Construction street use permit

You may need a shoring and excavation street use permit for:

• Sheet piles
• Anchor rods
• Shotcrete

Unsure if you need a street use permit for shoring and excavation? Contact Engineering Shoring Review

Future rapid transit corridors

Developments impacting these areas may face specific requirements. If a development is encroaching into any of the corridors identified on the map, it is likely that fiberglass anchor rods will be required by the City Engineer.

RTO requirement: When any portion of the anchor is positioned below 4m of final grade, a fiberglass anchor will be required to be installed.

Review future rapid corridors map PDF file (1.9 MB)

A. Apply for a building permit

You need to apply for a building permit prior to applying for a shoring or excavation street use permit.

B. Prepare your street use permit application package

1. Complete the Commercial General Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (197 KB) or Wrap-up Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (170 KB). If not available at this time, you may be able to move to the next step but the insurance form must be provided prior to payment of fees and issuance of the engineering street use permit.
2. Excavation and shoring drawings sealed by a geotechnical engineer
3. Professional Letter of Assurance - Schedule B PDF file (161 KB)
4. Provide contact details (name, phone number, email and mailing address) for:
   • Applicant
   • Payor
   • Prime Contractor External website, opens in new tab

C. Submit your plan

Submit your application package

Information icon We will provide a confirmation receipt of your submitted application package within ten business days.

A. Application review

We will review the plan to ensure it:

• Meets City of Vancouver Construction Specifications and Design Manual
• Identifies all impacted utilities and infrastructures
• Meets City of Vancouver, Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC), and all other relevant published geotechnical design requirements
• Protects public safety, City assets, and the environment
• Proposes appropriate monitoring and inspection
• Addresses appropriate fees and deposits

B. Feedback and approval

We will provide you with a list of any conditions and items to be addressed as well as a notice of payment before a shoring and excavation street use permit can be issued.

Make sure the applicable liability insurance forms has been submitted. All street use fees and deposits relating to your application must be paid prior to the issuance of your construction street use permit.           

You will receive an email when your permit is issued. Print it and store a hardcopy on site at all times.

Information icon Ensure the contact information and mailing address on the shoring street use permit is up-to-date throughout the project.

Information icon If your contact information has changed, email Engineering Client Services.

When you complete your work, email streetusereview@vancouver.ca to request a refund of deposits.

A project coordinator or inspector will assess any damage to City infrastructure and ensure all requirements are complete.

Deposits can not be refunded until all acceptance reviews have been approved. A CCTV sewer inspection may also be required.

You may need a hoarding and scaffolding temporary occupancy permit for:

• Structural hoarding
• Structural container hoarding
• Tube and clamp structural hoarding
• Non-structural scaffolding and hoarding

Unsure if you need a temporary occupancy permit for hoarding and scaffolding? Contact Engineering Street Use Review.

A. If required, apply for a building permit

Confirm with Development, Buildings, and Licensing services online if your activity requires a building permit before you apply for a hoarding or scaffolding temporary occupancy permit. 

B. Prepare your temporary occupancy permit application package

1. Complete the Commercial General Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (197 KB) or Wrap-up Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (170 KB). If not available at this time, you may be able to move to the next step but the insurance form must be provided prior to payment of fees and issuance of the engineering temporary occupancy permit.
2. Provide contact details (name, phone number, email and mailing address) for:
   • Applicant
   • Payor
   • Prime Contractor External website, opens in new tab

C. Submit your plan

Email streetusereview@vancouver.ca with your application package.

Information icon We will provide a confirmation receipt of your submitted application package within ten business days.

A. Application review

We will review the plan to ensure it:

• Meets City of Vancouver Construction Specifications and Design Manual
• Protects the public, City assets, and the environment
• Proposes appropriate monitoring and inspection
• Addresses appropriate fees and deposits

B. Feedback and approval

We will provide you with a list of any conditions and items to be addressed as well as a notice of payment before a hoarding or scaffolding temporary occupancy permit can be issued.

Make sure the applicable liability insurance forms has been submitted. All street use fees and deposits relating to your application must be paid prior to the issuance of your construction temporary occupancy permit. 

You will receive an email when your permit is issued. Print it and store a hardcopy on site at all times.

Information icon Make sure the contact information and mailing address on the hoarding or scaffolding temporary occupancy permit is up-to-date throughout the project.

Information icon If your contact information has changed, email Engineering Client Services.

When you complete your work, email streetusereview@vancouver.ca to request a refund of deposits.

A project coordinator or inspector will assess any damage to City infrastructure and ensure all requirements are complete.

Deposits can not be refunded until all acceptance reviews have been approved.

You may need a construction street use permit if:

• The project is construction related and you are requesting to occupy portions of sidewalk, boulevard, bus lane, traffic lane, rear lane, or bike lane
• You are occupying air space over a street or sidewalk
• There is a construction trailer storage or elevated work platforms

Unsure if you need a construction street use permit? Contact Engineering Street Use Review.

Note If you are renovating or building a house or laneway house, please apply for a building permit prior to your construction street use request.

Provide the following project information to Engineering Street Use Review:

• Project work description
• Provide contact details (name, phone number, email and mailing address) for:
  • Applicant
  • Payor
  • Prime Contractor External website, opens in new tab
• Location of project work (address, street name, hundred block)
• Duration of work
• Provide building permit number if available
• Complete the Commercial General Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (197 KB) or Wrap-up Liabilities Insurance Form PDF file (170 KB). 
  If not available at this time, you may be able to move to the next step as this is required prior to payment of fees and issuance of the engineering street use permit.

Information icon Some construction street use requests require additional coordination where it may require a minimum of 60 days of lead time. Email streetusereview@vancouver.ca for more information.

Information icon Requests to restrict parking in a curb lane (signage requests) for delivery, pick-up, or other construction related purposes must be made seven (7) business days prior to the start of project work.

Information icon Where signage requests are not included in your street use permit request, we will provide a confirmation receipt of your submitted email within ten business days.

A. Application review

We will review the plan to ensure it:

• Meets City of Vancouver Construction Specifications and Design Manual
• Protects public safety, City assets, and the environment
• Proposes appropriate monitoring and inspection
• Addresses appropriate fees and deposits

B. Feedback and approval

We will provide you with a list of any conditions and items to be addressed as well as a notice of payment before a construction
street use permit can be issued.

Make sure the applicable liability insurance forms has been submitted. All street use fees and deposits relating to your application must be paid prior to the issuance of your construction street use permit. 

You will receive an email when your permit is issued. Print it and store a hardcopy on site at all times.

Information icon Ensure the contact information and mailing address on the hoarding or scaffolding street use permit is up-to-date throughout the project.

Information icon If your contact information has changed, email Engineering Client Services.

When you complete your work, email streetusereview@vancouver.ca to request a refund of deposits.

A project coordinator or inspector will assess any damage to City infrastructure and ensure all requirements are complete.

Deposits can not be refunded until all acceptance reviews have been approved.