BC Laneway Home Eligibility Checker
Answer 4 quick questions to find out if your Metro Vancouver property qualifies for a laneway home.
Free Tool
BC Laneway Home Eligibility Checker
Answer 4 quick questions to find out if your Metro Vancouver property qualifies for a laneway home or coach house.
Which municipality is your property in?
Step 1 of 4 — tap to select and continue
This tool provides general guidance based on publicly available zoning information. Always verify with your municipality before proceeding. Last updated April 2026.
How the checker works
A First-Pass Laneway Feasibility Calculator
This eligibility calculator screens the basic factors that usually decide whether a Metro Vancouver property can support a laneway home, coach house, or detached accessory dwelling. It looks at the municipality, lot width, approximate lot area, existing home type, and whether the property has lane access. Those inputs are enough to separate clear no-fit situations from properties that deserve a deeper site review.
A passing result does not mean the city will issue a permit. Municipal staff still review setbacks, height, lot coverage, tree protection, utility servicing, fire access, parking requirements, and drawings. CoreVal uses the checker as the first step before confirming zoning, service connections, design limits, and project budget assumptions for the actual property.
The checker is most useful early, before you pay for drawings. If your result is eligible or borderline, the practical next step is a site-specific feasibility review. CoreVal can then confirm whether the project should proceed as a laneway home, coach house, garden suite, secondary suite, or a different build path.
How we evaluate
What CoreVal Checks After the Tool
- Municipal zoning and whether the lot allows a detached secondary dwelling.
- Lane or access conditions, fire access, parking, and waste pickup constraints.
- Setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, tree conflicts, and usable building envelope.
- Water, sanitary, storm, electrical, and gas servicing feasibility.
- Budget range, construction access, permit timeline, and warranty requirements.
Laneway Checker Questions
What does the laneway checker evaluate?
The checker evaluates municipality, lot width, lot area, existing home type, and lane access against common Metro Vancouver laneway and coach house eligibility rules. It gives a planning result, not a permit decision.
Is the laneway checker a replacement for a city permit review?
No. The checker is a first-pass planning calculator. CoreVal still verifies zoning, servicing, setbacks, tree constraints, and municipal application requirements before recommending a permit path.
What happens if my property looks eligible?
If the result looks eligible, the next step is a site-specific review. CoreVal checks the lot, lane access, utility servicing, building envelope, and budget assumptions before design or permit work begins.
Can a property without lane access still have options?
Sometimes. Some municipalities allow coach houses, garden suites, or other accessory dwelling options where a conventional laneway home does not fit. Eligibility depends on the city, lot layout, servicing, and access.
Which municipalities does CoreVal review for laneway projects?
CoreVal reviews laneway and accessory dwelling opportunities across Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, North Vancouver, New Westminster, Surrey, Richmond, Langley, and nearby Metro Vancouver communities.