Visit downstairs at Municipal Hall for in-person help 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Apply for a building permit

What type of building do you want a permit for?

For complex projects, schedule a pre-application meeting. We are available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday to Friday. Contact: building@whistler.ca, 604-935-8150.

Before starting work, you need to apply for a building permit.

In most cases, a permit is NOT required for:

• Minor repairs, painting, decorating, floor replacement.
• A single-story accessory building no greater than 10 m2 in building area providing it does not create a hazard, where it meets the setback requirements of the Land Use Bylaw and where matters affecting health or safety are not involved.
• Minor repair or alterations to any heating, ventilation or air conditioning system which, in the opinion of the Safety Codes Officer, will not hinder the satisfactory operation of the system and does not involve the health or safety of the occupants of the building.
• Landscaping on a land parcel including concrete and paving — unless required by a development permit.
• Fences.
• Personal sauna installations.

What is a building permit?

A building permit gives official approval from the Resort Municipality of Whistler to construct, renovate, demolish or alter a structure. During the permit application, we ensure your project complies with the BC Building Code, zoning bylaws and other regulations, and supports Whistler’s climate action goals. Our goal is to ensure Whistler has safe, sustainable and secure buildings.

We keep a record of building permits on a property file’s permanent record to show the work was done in accordance with applicable zoning, health and life-safety regulations. This can be viewed by future property owners.

The permit process

Once we receive your complete permit application, we review it to ensure it complies with Whistler’s bylaws and provincial codes. We’ll work with you if you have deficiencies that need further work to meet these requirements. Once approved, we issue your building permit.

Then we inspect to ensure the work is being done correctly and is in accordance with the permit.

Once your project is completed, we give you a file completion or occupancy permit and keep a record in the property file.

Processing

Building permit fee changes effective November 1, 2026 

At the regular Council meeting held on September 22, 2026, Council adopted the updated Building Fees and Charges Bylaw, and at the regular Council meeting held on July 28, 2026, Council adopted the updated Building Regulation Bylaw. 

It updates our fees to improve clarity, consistency and efficiency in the building permit process. 

Under the new bylaw, building permit fees will now be calculated using a new floor-area-based formula for fair and equitable charges. 

The updates include administrative improvements to the Building Regulation Bylaw and a new way of calculating building permit fees. These changes are intended to modernize permit administration, provide greater transparency for applicants, and support a more predictable permitting process.  

Building permit fees will be calculated differently 

Beginning November 1, 2026, building permit fees will be calculated using a floor-area-based formula rather than a declared construction value. The new calculation uses: 

Building Permit Fee = Permit Scope Index (PSI) × Total Floor Area (m²) 

Where: 

• PSI = a value based on the building type and scope of work 

• Total Floor Area = the area of construction involved in the project 

The Permit Scope Index varies depending on the type of construction and the scope of work being proposed.  

The new approach is designed to provide a more transparent, consistent and predictable method of calculating permit fees. 

Building Regulation Bylaw housekeeping updates 

The Building Regulation Bylaw has also been updated to clarify permit processes, improve administrative procedures, and address minor issues identified during the first year of implementation. These updates include:

• Clarifications to permit application and review procedures. 
• Clarifications to permit issuance and expiration requirements. 
• Updates to inspection booking requirements. 
• Improved definitions and administrative language. 
• Minor technical amendments related to servicing and fire protection requirements. 

Payment changes 

Applicants will be required to pay 50 per cent of the estimated permit fee prior to the initial permit review. 

This change helps align permit review work with application processing and ensures staff resources are focused on applications that are proceeding through the permitting process. 

How your industry feedback shaped the updates 

Feedback received during engagement with the building and development community helped refine the final fee structure. Changes made in response to feedback include: 

• Simplifying fee categories. 

• Reducing the number of permit classifications. 

• Clarifying revision and resubmission fees. 

• Defining major and minor renovations. 

• Removing a proposed annual CPI-based fee increase. 

For questions, please contact building@whistler.ca. 

Works and Services Charges Bylaw update

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has updated its Works and Services (W&S) Charges Bylaw (PDF) to ensure new development contributes fairly to the municipal infrastructure required to support a growing community. These changes modernize a system that had not been updated since 2000 and align Whistler’s approach with current infrastructure needs, housing requirements, and provincial legislation. The updated bylaw fees took effect on March 25, the day after Council adopted the bylaw, following approval from the Provincial Inspector of Municipalities. A 12-month instream protection period applies for eligible applications that were already in progress before adoption.

Whistler’s updated Works and Services Bylaw charges are competitive with other communities, balancing financial sustainability with development viability.

What’s changed?

Charges are now calculated using total floor area ($/m²) instead of a fixed per-parcel rate.

The updated Bylaw consolidates the five previous Works and Services bylaws into one and adds two new categories, Transit and Parks, to the existing categories of Water, Sewer, Transportation, Recreation, and Employee Housing.
Employee Housing charges now apply to all new construction, except covenanted affordable employee housing, which is exempt.

Works and Services Bylaw charges now apply to new construction, expansions and additions, as well as redevelopment or densification that increases total floor area.

Interior renovations without an increase in floor area are not subject to the charges.

In-stream protection

A 12-month instream protection period applies to eligible applications submitted before adoption of the bylaw on Wednesday, March 25. These applications will continue to be assessed using the previous W&S Bylaw charges, provided they continue progressing toward an approved permit within the protection window.

Where charges are applied

Works and Services Charges will appear on the same invoice as the Building Permit fees and are due and payable at the same time at permit fees.

When a building permit is ready to issue, the applicant will be notified if Works and Services Charges are applicable. Payment will be due at the same time as Building Permit fees. Payment methods include cheque or cash in-person. Currently, Works and Services Charges cannot be paid online.

Why we updated the charges

• To ensure the cost of new infrastructure is funded by the development that requires them.
• To align with Provincial housing and development legislation, including Bills 44 and 46.
• To support Whistler’s long-term housing and growth management strategy, including the ongoing need for employee housing.
• To help deliver long-term, financially sustainable infrastructure, while keeping Whistler competitive with comparable communities.

Updated fees

Works and Services Charges Bylaw No. 2489, 2025 Page 8 – Schedule “A”

These charges are enabled through the Resort Municipality of Whistler Act, which authorizes us to impose charges on land and improvements for municipal works and services. The bylaw also required approval from the Provincial Inspector of Municipalities.

Additional resources

 Are you looking for previous issues of the newsletter? View the Builders’ Corner newsletter archive.