Secondary Suites

Secondary suites help provide Edmontonians with a diverse range of housing choices.

Read about up-to-date COVID-19 related service adjustments for development, permit, licensing, and construction & inspection services.

A secondary suite is a separate dwelling located within a single-detached, semi-detached, or row house with its own living, cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities. A suite may be created through the development or conversion of a basement or other interior space within a house, accessed without passing through the principal (main) dwelling, such as through common interior space, or directly into the suite from outside.

A secondary suite is not permitted in an apartment, boarding/lodging house or a house with a major home-based business. No subdivision is fundamental to the use and definition of a secondary suite. A secondary suite remains subordinate—secondary—to the principal dwelling or suite.

To see if your property is zoned for a secondary suite, check your property’s zoning designation. Visit maps.edmonton.ca to see if secondary suites are listed in your zone. Secondary suites are typically allowed in zones where single detached, semi-detached, duplex or row houses are allowed. You can also consult a Development Officer at the Edmonton Service Centre.

Important Information About Permits

For detailed information regarding secondary suite design requirements and considerations, please refer to the Secondary Suite Design Guide.

Plans for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas or electrical systems are not reviewed prior to the issuance of permits, as code compliance is audited during inspections. Homeowners and/or contractors are responsible for ensuring that design and construction meet code.

Inspections may be required at various stages of your project. Review your building permit conditions to understand when to request inspections.

Projects may require both a development permit and a building permit. Separate permits are required for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical work.

Who can apply for permits?

A certified trade contractor is required to apply for heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical permits when the home shares any wall or floor/ceiling with a neighbour.

Homeowners must live in their single detached house in order to apply for homeowner heating and ventilation, plumbing, gas, and electrical permits for that house.

Application Requirements

Site Plan

A site plan must include:

A north arrow
Property address
Corresponding streets and avenues
Dimensions of property lines Location, measurements, and setbacks of proposed and existing buildings and structures
Identify applicable caveats, covenants, easements

Drawing Tips:

Drawn on a real property report, plot plan, or graph paper.
Please keep units of measurement consistent.

Sample Site Plan / Plot Plan

Architectural Drawings

Architectural drawings must show the following necessary features, as applicable:

Suite layout

The proposed secondary suite and any common area, showing:
- Use of rooms and spaces
- Location and dimensions of walls, doors, stairs, and windows
- Any change or upgrades to existing windows and doors
- Any new exterior door and window openings
- Dimensions of the egress window required in each room for sleeping
- Changes to HVAC, plumbing, gas and electrical systems
A separate “before” sketch or photos of the existing floor layout of the main home and secondary suite space to help speed plan review, showing:
- Existing use of rooms and spaces
- Location of existing walls, doors, stairs, and windows
- Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm locations
Renovation of other parts of the main home may be combined with this permit application. Confirm and select all items that are part of the project from the list of Home Improvement Permit options, and provide the information as indicated.

Access & Egress

If there is not a second and separate way out of the secondary suite, show how the exterior exit (stair, door, and/or deck/veranda platform) is protected from the windows of the main home and common spaces.
Access and exit access for the secondary suite is not through the main home or a service room
Entry door(s) into the secondary suite provided with a deadbolt lock. This includes any direct access door between the main home and the secondary suite which must have a separate deadbolt from each side (not using a common key) so that mutual agreement is required for the door between the two to be unsecured.

Heating & Electrical

A separate heating/ventilation system (separate forced air furnace, or radiant heat with HRV) must serve the secondary suite, and shall not be interconnected/ducted with the remainder of the house.
Load calculation submitted to show sufficient electric power is provided for the main home and the secondary suite

Fire protection

Smoke alarms that are hard-wired, and interconnected throughout the entire house (main home and secondary suite)
- In each bedroom and in any hallway/area between bedrooms and the rest of the floor,
- Common spaces including interior shared means of egress, and
- All ancillary spaces such as storage rooms, washroom, laundry room, or service rooms that are accessed from common area.
Carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected throughout the entire house (main home and secondary suite)
- In each bedroom or in a hallway within 5m of bedroom doors,
- Any room with a wood-burning fireplace or wood stove, and
- Service rooms with gas appliances not contained within the main home or the secondary suite.
A continuous smoke-tight fire protection barrier of a minimum 12.7mm (½”) thick standard gypsum board on the underside of floor-ceiling assemblies and on both sides of wall framing to separate:
- The main home and the secondary suite from each other,
- Common spaces including interior shared means of egress from the rest of the house,
- Ancillary spaces such as storage rooms, washroom, laundry room, or service rooms accessed from common area, and
- All service rooms containing any fuel-fired space-heating or cooling appliance, fuel-fired service water heater or gas laundry dryer from the rest of the house.
Doors in smoke-tight barriers must be minimum 45mm solid-core wood, with self-closer.

Noise

Sound absorbing material (batt insulation) in walls and floor-ceiling assemblies between the secondary suite and the main home, as well as between the suite and non-suite space where noise may be generated (shared laundry)
- Fill ceiling and wall cavities with a minimum of 150mm (6”) thick batts, taking care to not block return air runs.
- Install resilient channel (sound-bar) on at least one side of the walls and on the underside of the floor-ceiling assembly.
Where required Sound Transmission control details are not on or with the plans, complete the secondary suite portion of the Sound Confirmation Declaration form and attach it with the application.

