Do You Still Need a Development Permit for a Basement Suite in Calgary?

Short answer: in most cases, no development permit anymore, but you still need a building permit.

In 2026, Calgary City Council made secondary suites a "permitted use" across the city. If your suite meets all the Land Use Bylaw rules, it skips the development permit entirely and only needs a building permit. The City estimates this saves up to six weeks and over $600 in fees. Backyard (detached) suites still follow the old rules.

What hasn't changed

A legal suite still has to meet the building code. That means:

• Fire separation between the suite and the main home
• Egress windows in every bedroom, sized so a person can get out
• Interconnected smoke and CO alarms
• Permits and City inspections at each stage

Once it passes final inspection, the suite goes on the City's Secondary Suite Registry and gets an official sticker. Renters and future buyers can look up the address to confirm it's legal.

Two deadlines worth knowing

• Fee amnesty ends December 31, 2026. Until then, development permit and registry fees are waived for suites being legalized.
• The $10,000 incentive is waitlisted. Calgary's Secondary Suite Incentive Program (up to $10,000 toward construction) is placing new applications on a waitlist. Applying still keeps you in line if funds come through.

Is a suite worth it?

Calgary's registry doubled from about 13,000 suites in 2024 to 26,000 in 2026, so plenty of homeowners think so. A legal suite can help with the mortgage, house a parent, or add resale value.

Founder Cjay is a civil engineer, so we plan fire separation, structure and egress properly from day one. Book a free consultation and we'll confirm what your property allows.