As of October 2026, the Town of Cochrane prices home building permits by the square foot. Its 2026 Residential Fee Schedule charges $0.25 per sq ft for a basement development, deck, shed or garage, $0.50 for an accessory suite and $0.76 for a new house's main floor, with a $90 minimum and a 4% Safety Codes Council fee on top (Town of Cochrane, 2026 Residential Fee Schedule). Every suite needs a development permit before any of that.
Key takeaways
- As of October 2026, a 1,000 sq ft basement development in Cochrane pays $260 for its building permit, levy included (Town of Cochrane, fee schedule), against $333.84 in Calgary (The City of Calgary, fee schedule 2026).
- Cochrane suites "require both a development permit and a building permit" before anyone moves in (Town of Cochrane, accessory suites).
- Under Land Use Bylaw 01/2022, section 9.7, a lot gets one accessory suite of at least 30.0 m² (323 sq ft), and a backyard suite at grade tops out at 80.0 m² (861 sq ft) (Town of Cochrane, Land Use Bylaw).
- The Town says a development permit takes "a minimum of 10-12 weeks", including the three-week appeal period (Town of Cochrane, development permits).
- Cochrane issued 40 accessory suite permits from January to September 2026, against 49 in all of 2025 (Town of Cochrane, September 2026 permit activity report).
Which projects need a permit in Cochrane?
The Town itself issues building permits. Its 2024 Quality Management Plan says the Town "will administer the Safety Codes Act" within its boundaries (Town of Cochrane, QMP). Here's what needs what, as of October 2026:
| Project | Building permit | Development permit as well |
|---|---|---|
| New house | Yes | No, where the house is a permitted use and the developer has a servicing agreement for the lot |
| Addition | Yes | Yes; additions aren't on the bylaw's exempt list, only enclosed decks and patios |
| Basement development | Yes | No, unless it becomes a suite |
| Secondary or backyard suite | Yes | Yes, always |
| Detached garage or shed | Garages always; sheds from 10 m² (107 sq ft) | Only over 53.5 m² (576 sq ft) or 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) tall |
| Deck | Top of floor 0.6 m (2 ft) or more above grade, or roofed | No |
| Retaining wall | 1.2 m (4 ft) or taller | Only over 1.2 m |
Note: From the Town's permit information sheet and Table 1 of the Land Use Bylaw. Any variance needs a development permit.
One catch is local. None of Table 1's exemptions apply in a flood hazard area or on or next to an escarpment (Land Use Bylaw, section 1.12.1), so there even a deck goes through Planning Services.
What does a building permit cost in Cochrane in 2026?
Size sets the fee, not value. These are the 2026 rates:
| Item | 2026 fee (before the 4% levy) |
|---|---|
| Basement development, deck, shed, garage or interior renovation | $0.25 per sq ft |
| Accessory suite | $0.50 per sq ft |
| New house, main floor | $0.76 per sq ft |
| New house, each additional floor | $0.58 per sq ft |
| New house, attached garage | $0.40 per sq ft |
| Minimum building permit | $90 |
| Electrical, plumbing or gas for a basement, addition or garage | $90 each |
| Electrical or plumbing for a secondary suite | $100 each |
| Variance request | $500 |
Note: From the 2026 Residential Fee Schedule. The Safety Codes Council fee is 4% of each permit, $4.50 minimum and $560 maximum.
The schedule lists no separate rate for an undeveloped basement in a new house, so ask Safety Codes Services how yours will be measured.
A new house pays its trade permits on top, priced by size. For 1,501 to 2,500 sq ft it's $210 for electrical, $160 for gas and $235 for plumbing. So a house with a 1,200 sq ft main floor, a 1,100 sq ft upper floor and a 450 sq ft attached garage pays $1,730 for the building permit and $605 for trades, or $2,428.40 with the levy.
How do Cochrane's fees compare with Calgary's?
Cochrane is cheaper for almost everything small. Calgary charges flat fees that don't change with size. Here are the same projects under each schedule:
| Project | Cochrane, levy included | Calgary, levy included |
|---|---|---|
| 300 sq ft deck | $94.50 (the minimum applies) | $205.92 |
| 576 sq ft detached garage | $149.76 | $333.84 |
| 1,000 sq ft basement development | $260.00 | $333.84 |
| 900 sq ft basement suite | $468.00, plus the development permit | $403.52 |
| New house, building and trades | $2,335 before levy for the house above | $4,370.80 before levy at a $420,000 value |
Note: Building permits only, from Cochrane's schedule and Calgary's 2026 schedule. Calgary's new house fee already covers trades, so Cochrane's are added in.
The $420,000 is close to the average value declared on Cochrane's 2026 new house permits (see below). Calgary's fee climbs with value; Cochrane's climbs only with floor area. The Calgary building permit guide covers Calgary's side.
The suite is the one place Calgary comes out ahead, and Cochrane's development permit widens the gap. The Planning Services fee schedule the Town links lists $500 for an accessory suite (Town of Cochrane, Planning Services fee schedule). That document is headed 2024, so confirm the amount when you apply.
What are the rules for suites in Cochrane?
Cochrane allows two kinds: a secondary suite inside a house and a backyard suite in its own building or above a garage. In the R-LL and R-LD districts, both are discretionary uses, so the Development Authority weighs each one (Land Use Bylaw, Tables 2 and 4).
