RT-2: Two-Family Dwelling

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A single detached house (outright), with a secondary suite (conditional); a duplex (outright); a 2-home conversion of an existing building (outright, no additions); or a multiple dwelling (conditional) on a lot of 668 m² or more. No laneway houses or lock-off units are listed (ss. 2.1, 2.2.3, 3.1.2.1)

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, multiple dwellings and conversions of buildings that stood on June 18, 1956; seniors housing, child day care, community care, churches, schools, a neighbourhood grocery store, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, mostly conditional (s. 2.1)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

445 m² for a duplex (353 m² for a lot on title before September 7, 1965, with the Director of Planning's approval), 668 m² for a multiple dwelling (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.7)

Lot coverage

45% of the lot for houses and duplexes; 40% for a multiple dwelling (55% when no building is over 6.1 m and one storey), counting driveways and parking. Floor space ratio 0.60, or 0.75 for a multiple dwelling or seniors housing (ss. 3.1.1.1, 3.1.2.6, 3.1.2.9, 3.1.2.10, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.2.6)

Height limit

9.2 m, and at most 2 storeys and a cellar or 1 storey and a basement. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (ss. 2.2.7, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.7, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.2.8)

Setbacks

Front 7.3 m; sides 10% of the lot's width on a lot up to 15.0 m wide, else 1.5 m; rear 10.7 m. Where the rear of the lot meets a lane, the rear yard shrinks by the distance from the rear line to the lane's centre line (ss. 3.1.2.3 to 3.1.2.5, 3.2.2.3 to 3.2.2.5, 3.2.2.9)

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-2 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.