Buying a Home in Surrey: The Rules

On this page (11 sections)

Surrey is one City with very different ground, from SkyTrain towers to farmland, and many of its neighbourhoods have their own plans on top of the City-wide rules. These are the City-wide ones, with the City’s sources at the bottom and links to the areas that add their own.

Plans and zoning

  • The current plan is the Surrey 2050 Official Community Plan, Bylaw No. 21900, adopted June 15, 2026. It replaces the 2013 plan (Bylaw No. 18020), and some older neighbourhood plan designations that listings still quote have been superseded.
  • Zoning is Surrey Zoning Bylaw, 1993, No. 12000. Look up the parcel’s zone in the City’s mapping before you count on anything.
  • Subdivision and servicing run under the Subdivision and Development Bylaw, 1986, No. 8830.

Small-scale housing

  • Since July 8, 2024, eligible lots can have up to three units on lots under 280 m², four units on larger lots, and up to six on lots of at least 281 m² within 400 m of a frequent bus stop.
  • Lots not connected to City water and sewer are among the exemptions. The new rules don’t make an existing unpermitted suite legal, so check its permit before you count on the rent.

Suites, coach houses and garden suites

  • One secondary suite is allowed in a single detached house, a semi-detached house or a duplex unit, up to 40% of the main home’s habitable floor area. It can’t be in a coach house or garden suite, and it can never be sold as its own strata lot.
  • Coach houses and garden suites are allowed in zones that allow houses, duplexes and houseplexes, from 35 m² to 75 m², or up to 120 m² on RA, R2, R2-O and R3 lots where the main house hasn’t used its full floor area.
  • On ALR land, a suite has to be inside the main house.

Streams, floodplain and dikes

  • Streamside setbacks are in Part 7A of the zoning bylaw and change with the stream’s class, so the setback for a creek-side lot is read from its own stream.
  • On the Fraser, a formal dike protects South Westminster and Bridgeview. East of 132 Street to the Langley border there is no dike, and development there had to be built to flood protection levels.
  • The Serpentine and Nicomekl lowlands have their own flood control system. Check the floodplain map for any low-lying lot.

Short-term rentals

  • Only the owner can run a short-term rental (under 90 days in a row per guest), only in their own principal residence, and only with a City business licence, listed at $358 a year. Tenants can’t run one, and a strata can ban them too.

Before you remove subjects in Surrey

  • The parcel’s 2050 plan designation and zone, not the old plan a listing quotes.
  • Any suite’s permit and its size against the 40% cap.
  • Stream setbacks and floodplain status on low or creek-side land.
  • Your unit count under the small-scale housing rules, if you plan to build.

Rules change, so confirm anything that matters for your purchase with the City of Surrey and your lawyer.

Areas with their own rules

Rules that are the same everywhere in BC

Sources

Neighbourhood guides that use this page

Common questions

How many units can I build on a Surrey lot?

Since July 8, 2024: up to three on lots under 280 m², four on larger lots, and up to six on lots of at least 281 m² within 400 m of a frequent bus stop, if the lot is eligible and on City water and sewer.

How big can a suite be in Surrey?

Up to 40% of the main home’s habitable floor area, one per house, semi-detached house or duplex unit.

What Buyers & Sellers Say

Excerpts from Google reviews for Jared Gibbons, REALTOR® at Royal LePage Little Oak Realty (Suite 201 - 15272 Croydon Dr, Surrey). Quoted word for word; initials only.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “My husband and I sought out Jared and his team, as we knew they had years of experience selling properties within the Langley/South Surrey/White Rock area and they came greatly recommended…”

    S.S. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “Jared was super helpful, answering our many questions promptly! He made the home buying process as seamless as it could be and really advocated for us as first-time buyers. We recommend working with Jared as your realtor!”

    A.R. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jared for both buying and selling homes in the past, and he has recently helped me sell a condo. I can confidently say that his service is by far better than any other realtor I’ve worked with…”

    A.B. Google review

Ready to get started?

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