R4-1 Zoning in Vancouver - Residential Mid-Rise Apartment
R4-1: Residential Mid-Rise Apartment is a residential zoning district in the City of Vancouver. The intent of this district schedule, which contains the regulations for the R4-1 district, is to encourage mid-rise apartments and mixed-use residential buildings of varied tenures, while also preserving lower density options.
On a typical R4-1-zoned lot you can expect an FSR of roughly 1.45–4.3 and a maximum height of 47 m. Exact figures vary with lot size, frontage, and form of development, so look up your specific address to confirm.
Alongside housing, R4-1 also lists Urban Farm - Class A, Artist Studio - Class A, and Library (with Community Centre) among its permitted uses.
Intent of the R4-1 district
The intent of this district schedule, which contains the regulations for the R4-1 district, is to encourage mid-rise apartments and mixed-use residential buildings of varied tenures, while also preserving lower density options.
R4-1 at a glance
| Floor space ratio (FSR) | 1.45–4.3 |
|---|---|
| Max height | 47 m |
| Zone category | Residential |
Density tiers in R4-1
| Tier | Applies to | Min frontage (m) | Units / ha | Min lot area | Max units | Base FSR | Conditional FSR | Max height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Mid-Rise Apartment | Mid-rise apartment 4.00 FSR; mid-rise mixed-use residential building 4.30 FSR, which requires at least 139 m² of non-dwelling floor area (shown here as the bonus). Maximum building height 47.0 m (about 15 storeys). Minimum site area 1,532 m² with 45.7 m frontage, or 1,348 m² with 40.0 m frontage on a CORNER site. The corner case is not applied here because corner status is not derivable for Vancouver, so a qualifying corner site may support a mid-rise this report shows as low-rise. The Director of Planning may reduce the minimum frontage to 30.2 m and vary the minimum site area with it. Maximum site frontage 60.7 m. Where the development displaces rental housing, 20% of the residential floor area must be below-market rental or 100% social housing (Schedule J). | 45.7 | 1532 m² | - | 4.0 | 4.3 | 47 m | |
| Residential Mid-Rise Apartment (low-rise tier) | Below the mid-rise minimum site area, R4-1 low-rise apartment and low-rise mixed-use residential building are regulated by the R3-3 district. FSR is stepped by site area. Encoded from the "all other sites" column of the R3 schedule: 2.40 at 920 m² or more, 2.20 at 613 m², 1.60 at 460 m². Two uplifts are NOT applied here because neither is testable from the parcel record: a site no deeper than 33.5 m reaches 2.70 at 920 m² or more, and a CORNER site with 40.2 m or more frontage reaches 2.70 at 1,470 m² (2.40 at 920 m²). Confirm depth and corner status before relying on the base figure. The 2.70 shown as bonus needs a site of 920 m² or more with 100% of the residential floor area developed as social housing. A qualifying shallow or corner site instead reaches 3.00 with either 20% below-market rental in a transit-oriented area or 100% social housing (Schedule J applies). Maximum building height 23.0 m for apartment and mixed-use residential building (about 6 storeys), rising to 27.5 m (about 8) with 20% below-market rental in a transit-oriented area or 100% social housing. Townhouse is capped at 10.7 m. Minimum site area 460 m²; the schedule sets no minimum site frontage and no site coverage limit. | - | 920 m² | - | 2.4 | 2.7 | 23 m | |
| Residential Mid-Rise Apartment (low-rise tier) | Below the mid-rise minimum site area, R4-1 low-rise apartment and low-rise mixed-use residential building are regulated by the R3-3 district. FSR is stepped by site area. Encoded from the "all other sites" column of the R3 schedule: 2.40 at 920 m² or more, 2.20 at 613 m², 1.60 at 460 m². Two uplifts are NOT applied here because neither is testable from the parcel record: a site no deeper than 33.5 m reaches 2.70 at 920 m² or more, and a CORNER site with 40.2 m or more frontage reaches 2.70 at 1,470 m² (2.40 at 920 m²). Confirm depth and corner status before relying on the base figure. Maximum building height 23.0 m for apartment and mixed-use residential building (about 6 storeys), rising to 27.5 m (about 8) with 20% below-market rental in a transit-oriented area or 100% social housing. Townhouse is capped at 10.7 m. Minimum site area 460 m²; the schedule sets no minimum site frontage and no site coverage limit. | - | 613 m² | - | 2.2 | - | 23 m | |
