Strata by City | Richmond
Strata Titles in Richmond
In Richmond, as everywhere in BC, the path to strata titles depends on one fact: has anyone occupied the building? A new building nobody has used goes straight to the Land Title Office. An occupied one needs the city's approval, and Richmond sets its own conditions and fee. Every rule below comes from a Richmond document, read in October 2026.
The short answer for Richmond
- New, never occupied: None found.
- Occupied: Accepted. A duplex must prove it is used as a two-family dwelling only. For 3 or more units, if the rental vacancy rate is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected, Council should consider refusing.
- Fee: $2,689 to convert an existing two-family dwelling; $4,026 for multi-family (Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, effective January 1, 2026).
Richmond strata rules at a glance
- Who approves a conversion
- Not confirmed for duplexes. Buildings of 3 or more units are weighed by Council under Residential Policy 5012.
- Occupied buildings
- Accepted. A duplex must prove it is used as a two-family dwelling only. For 3 or more units, if the rental vacancy rate is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected, Council should consider refusing.
- 2026 conversion fee
- $2,689 to convert an existing two-family dwelling; $4,026 for multi-family (Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, effective January 1, 2026).
- Tenants
- The owner's written tenant relocation plan (refused if undue hardship would result) and the tenants' written views, using the City's Tenant Impact Survey.
- Vacancy rate rule
- Council should consider refusing when vacancy is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected (Policy 5012).
- Building standard
- An architect or engineer report that the building is of reasonable quality for its age.
- Secondary suite as its own lot
- No. The secondary suite is not permitted to be stratified (Zoning Bylaw 8500, s.5.4, added by Bylaw 9865 in 2018), and the bylaw defines a secondary suite as un-stratified.
- Laneway or coach house as its own lot
- Not confirmed by our research. Ask the city before you apply.
- New building, never occupied
- None found.
A new multiplex in Richmond
The Strata Property Act treats a new building that nobody has occupied as the simple case. A BC land surveyor prepares the strata plan and certifies on Form S that the building was never occupied. That certificate must be dated no more than 180 days before the plan is tendered at the Land Title Office (s.241). The Act asks for no approval from Richmond on this path.
None found.
The risk is timing. "Occupied" means occupied at any time, for any purpose, other than a display unit (Strata Property Regulation s.14.1). If you or a tenant move into one unit before the plan is deposited, the building moves to the conversion path below. The before move-in guide covers how to keep the order right.
Converting an occupied building in Richmond
Section 242 of the Strata Property Act makes the city the approving authority for a previously occupied building. It must refuse unless the building substantially meets the city's bylaws and the building code, and it must consider rental housing in the area, plans to relocate the people who live there, the building's life expectancy and expected major repair costs. Its decision is final.
Who decides: Not confirmed for duplexes. Buildings of 3 or more units are weighed by Council under Residential Policy 5012.
What Richmond allows: Accepted. A duplex must prove it is used as a two-family dwelling only. For 3 or more units, if the rental vacancy rate is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected, Council should consider refusing.
Tenants: The owner's written tenant relocation plan (refused if undue hardship would result) and the tenants' written views, using the City's Tenant Impact Survey.
Vacancy rule: Council should consider refusing when vacancy is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected (Policy 5012).
Building standard: An architect or engineer report that the building is of reasonable quality for its age.
Fee: $2,689 to convert an existing two-family dwelling; $4,026 for multi-family (Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, effective January 1, 2026).
After approval, the city endorses the plan on Form T, and the endorsement must be dated no more than 180 days before the plan is filed. The strata conversion guide compares every city.
Suites, laneway homes and coach houses in Richmond
Secondary suites: No. The secondary suite is not permitted to be stratified (Zoning Bylaw 8500, s.5.4, added by Bylaw 9865 in 2018), and the bylaw defines a secondary suite as un-stratified.
Laneway, coach and garden homes: Not confirmed by our research. Ask the city before you apply.
In every city, parking stalls and storage spaces cannot be strata lots on their own (Strata Property Act s.244(2)). They can be limited common property for one unit instead.
Rules that apply in Richmond and every other BC city
- The Land Title Office fee to deposit a strata plan is $105.30, plus $3.55 for an electronic filing (LTSA, April 1, 2026).
- Unit entitlement, set on Form V, decides each owner's share of costs. Changing it later needs a unanimous vote and the Superintendent of Real Estate.
- Selling new units needs 2-5-10 home warranty insurance and a licensed builder, unless the building is exempt (Homeowner Protection Act s.22).