Section 9.7 of the bylaw, office consolidation of 10 June 2025, sets the limits:
| Rule | Secondary suite | Backyard suite at grade | Backyard suite above a garage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suites per lot | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Minimum size | 30.0 m² (323 sq ft) | 30.0 m² (323 sq ft) | 30.0 m² (323 sq ft) |
| Maximum size | Not set in 9.7 | 80.0 m² (861 sq ft) | Not set in 9.7 |
| Height | Not set in 9.7 | 1 storey or 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) | 7.0 m (23 ft) or the house's height, whichever is less |
| Distance from the house | Not applicable | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Side and rear setbacks | Not applicable | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
Note: From Land Use Bylaw 01/2022, sections 9.7.3 to 9.7.5. A backyard suite at grade also caps all buildings on the lot at 60% coverage. The street-side setback is 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in).
The suite needs its own stalls on top of the house's two: one for a studio or one-bedroom suite, and two for two bedrooms or more (Table 40). No more than two of the lot's stalls can be tandem, and only one on a lot 9.0 m (29 ft 6 in) wide or less. A lot with a suite above a garage gets no tandem stalls at all.
The Development Authority also looks at the block, weighing "the cumulative impacts" of suites, home businesses, day homes and B&Bs nearby (section 9.7.2). For backyard suite layouts, see the backyard suite guide; for a basement suite, the legal basement suite guide.
How long does a permit take in Cochrane?
The development permit is the slow part. The Town says the process takes "a minimum of 10-12 weeks", including the three-week appeal period after the decision, and longer for complex files (Town of Cochrane, development permits). A decision is due within 40 days of a complete application.
The building permit has no published timeline. The Town says only that "approval times may vary based on application volume" (Town of Cochrane, decks). Once you're building, inspections happen "Within 5 working days of the requested inspection date" (Town of Cochrane, inspection information).
Here's a basement suite in order:
How much building does Cochrane permit each year?
Cochrane lists every permit in a monthly spreadsheet. Its September 2026 report shows:
| Permit type | Jan to Sep 2026 | Average declared value | All of 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single family dwelling with garage | 214 | $421,723 | 372 |
| Accessory suites | 40 | $53,168 | 49 |
| Detached garages | 143 | $32,216 | 159 |
| Renovations, basements, decks and sheds | 359 | $21,039 | 451 |
Note: Totals divided by permits, from the September 2026 report. Declared values are applicants' estimates of construction cost, not prices.
Suites are on pace to pass 2025. New houses aren't, at 214 against 372 for the whole of last year.
How do you apply for a permit in Cochrane?
By email, then online. Building and trade applications go to safety.codes@cochrane.ca with their supporting files. You then track the permit, pay the invoice and book inspections in the BluePrince portal (Town of Cochrane, building permits and inspections). Suite development permits go to planning@cochrane.ca.
A homeowner can take out building, electrical and plumbing permits, but "A certified gas fitter is required to obtain a gas permit" (Town of Cochrane, accessory suites permits). A suite application needs a fire safety plan, an electrical load calculation by a master electrician, a floor plan and the issued development permit. A detached garage needs roof truss profiles stamped by an Alberta engineer (Town of Cochrane, detached garages).
Where does a full-size walkthrough fit?
Before the development permit package, because Cochrane reviews a suite's layout, parking and design before any building permit. A 30.0 m² (323 sq ft) studio is legal, and it's also where a bed, a kitchen run and a bathroom door fight for the same wall.
At 1to1 Plans Calgary, Unit 105, 2750 22 St NE, the plan is lit at full size from inside a walkable LED floor, with room names and dimension lines. Freestanding walls and studio furniture stand in for the real thing, and any change shows on the floor right away. The session is recorded, so you leave with it.
Each session is quoted for your plan, and the quote costs nothing; pricing explains how it works. Book a session or a free 30-minute call first. For room minimums, see room sizes. Comparing towns? See the Airdrie guide and, for acreages around Cochrane, the Rocky View County guide.
Questions
Do I need a permit for a deck in Cochrane?
In Cochrane, a deck needs a building permit when the top of its floor is 0.6 m (24 in) or more above grade at any point, or when it has a roof, as of October 2026 (Town of Cochrane, permit information).
It costs $0.25 per sq ft with a $90 minimum, plus the levy. A deck doesn't need a development permit unless it's on a flood hazard or escarpment lot or needs a variance.
How much is a building permit for a secondary suite in Cochrane?
A Cochrane secondary suite building permit costs $0.50 per sq ft in 2026, plus the 4% levy, so a 900 sq ft suite pays $468.00. Electrical and plumbing permits are $100 each before levy (Town of Cochrane, fee schedule). The development permit comes first and is a separate Planning Services fee.
Can I build a garage suite in Cochrane?
Yes. Cochrane allows a backyard suite above a detached garage on a lot with a single detached house. It can be no taller than 7.0 m (23 ft) or the house, whichever is less, needs its own entrance and leaves the lot with no tandem parking (Land Use Bylaw, section 9.7.5). It needs a development permit, and in the R-LL and R-LD districts it's a discretionary use.
Can a homeowner pull their own permits in Cochrane?
In Cochrane, a homeowner can take out building, electrical and plumbing permits for their own project, as of October 2026. Gas permits are the exception: the Town requires a certified gas fitter (Town of Cochrane, basements).
Sources
- Town of Cochrane, 2026 Residential Fee Schedule cochrane.ca
- The City of Calgary, fee schedule 2026 calgary.ca
- Town of Cochrane, accessory suites cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, Land Use Bylaw cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, development permits cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, September 2026 permit activity report cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, QMP cochrane.ca
- permit information sheet cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, Planning Services fee schedule cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, decks cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, inspection information cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, building permits and inspections cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, accessory suites permits cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, detached garages cochrane.ca
- Town of Cochrane, basements cochrane.ca
