Demolition permit

COVID-19 update

April 16, 2021: The Services Centre is open for scheduled appointments and payments only. All other enquires are available online, by phone, or email.

We continue to process and review applications to help ensure buildings and development can continue to operate, generate employment, and meet urgent housing needs. Inspections continue daily with enhanced safety precautions.

Wearing a mask is required if you need to visit City, Park Board, and library facilities.

General enquiries: Phone 604-873-7611
Building, development, and application enquiries:
- Use our new online form and receive a tracking number, which you can use to get real-time status updates from 3-1-1.
- Email permitquestions@vancouver.ca. Submissions received through email will take longer to process and will not receive a tracking number. Please do not send multiple emails.
- We will respond to all enquiries within 10 business days.

You may still need to submit physical drawings and plans for your project through our online form or email.

The permitquestions@vancouver.ca inbox will close permanently on May 30, 2021, and we will continue processing emails received up to May 30, 2021.

In order to take down a building in Vancouver, you need a demolition permit.

Requirements to reuse and recycle demolition materials depend on the type of building you are taking down.

Using the tools and information below, you can find out what the requirements are for your situation.

If you're still not sure what is required for your project after using the 'Recycling requirements' tool, contact us directly.

Our staff can help you determine what permits you need, and help navigate you through the process.

Changes coming to Green Demolition Bylaw in 2019

Starting January 1, 2019, the scope of the Green Demolition Bylaw will expand to include pre-1950 one- and two-family homes. Pre-1910 and heritage-registered one- and two-family homes will require deconstruction.

If you have questions, email compliancereport@vancouver.ca.