- Selling 5 or more new strata lots needs a REDMA disclosure statement filed first ($2,250 under 10 units).
- Under 5 lots, the strata needs no depreciation report. At every size, at least 10% of the operating budget goes to the reserve fund each year.
Compare other cities
| City | 2026 conversion fee |
|---|---|
| Vancouver | $7,310 in 2025; the October 15, 2025 fee report proposed $7,640 from January 1, 2026. Building inspections are charged on top ($850.50 in the 2025 guideline). |
| Burnaby | $2,000 for an R1 small-scale building of up to 4 units, plus $500 for each additional unit, plus a $265 strata title inspection fee (Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 14485, consolidated August 25, 2026). |
| Surrey | $1,113 for strata conversions or amendments (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 18641, consolidated July 27, 2026). |
| Coquitlam | $4,856.70 for two units or less in standard zones (RS, RT, RTM and others); $6,799.30 for more (2026 Fee Calculation Guide). |
| City of North Vancouver | $520.70 application plus $520.70 legal, plus inspection: $208.28 for a duplex, or $208.28 per unit up to $1,270.52 (Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 9000, Schedule D). |
| Victoria | Preliminary Strata Review $150 for under 3 units or $250 for 3 or more, plus $50 for Final Strata Approval (Strata Titling Application package, March 2026). Up to three months. |
| Saanich | $500 strata conversion fee (Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2025, No. 10229, in force January 2, 2026). The application form still shows $250. |
| Kelowna | $3,445 for a building strata conversion in 2024 (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 12552). The bylaw raises its fees 5% each January 1 from 2025, rounded to the nearest $5. The City's 2026 fee bulletin could not be opened, so the 2026 amount is not confirmed. |
| Abbotsford | $900 for three units or fewer; $1,700 for four or more (Development Application and Service Fee Bylaw, 2010, Schedule G, last amended June 27, 2022). The Development Application Procedures Bylaw, 2026 still points to this fee bylaw. |
| Nanaimo | $500 for a strata title conversion (Fees and Charges Bylaw 2021 No. 7336, consolidated June 1, 2026). The City's subdivision application form lists final approval at $150 per lot. |
| Port Coquitlam | $1,000 plus $200 per strata lot created, up to $5,000; a renewal is half the fee, up to $2,500 (Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2025, No. 4415, Schedule K, in effect January 1, 2026). The Building Division inspection is charged separately. |
| Port Moody | $4,200 for a strata title conversion (Fees Bylaw, 2025, No. 3524, the 2026 fees, consolidated with Amendment No. 1 of March 10, 2026). |
Questions about strata in Richmond
Can I stratify a duplex in Richmond? +
Yes, with two different paths. A new duplex that nobody has lived in needs only a BC land surveyor's Form S, and the Strata Property Act asks for no city approval. A duplex that was occupied at any time needs Richmond's approval under section 242. Accepted. A duplex must prove it is used as a two-family dwelling only. For 3 or more units, if the rental vacancy rate is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected, Council should consider refusing.
How much does a strata conversion cost in Richmond? +
$2,689 to convert an existing two-family dwelling; $4,026 for multi-family (Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, effective January 1, 2026). The Land Title Office charges $105.30 to deposit the strata plan (LTSA fee list, April 1, 2026), and the surveyor, lawyer and any building upgrades are extra.
Who approves a strata conversion in Richmond? +
Not confirmed for duplexes. Buildings of 3 or more units are weighed by Council under Residential Policy 5012.
Do tenants have to agree to a strata conversion in Richmond? +
The owner's written tenant relocation plan (refused if undue hardship would result) and the tenants' written views, using the City's Tenant Impact Survey. Council should consider refusing when vacancy is under 2% and a dozen or more units are affected (Policy 5012).
Can a secondary suite be its own strata lot in Richmond? +
No. The secondary suite is not permitted to be stratified (Zoning Bylaw 8500, s.5.4, added by Bylaw 9865 in 2018), and the bylaw defines a secondary suite as un-stratified.
Can a laneway house or coach house be strata titled in Richmond? +
Not confirmed by our research. Ask the city before you apply.
Does a new multiplex in Richmond need city approval to become a strata? +
Not under the Strata Property Act, as long as nobody has occupied it before the strata plan is deposited. None found.
Sources for Richmond
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One app for 2 to 6 owners: the steps and documents to get your strata titles, then the budget, reserve fund, meetings, records and insurance dates once the strata exists. Join the waitlist and get access first.