How Many Units Can You Build on a West Vancouver Lot?
West Vancouver applied the Bill 44 unit bands to its RD duplex zones only. Its single-family RS zones, which cover most of the District, still allow 3 units, and a 2026 amendment that would add a fourth is not yet law.
West Vancouver zoning changes: see the sourced amendment timeline alongside this guide.
West Vancouver is the clearest case in Metro Vancouver of a city that wrote Bill 44 into some zones and not others. Zoning Bylaw 4662, amended by Bylaw 5351 in August 2024, put the 3, 4 and 6 unit bands into the RD1, RD2 and RD3 duplex zones. The fourteen RS single-family zones were left as they were.
The District has since been told by the Province that compliance is a legislated requirement. An amendment that would change the RS zones has been read but not adopted, so the figures on this page, and on the map, are the bylaw as it stands today.
| Situation | Units | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| RS single-family zones | 3 units | House, suite and detached suite |
| RD duplex zones, lot above 280 m² | 4 units | 3 on a smaller lot in RD1 and RD2 |
| RD, near a prescribed bus stop | 6 units | Lot must exceed 280 m² |
The RS zones: three units and no more
Across RS1 to RS5, RS9 and RS10 and their Upper Lands counterparts, the bylaw permits one single family dwelling, one secondary suite and one detached secondary suite. That is 3 units. RS6 is stricter, at 1, and RS7 and RS8 are cluster zones that state no unit count.
Floor area is tight. The ratio is 0.30 across most RS zones and 0.35 in the Upper Lands and RS1, with 30% site coverage and a height of 7.62 m over 2 storeys. Three units fit in less building than they would in most of the region.
The RD zones: where the Bill 44 bands live
RD1, RD2 and RD3 carry the provincial ladder. A lot of 280 m² or less in RD1 or RD2 allows 3 units, a larger lot allows 4, and a lot above 280 m² within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop reaches 6. The bylaw states no servicing condition on these bands.
RD1 and RD2 use a floor space ratio of 0.5, and RD3 uses 0.75, all at 7.6 m and 2 storeys with 40% coverage.
Horseshoe Bay and the Comprehensive Development zones
The RG ground-oriented zones, written for Horseshoe Bay in 2021, state no unit cap. Density is governed by floor space ratio, from 0.6 to 1.0, plus an amenity contribution. The District also has dozens of Comprehensive Development zones, each written for a particular site. They are identity-only on the map: the zone is named and no unit count is printed.
Amendment Bylaw 5446: what is proposed and why it is not counted
Council gave Amendment Bylaw 5446 first, second and third reading on 21 September 2026, with changes. It would add a 4-unit band to RS2, RS3, RS4, RS5 and RS10 and replace their banded floor area with the greater of 0.65 or the floor area lawfully built at 30 June 2026.
Even as drafted, 5446 adds no 6-unit band to any RS zone.
Strata sites
A strata site is shown and priced as a whole site, not per unit, because the parcel layer carries one polygon for the strata. The report says so on the lot.
West Vancouver's zones that state a unit count
| Zone | Name | Dwelling units |
|---|---|---|
| RD1 | Duplex Dwelling Zone 1 | Up to 4 (6 near frequent transit) |
| RD2 | Duplex Dwelling Zone 2 | Up to 4 (6 near frequent transit) |
| RD3 | Duplex Dwelling Zone 3 | Up to 4 (6 near frequent transit) |
| RS1 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 1 | Up to 3 |
| RS2 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 2 | Up to 3 |
| RS3 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 3 | Up to 3 |
| RS4 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 4 | Up to 3 |
| RS5 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 5 | Up to 3 |
| RS9 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 9 | Up to 3 |
| RS10 | Single Family Dwelling Zone 10 | Up to 3 |
The three RD duplex zones carry the 3, 4 and 6 unit bands. The RS zones allow a house, a secondary suite and a detached secondary suite, which is 3. The six-unit figure depends on a prescribed bus stop within 400 m that the District has not published, so confirm it with the District.
Every West Vancouver zoning district, A to Z
West Vancouver Bill 44 FAQ
How many units can I build on my West Vancouver lot?
In the RS single-family zones, 3 units: a house, a secondary suite and a detached secondary suite. In the RD duplex zones, 3 on a lot of 280 m² or less in RD1 and RD2, 4 on a larger lot, and 6 on a lot above 280 m² within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop.
Does West Vancouver allow four units on an RS lot?
Not today. Amendment Bylaw 5446 would add a 4-unit band to RS2, RS3, RS4, RS5 and RS10, but it is not adopted. It is awaiting provincial approval.
Why is West Vancouver different from other Metro Vancouver cities?
The District applied the Bill 44 unit bands only to its RD zones. Most other cities rewrote or overlaid their single detached zones. The Province wrote to the District in June 2026 affirming that compliance is required.
Can I get six units in West Vancouver?
Only in an RD zone, on a lot above 280 m² within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop. The District has not published a prescribed stop layer, so confirm the stop with the District. No RS zone has a 6-unit band, even under the proposed amendment.
Why does my West Vancouver lot show no unit count?
Comprehensive Development zones and the Horseshoe Bay RG zones state no simple unit maximum. The map names the zone and does not guess.
Next steps for your lot
- Run your address for the exact permitted unit count and buildable envelope.
- West Vancouver Bill 44 map
- West Vancouver zoning districts
- See what City of North Vancouver lots allow
- See what Vancouver lots allow
- See what Coquitlam lots allow
Last reviewed September 2026.