| Residential Mid-Rise Apartment (low-rise tier) | Below the mid-rise minimum site area, R4-1 low-rise apartment and low-rise mixed-use residential building are regulated by the R3-3 district. FSR is stepped by site area. Encoded from the "all other sites" column of the R3 schedule: 2.40 at 920 m² or more, 2.20 at 613 m², 1.60 at 460 m². Two uplifts are NOT applied here because neither is testable from the parcel record: a site no deeper than 33.5 m reaches 2.70 at 920 m² or more, and a CORNER site with 40.2 m or more frontage reaches 2.70 at 1,470 m² (2.40 at 920 m²). Confirm depth and corner status before relying on the base figure. Maximum building height 23.0 m for apartment and mixed-use residential building (about 6 storeys), rising to 27.5 m (about 8) with 20% below-market rental in a transit-oriented area or 100% social housing. Townhouse is capped at 10.7 m. Minimum site area 460 m²; the schedule sets no minimum site frontage and no site coverage limit. | - | 460 m² | - | 1.6 | - | 23 m | |
| Residential Mid-Rise Apartment (low-rise tier) (Other Uses) | Below the minimum site area for an apartment, the site falls to the schedule’s "Other Uses" regulations: maximum floor space ratio 1.45 and maximum building height 11.5 m. Lower-density forms (duplex, laneway house, multiple dwelling up to 8 units, infill with character-house retention) are permitted but are regulated by the R1-1 district, not by this schedule. | - | - | - | 1.45 | - | 11.5 m |
Permitted uses in R4-1
- Mid-Rise Apartment
- Mid-Rise Mixed-Use Residential Building
- Low-Rise Apartment
- Low-Rise Apartment in combination with Townhouse
- Low-Rise Mixed-Use Residential Building
- Townhouse
- Duplex
- Duplex with Secondary Suite
- Laneway House
- Infill with Character House retention
- Multiple Conversion Dwelling
- Multiple Dwelling (up to 8 units)
- Single Detached House
- Single Detached House with Secondary Suite
- Principal Dwelling Unit with Lock-off Unit
- Urban Farm - Class A
- Artist Studio - Class A
- Community Centre or Neighbourhood House
- Library (with Community Centre)
- Park or Playground
- Plaza
- Child Day Care Facility
- Church
- Group Residence
- School
- Public Bike Share
- Public Utility
R4-1 zoning FAQ
What is R4-1 zoning in Vancouver?
R4-1 (Residential Mid-Rise Apartment) is a residential zoning district in the City of Vancouver. The intent of this district schedule, which contains the regulations for the R4-1 district, is to encourage mid-rise apartments and mixed-use residential buildings of varied tenures, while also preserving lower density options.
What can you build on R4-1-zoned land in Vancouver?
Permitted uses in R4-1 include Mid-Rise Apartment, Mid-Rise Mixed-Use Residential Building, Low-Rise Apartment, Low-Rise Apartment in combination with Townhouse, Low-Rise Mixed-Use Residential Building, among others. Permitted uses are allowed outright; conditional uses may require Development Permit Board approval.
What is the FSR for R4-1 in Vancouver?
Floor Space Ratio (FSR) in R4-1 generally ranges from about 1.45 up to 4.3. ZoneScout calculates the maximum buildable floor area for your specific lot.
How tall can a building be in R4-1?
R4-1 permits a maximum building height of 47 m. Height can be affected by view corridors, setbacks, and the specific form of development.
Other residential zones in Vancouver
- FM-1 - Fraser Mile
- FSD - First Shaughnessy District
- R1-1 - Residential Inclusive
- R3-1 - Residential Low-Rise Apartment
- R3-2 - Residential Low-Rise Apartment (Rental)
- R3-3 - Residential Low-Rise Apartment
- R5-1 - Residential High-Rise Apartment
- R5-2 - Residential High-Rise Apartment (Rental)
Look up a specific address in Vancouver
Source: official Vancouver zoning bylaw (PDF) · updated October 2026