Cam Appleton | Zoning, permits and licences for commercial space in Vancouver

Tenants opening a restaurant, clinic, gym or shop; owners thinking about a new use or an addition; and buyers looking at a site with potential. The examples lean on Vancouver, but Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond and the rest of Metro Vancouver work in similar ways with their own bylaws.

The Zoning bylaw sets what uses and building sizes are allowed. See Zoning and Development By-law (City of Vancouver).
The Official Community Plan (OCP) and area plans such as the Broadway Plan guide future change. See Broadway Plan (City of Vancouver).
A Development permit and a building permit are separate from a Business licence, and you may need all three. See Business licences (City of Vancouver).
Provincial rules for Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) sites near transit stations change what's possible on some land. See Transit-oriented areas (Government of BC).
A previous tenant's use doesn't guarantee yours will be approved, especially if theirs was a Non-conforming use.

Step 1: Find the zoning

Look up the property on the City's zoning map and read the district schedule. It lists permitted uses, conditional uses (which need City approval) and limits on height, density and parking.

Step 2: Match your use

Find the use category your business fits. "Retail" and "restaurant" may be separate, and a café with seating can be treated differently from a takeout counter. If you're unsure, ask the City before you sign. A short call or enquiry now beats a long lease on a space you can't open.

Step 3: Work out the permits

Change of use or tenant improvements may need a development permit and a building permit.
Building permits cover construction, plumbing, electrical and fire safety work.
Business licences are issued once your use and space are approved.
Signs often need their own permit.

Ask how long each step takes and what drawings you'll need. Build that time into your Fixturing period and your lease conditions.

Step 4: Protect yourself in the lease

Make the Offer to lease conditional on getting permits and a licence, with enough time. Ask the landlord to confirm what they know about the building's permits and any outstanding orders.

Bigger changes: rezoning and redevelopment

For owners, rezoning can allow more density but takes time and comes with Development Cost Charge (DCC)s and possibly Amenity Cost Charge (ACC)s.

See Development cost charges (Government of BC) and Amenity cost charges (Government of BC).

Provincial housing changes such as Small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) and TOA rules affect mostly residential land but can change neighbourhood demand for commercial space.

Industrial land in the region is protected under Metro 2050, which limits conversions to other uses. See Metro 2050 (Metro Vancouver).

Common mistakes

Signing before checking the use.
Assuming permits are quick.
Forgetting signage permits.
Counting on a rezoning that hasn't happened.
Treating a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) as permanent.

Checklist

Zoning district and use confirmed
Conditional use or permit needs identified
Permit timelines in the lease
Licence requirements known
Signage rules checked
Outstanding orders asked about

When to get professional advice

For anything beyond a simple permitted use, talk to the City early and consider an architect or permit consultant. A lawyer should draft your lease conditions.

Look up the address on the City's zoning map today and find your use in the schedule. If it's not clearly allowed, book a 15-minute call and we'll work out the next question to ask the City.

Related on this site: Your first commercial space · Building redevelopment

Last reviewed Oct 28, 2026. General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Any scenarios are hypothetical.

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General information for British Columbia only. It isn’t legal, tax, accounting or financial advice, laws and rates change, and reading it doesn’t make you my client. Any numbers or scenarios are hypothetical. Check the linked official source and talk to a lawyer, accountant or other qualified professional before you act or sign anything. See the terms and disclaimer.