a corner and not in a frequent-transit area. A dash means no building form is allowed outright on that lot size.
| Zone | 33 × 122 ft | 50 × 122 ft | 66 × 122 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1-1Residential Inclusive | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-2Multiple Dwelling (3-storey, lower density) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 7 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 9 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-3Multiple Dwelling (up to 36.6 m) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 9 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-3AMultiple Dwelling (3-storey) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 9 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-4Multiple Dwelling | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 9 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 13 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-7Townhouse / Rowhouse | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 5 unitsTownhouse or freehold rowhouse | Up to 7 unitsTownhouse or freehold rowhouse |
| RM-7ATownhouse / Rowhouse (courtyard) | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 5 unitsTownhouse or freehold rowhouse | Up to 7 unitsTownhouse or freehold rowhouse |
| RM-8Townhouse / Rowhouse (3-storey) | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 8 unitsTownhouse | Up to 10 unitsTownhouse |
| RM-8ATownhouse / Rowhouse (3-storey, unit mix) | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 8 unitsTownhouse | Up to 10 unitsTownhouse |
| RM-9AMultiple Dwelling (4-storey apartments) | Up to 3 unitsTriplex | Up to 7 unitsApartment | Up to 10 unitsApartment |
| RM-10Apartments (6-storey) and triplexes | Up to 3 unitsTriplex | – | – |
| RM-11Apartments (4-storey) | Up to 3 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites |
| RM-12Townhouses and apartments (4-storey) | Up to 3 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites |
| RT-2Two-Family Dwelling | Up to 2 unitsSingle detached house with secondary suite | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RT-3Two-Family Dwelling (Strathcona) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RT-5Two-Family Dwelling | Up to 3 unitsSingle detached house with secondary suite and laneway house | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RT-7Multiplex / Duplex / House | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RT-8Two-Family Dwelling (Kitsilano) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 5 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RT-10Small House / Duplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 3 unitsMultiple houses or duplexes | Up to 5 unitsMultiple houses or duplexes |
| RT-11Small House / Duplex (laneway houses) | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 5 unitsMultiple small houses or duplexes |
| R3-1Low-Rise Apartment | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 18 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R3-2Low-Rise Apartment (rental) | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 23 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R3-3Low-Rise Apartment | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 23 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R5-1High-Rise Apartment | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 18 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R5-2High-Rise Apartment (rental) | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 23 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R5-3High-Rise Apartment | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 23 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| R5-4High-Rise Apartment (rental) | Up to 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 12 unitsLow-rise apartment | About 23 unitsLow-rise apartment |
| FM-1Multiple Dwelling / Duplex / House (FM-1) | About 3 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 4 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| FSDFirst Shaughnessy District | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RA-1Semi-Rural Residential | – | – | – |
| R4-1Mid-Rise Apartment | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites | Up to 4 unitsDuplex with secondary suites |
| RM-1Courtyard Townhouse / Duplex / House | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | About 4 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-5Multiple Dwelling (West End) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-5AMultiple Dwelling (West End) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-5BMultiple Dwelling (West End) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-5CMultiple Dwelling (West End) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-5DMultiple Dwelling (West End) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-6Multiple Dwelling (Georgia to Alberni) | About 5 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 8 unitsMultiple dwelling | About 10 unitsMultiple dwelling |
| RM-9Apartment / Townhouse (4-storey) | Up to 3 unitsTriplex | Up to 7 unitsApartment | Up to 10 unitsApartment |
| RM-9BApartment / Townhouse (4-storey) | Up to 3 unitsTriplex | Up to 7 unitsApartment | Up to 10 unitsApartment |
| RR-2ARental Apartment (4-storey) | – | – | About 18 unitsApartment |
| RR-2BRental Apartment (6-storey) | – | – | About 23 unitsApartment |
| RR-3ARental Mixed-Use (4-storey) | – | – | – |
| RR-3BRental Mixed-Use (6-storey) | – | – | – |
| RR-3CRental Mixed-Use (6-storey) | – | – | – |
| RT-1Duplex / House (1-storey) | – | Up to 2 unitsSingle detached house with secondary suite | Up to 2 unitsSingle detached house with secondary suite |
| RT-4Duplex / House (3-storey) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex |
| RT-4ADuplex / House (3-storey) | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex | Up to 2 unitsDuplex |
| RT-9Multiple Dwelling (3 to 8 units) / Duplex / House | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling | Up to 6 unitsMultiple dwelling |
Your lot will differ.
Frontage, depth, lane access, corner lots and frequent-transit areas all change the answer. Search your address for a report on the real lot in Vancouver.
Common questions
How many units can I build on a lot in Vancouver?
On a standard 33 × 122 ft lot with a lane, the 49 residential zones BuildHere covers in Vancouver allow 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 units, depending on the zone; 23 of them allow four or more. 7 zones need a larger lot for anything to be built outright. Lots near frequent transit, corner lots and bigger lots can allow more.
Which zoning bylaw is this based on?
Zoning and Development By-law. City of Vancouver open data (parcels, zoning, property tax report, lanes, floodplain). Reloaded monthly. Each zone page links to the section of the bylaw its rules were read from.
Is this Vancouver’s official zoning answer?
No. Preliminary screening only. Verify with the City of Vancouver. BuildHere is a preliminary screen of what the bylaw allows on a typical lot; it does not check covenants, heritage, trees, servicing or site-specific zoning, and it is not a permit review.
Other cities
BurnabyCoquitlamNew WestminsterPort CoquitlamWest VancouverSurreyMaple RidgeDistrict of North VancouverPort MoodyDeltaCity of LangleyWhite RockTownship of Langley