RT-10: Two-Family Dwelling, small houses and duplexes

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A single detached house (outright), with a secondary suite (conditional); a duplex, infill house or infill duplex, or more than one principal building on a lot of 511 m² with 15.0 m of frontage (all conditional); a 2-home conversion of an existing building (outright, no additions). At most 74 homes per hectare on a lot with 18.3 m or more of frontage, 3 homes on 15.0 to 18.3 m, 2 below 15.0 m; the Director of Planning may vary these, but to no more than 3 on a lot under 15.0 m. No laneway houses or lock-off units are listed (ss. 2.1, 2.2.3, 3.1.1.2, 3.1.2.9)

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, infill, conversions of buildings that stood on November 23, 2005, seniors housing, a mixed-use building with a neighbourhood grocery store; child day care, community care (Class A outright), churches, schools, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, all conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.2)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

306 m² for a house, duplex, conversion or infill (less for a lot on title before November 23, 2005, with the Director of Planning's approval); 511 m² and 15.0 m of frontage for more than one principal building (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.9, 3.1.2.10)

Lot coverage

45% of the lot, and at most 70% under hard surfaces (coverage included); parking at most 30%. Floor space ratio 0.40, which the Director of Planning may raise to 0.80 for homes and 0.60 for other uses (ss. 3.1.1.1, 3.1.2.6, 3.1.2.7, 4.3)

Height limit

10.7 m and 2 storeys in the front 60% of the lot; 7.7 m and 2 storeys in the rear 40%, the second a partial storey of at most half the one below; the Director of Planning may allow more. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), at most 48 m² together (ss. 2.2.6, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.11, 3.1.2.12)

Setbacks

Front the average of the two neighbouring lots' front yards (4.9 m on a lot over 18.3 m wide with more than one building); sides 10% of the lot's width on a lot up to 12.0 m wide, else 1.2 m, plus a 4.9 m side yard on each side near the rear, a quarter of the lot's depth long; rear 0.6 m (1.2 m with no lane). A lone building, with or without infill, at most 40% of the lot's depth (ss. 3.1.2.3 to 3.1.2.8, 3.1.2.13, 3.1.2.16, 3.1.2.18)

The schedule's aim is several small houses and duplexes on large or assembled lots, smaller development on small ones, and keeping older character buildings (s. 1.1).

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).

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 RT-10 District Schedule (May 2026) of Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); 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.