R4-1: Mid-Rise Apartment

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Mid-rise apartments and mixed-use buildings to 47.0 m (conditional) on a lot of 1,532 m² with 45.7 m of frontage (1,348 m² and 40.0 m on a corner; the Director of Planning may allow 30.2 m), more than one building with approval, every home secured rental where rental homes are replaced; low-rise apartments and mixed-use buildings, with townhouses at the rear, under the R3-3 district's rules; townhouses of more than 8 homes under the RR-1 schedule where rental homes are replaced, else RM-8A's; and everything the R1-1 district allows, under its rules (houses with a suite and a laneway house, duplexes with suites or lock-off units, multiplexes of up to 8 homes, character-house infill and conversions) (ss. 1.1, 2.1, 2.2.1 to 2.2.4, 2.2.8, 2.2.9, 3.1.1.2, 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.8)

Main uses

Apartments, mixed-use buildings and the R1-1 district's homes; offices, banks, health care offices, retail stores, a neighbourhood grocery store, barbers and beauty and wellness centres outright; a grocery or drug store, liquor stores, Class 1 restaurants, a hotel, fitness centres, theatres, schools, child day care, churches, a hospital, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, conditional, weighing parking, traffic and noise (ss. 2.1, 2.2.5, 2.2.10)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

1,532 m² and 45.7 m of frontage for a mid-rise building (1,348 m² and 40.0 m on a corner), at most 60.7 m of frontage, which the Director of Planning may vary; low-rise apartments as in R3-3; houses, duplexes and multiplexes as in R1-1 (ss. 2.2.1, 2.2.4, 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.7 to 3.1.2.9)

Lot coverage

None set for mid-rise buildings. Floor space ratio 4.00 for a mid-rise apartment, 4.30 for a mid-rise mixed-use building with at least 139 m² of other uses; where rental homes are replaced, 20% of the homes' floor area below-market rental or all social housing. Low-rise apartments as in R3-3; other uses 1.45 (ss. 3.1.1.2 to 3.1.1.4, 3.2.1.1)

Height limit

Mid-rise buildings 47.0 m; low-rise ones 23.0 m (27.5 m with 20% of the homes' floor area below-market rental in a transit-oriented area, or all social housing); other uses 11.5 m. Accessory buildings 4.6 m (ss. 1.1, 2.2.11, 3.1.2.3, 3.2.2.1)

Setbacks

Mid-rise buildings: front 3.7 m, sides 3.7 m, rear 6.1 m, which the Director of Planning may vary. Other uses: front 3.7 m, sides 1.2 m, rear 3.1 m (ss. 3.1.2.4 to 3.1.2.6, 3.1.2.9, 3.2.2.2 to 3.2.2.4)

The schedule's aim is mid-rise apartments and mixed-use buildings of varied tenures, while keeping lower-density options (s. 1.1).

Mid-rise buildings need at least 35% of homes with 2 or more bedrooms and 10% with 3 or more, except all-social housing for people 55 and over (s. 2.2.7).

Whether a lot is in a transit-oriented area is set by the Transit-Oriented Areas Designation By-law; we don't check it: ask the City (Section 2).

Each habitable room needs a window on an outside wall (s. 4.3).

Redeveloping a site with 3 or more homes that removes rental homes (or did within the 3 years before applying) falls under the Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan (s. 2.2.6).

Outright uses get a permit once they meet the rules; conditional uses are at the Director of Planning's discretion, weighing the schedule's intent, Council's policies and guidelines and what neighbours, owners and tenants submit (s. 2.1).

A secondary suite: a smaller home inside a house or duplex with its own outside door (an inside door to the main home is allowed), one kitchen and a full bathroom, at least 37 m² (29.7 m² with the Director of Planning's approval); it may be in a basement (Section 2, ss. 10.20.3, 11.3.1.2, 11.3.3).

A lock-off unit: a smaller home inside a larger one with its own outside door and a shared inside door that locks, 26 to 29.7 m² (19 m² with the Director of Planning's approval), one kitchen and a full bathroom (Section 2, ss. 11.3.1.2, 11.3.1.3, 11.3.3).

A laneway house: only behind a single detached house (with or without a suite) on a lot with access from a lane, at least 9.8 m wide (7.3 m with the Director of Planning's approval); floor area at most 0.25 times the lot area or 186 m², whichever is less, not counted in the lot's floor space ratio (s. 4.1.2); 8.5 m and 2 storeys; 4.9 m from the house, 0.9 m from the rear line, 1.2 m from the sides; coverage with it up to 50% of the lot; no deck on its roof (s. 11.3.8).

One family to a home, plus at most 2 boarders or lodgers; no home rented for less than 30 days except as a hotel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental (ss. 11.3.1.1, 11.3.1.7). The smallest home is 37 m² (29.7 m² with the Director of Planning's approval) (s. 11.3.1.2).

Short-term rental is a conditional use, only in the operator's principal residence (a home, secondary suite, laneway house or lock-off unit); never in an accessory building or a vehicle, or alongside a bed and breakfast; at most 2 adults to a bedroom and one booking at a time; its permit lasts 2 years (s. 11.9.1).

Bed and breakfast: at most 2 bedrooms and 4 guests, the operator living in the home, and no boarders at the same time (s. 11.9.2).

Sections 2 (definitions), 10 (general regulations) and 11 (use-specific regulations) of the by-law also apply. Parking is set by the separate Parking By-law, which we haven't summarised.

Site-specific exceptions listed in the bylaw by legal description can add or change uses for one property, and development permit areas, the ALR and building rules apply on top. Confirm with the City of Vancouver's development, buildings and licensing department before you buy or build.

Source: the R4 District Schedule (June 2026) of Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05 and 2026-10-06); Section 11, Use-Specific Regulations (February 2026), Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575; Section 2, Definitions (June 2026), Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575; zone map: Open Government Licence – Vancouver.