Firewall

Where required Firewalls for Secondary Suites in a Row House details are not on or with the plans, complete and provide the Letter of Acknowledgement with the application.

For more detailed information regarding secondary suite design requirements and considerations, please refer to the Secondary Suite Design Guide.

Elevation Drawings or Exterior Photographs

Photographs of all sides of the exterior of the house are adequate if no exterior alterations associated with the secondary suite project are proposed, or

Elevation drawings if changes are proposed to the exterior of the house.

Exterior of all sides of the house, including all windows and doors
Finishing materials for
- walls (for example, brick, stucco),
- roof (for example, asphalt shingle, concrete tile),
- fascia, soffit, and so on.

Structural and Engineering Documents

Engineer-stamped drawings are required if the project includes changes to structural components such as beams, posts supporting beams, load-bearing walls, floors, wall opening enlargement, or foundation walls that cannot be checked in tables the Alberta Building Code.

Submit Your Application

Fees

Most projects require a development permit and a building permit. City staff will determine which permits and fees apply.

Starting work without permit(s) is subject to penalties.

Each application is unique. Typical applications involve the following fees:

Fixed Price Application Fees
Permit Type	Permit Fee	Safety Codes Fee	Total
Development Permit	$293	-	$293
Heating, Cooling or Ventilation (HVAC) Permit	$112	$4.50	$116.50
Plumbing Permit	$112	$4.50	$116.50
Gas Permit	$112	$4.50	$116.50
Sanitary Sewer Charge (after Dec 31, 2006)	$758		$758

Building Permit Fee
Construction Value	Building Permit Fee	Safety Code Fee	Total
$0 - $5,000	$112	$4.50	$116.50
$5,001 - $10,000	$160	$6.40	$166.40
$10,001 - $25,000	$276	$11.04	$287.04
$25,001 - $50,000	$513	$20.52	$523.52
$50,001 - $100,000	$994	$39.76	$1,033.76
$100,000 +	$1935	$77.40	$2012.40

Electrical Permit Fee
Construction Value	Electrical Permit Fee	Safety Code Fee	Total
$0 - $24,000	$149	$5.96	$154.96
$24,001 - $80,000	$150.60 - $341⁽¹⁾	$6.02 - $13.64⁽³⁾	$156.62 - $354.64
$80,001 - $100,000	$339.20 - $352⁽²⁾	$13.56 - $14.08⁽³⁾	$352.76 - $366.08

⁽¹⁾ Calculated as $69 + 0.00340*(Construction Value)
⁽²⁾ Calculated as $276 + 0.00076*(Construction Value)
⁽³⁾ Calculated as 4% of the permit fee with a minimum of $4.50 and maximum of $560

Construction Value: total cost of materials and services.

Construction Value does not include: landscaping, parking lots, sidewalks, furnishings, appliances, interior window coverings, temporary service connections, insurance or bonding, interim financing, permit fees, professional consulting fees, GST.

See 2020 Residential Permits and Fees for more information. Additional fees may apply.
There are several ways to make a payment.

Online Application Checklist

Required For All Applications:

Site plan
Architectural Drawings (floor plans)
Exterior Photographs (for no exterior alterations) or Elevation Drawings (for changes)

Required For Structural Changes:

Engineer-stamped drawings

File Instructions:

Name files to describe contents and project address (Example: “Site Plan - 321 45 Street NW)
One combined file or multiple files are accepted
Ensure the project address is included within every file

In-Person Application Checklist

To apply in person complete the following documents and visit the Edmonton Service Centre located in the Edmonton Tower Building. There are several ways to make a payment.

Required For All Applications:

Home Improvement Permit Paper Application Form
Architectural Drawings (floor plans)
Exterior Photographs (for no exterior alterations) or Elevation Drawings (for changes)

Required For Structural Changes:

Engineer-stamped drawings

File Instructions:

Ensure the project address is included on every file
Do not include personal information on site plans or drawings

After You Apply

Application Processing

City staff will review your application to ensure your project complies with the City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw and applicable Safety Codes.

Application processing times vary. During peak season (March-August) typical applications are processed within 3-4 weeks. Complex applications may require additional processing time.

Changing Your Application or Permit

Changes to your submitted application may be subject to additional fees. To make changes while your application is in progress Contact Us. To make changes after your permit has been issued contact the Permit Issuer identified on your permit.

Cancellation And/Or Refund Request Form

Scheduling Your Mandatory Inspection

The Building Permit holder should request inspections online at selfserve.edmonton.ca.

To learn more, visit Safety Codes Inspection Services.

For More Information

Development and Building Permits
2nd floor, Edmonton Tower
10111 - 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton AB T5J 0J4

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
TTY	780-944-5555
Email	developmentservices@edmonton.ca

Telephone

In Edmonton: 311
Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311

TTY

780-944-5555

developmentservices@edmonton.ca

COVID-19 (coronavirus)

Secondary Suites

Important Information About Permits

Who can apply for permits?

Application Requirements

Submit Your Application

After You Apply

Grant Funding for Secondary Suites

Secondary Suite Registry

Frequently Asked Questions

For More Information

Secondary Suites

Important Information About Permits

Who can apply for permits?

Application Requirements

Submit Your Application

After You Apply

Related Documents

Secondary Suite Design Guide

Related Links