Building Permits - Certified Professional Program

The Provincial Housing Supply Act now requires the District of West Vancouver to collect and report housing information when new residential dwellings are proposed. As a result, Housing Form is now required for new residential demolition and building permit applications. For questions regarding housing forms, please contact the Planning department via email: [email protected]

The Certified Professional (CP) Program is an alternative building permit process in which a Certified Professional who is recognized as a CP by the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and Engineers and Geoscientist BC performs the full building review and inspection role on behalf of the District. As part of this process the CP verifies the design will substantially comply and the construction of the project will substantially conform with the building code, other applicable safety enactments, and the related development permit. The permit application must be prepared in accordance with the British Columbia Certified Professional Program Manual and the District of West Vancouver Certified Professional Program Municipal Insert

Application Process

In some cases, a separate Development or Environmental Development Permit is required before a commercial building permit application can be submitted. Visit the Planning & Development webpage for more details.

The following circumstances will require a Development Permit:
1. Construction of new commercial and multi-family buildings.
2. If the proposed work includes a use that is subject to the Development Permit Area.
The following circumstances will require an Environmental Development Permit:
1. Any construction within 15m of the top of the bank of a watercourse.
2. Construction of new multi-family dwelling within the Wildfire Hazard Development Permit Area.
Applicants must submit all necessary documentation at the time of submission. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

CP Program building permit applications must include all items on the CP Program Building Permit Application Checklist.

CP Program Building Permit Application Checklist (PDF)

For Single-Family and Duplex Residential Applications:
- Completed Housing Form for Single Family and Duplex Demolition Permit Applications (PDF) (required for Demolition Permit Applications involving demolition of existing single family, duplex, secondary suites and/or detached secondary suites (i.e., coach houses))
- Completed Housing Form for Single Family and Duplex Building Permit Applications (PDF) (required for Building Permit Applications involving new single family, duplex, secondary suites and/or detached secondary suites (i.e., coach houses))
For Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Residential Applications:
- Completed Housing Form for Multi-Family Demolition Permit Applications (PDF) (required for Demolition Permit Applications involving demolition of existing multi-family and mixed-use residential dwelling units)
- Completed Housing Form for Multi-Family Building Permit Applications (PDF) (required for Building Permit Applications involving new multi-family and mixed-use residential dwelling units)
The District is accepting electronic applications only.

Documents and drawings must be formatted to the below requirements or they will not be accepted:
1. Documents and drawings are set to high resolution and legible
2. All documents must be submitted in PDF format and to scale.
3. Plans/Drawings with multiple pages must be combined into a single Electronic Document
4. Documents and Drawings must be saved individually by discipline. Do not combine multiple checklist items into one PDF
5. Documents and Drawings must be named accordingly.
  Examples:
- Structural Schedule B
- Architectural Drawings
- BC Corporate Search
1. Documents containing multiple layers must be flattened to a single layer
2. File size must not be reduced
3. Any document required to be sealed by Registered Professionals must be digitally sealed with encrypted seal (Notarius software). Wet seals or photocopied seals and signatures will not be accepted.
4. Do not enable the “Certify” check box under “Advance Options” in the signature dialogue box when applying digital signature with the ConsignO software suite. This will prevent the District from applying subsequent stamps or seals.
5. File must be unsecured and not password protected
As of April 15, 2021 Applications must now be submitted using the Document Upload Centre. Emailed submissions will not be accepted.

In order to use this service, you will require the following:
1. A valid email address.
2. All application forms, documents, and drawings required must be prepared as per our above requirements and ready for upload.
3. The person you have specified as the applicant on your application form must be the same individual making this online submission.
Ready to submit? Click on the link below

Document Upload Centre