How long do building permits take in BC?
Median days from application to issue, by type of work, from the City’s own permit data. Plan crews and quotes around real timelines.
Median · all permits
84days
from application to issue, for the 284 permits issued in the last 30 days.
Middle half of permits
23 – 154 days
Nov 2026 vs Dec 2025
30 days faster
Median days by type of work
permits
| Type | Median days | Middle half | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiplex | 257 days (middle half 141–320) | 43 | |
| Duplex | 187 days (middle half 153–216) | 9 | |
| Laneway house | 137 days (middle half 123–144) | 10 | |
| New house | 135 days (middle half 92–146) | 7 | |
| Demolition | 106 days (middle half 51–145) | 51 | |
| Pool / backyard | 106 days (middle half 84–135) | 5 | |
| Renovation | 32 days (middle half 7–95) | 61 | |
| Commercial | 28 days (middle half 14–79) | 95 |
Median days, month by month · all permits
Read them like a builder would.
Application to issue
The City counts the days from when an application gets a permit number to when the permit is issued. Time before you apply isn’t included.
Median, not average
The median is the middle permit. One stalled tower can wreck an average; it barely moves a median.
Why only Vancouver for now
Vancouver publishes elapsed days with every permit. We’ll add Surrey, Burnaby and others as soon as their data includes application dates.
Permit timing, answered.
How long does a building permit take in Vancouver?
Over the last 30 days the median was 84 days from application to issue. It depends heavily on the work: renovations were about 32 days and new houses about 135.
When does landscaping happen after a permit?
Usually near the end of the build, many months after the permit is issued. That gap is why permits are an early warning for trades: you can meet the builder long before the yard goes out to quote.
Why is my permit taking longer than the median?
Half of all permits take longer than the median. Complex sites, revisions and missing documents add time. Check with the City for your file.
Where does the data come from?
The City of Vancouver’s open data on issued building permits, which includes the number of days each permit took. We recalculate every morning and show monthly medians.
Built for BC trades.
Today’s permit is next season’s job.
PermitRadius sends you the new permits in your radius every Wednesday, so you can meet the builder before the work goes out to quote.
Elapsed days as published by the City.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Licence terms
PermitRadius is independent: not affiliated with or endorsed by any city or the Province of BC. Permit data shows permits as issued, not their current status.