Strata by City | Surrey
Strata Titles in Surrey
In Surrey, 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 Surrey sets its own conditions and fee. Every rule below comes from a Surrey document, read in October 2026.
The short answer for Surrey
- New, never occupied: None found. The fee bylaw lists $412 for a non-phased strata plan that needs execution by the Mayor and City Clerk; which plans need it is not stated.
- Occupied: Accepted for owned buildings. Under Council Policy M-10, Council will not approve conversions from rental to strata units unless Surrey's vacancy rate is 4% or more as measured by CMHC.
- Fee: $1,113 for strata conversions or amendments (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 18641, consolidated July 27, 2026).
Surrey strata rules at a glance
- Who approves a conversion
- Council issues a Certificate of Approval; the Approving Officer then signs the strata plan.
- Occupied buildings
- Accepted for owned buildings. Under Council Policy M-10, Council will not approve conversions from rental to strata units unless Surrey's vacancy rate is 4% or more as measured by CMHC.
- 2026 conversion fee
- $1,113 for strata conversions or amendments (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 18641, consolidated July 27, 2026).
- Tenants
- In the 2014 duplex example, the owner notified the tenants.
- Vacancy rate rule
- Rental to strata only when the CMHC vacancy rate for Surrey is 4% or higher (Policy M-10).
- Building standard
- In the 2014 duplex example, a Professional Engineer certified the building and its life, and the fire separation wall between the units was upgraded to the current BC Building Code.
- Secondary suite as its own lot
- The City's small-scale housing page treats a house and its suite as a single real estate entity.
- 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. The fee bylaw lists $412 for a non-phased strata plan that needs execution by the Mayor and City Clerk; which plans need it is not stated.
A new multiplex in Surrey
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 Surrey on this path.
None found. The fee bylaw lists $412 for a non-phased strata plan that needs execution by the Mayor and City Clerk; which plans need it is not stated.
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 Surrey
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: Council issues a Certificate of Approval; the Approving Officer then signs the strata plan.
What Surrey allows: Accepted for owned buildings. Under Council Policy M-10, Council will not approve conversions from rental to strata units unless Surrey's vacancy rate is 4% or more as measured by CMHC.
Tenants: In the 2014 duplex example, the owner notified the tenants.
Vacancy rule: Rental to strata only when the CMHC vacancy rate for Surrey is 4% or higher (Policy M-10).
Building standard: In the 2014 duplex example, a Professional Engineer certified the building and its life, and the fire separation wall between the units was upgraded to the current BC Building Code.
Fee: $1,113 for strata conversions or amendments (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 18641, consolidated July 27, 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 Surrey
Secondary suites: The City's small-scale housing page treats a house and its suite as a single real estate entity.
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 Surrey 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). |
| Richmond | $2,689 to convert an existing two-family dwelling; $4,026 for multi-family (Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, effective January 1, 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 Surrey
Can I stratify a duplex in Surrey? +
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 Surrey's approval under section 242. Accepted for owned buildings. Under Council Policy M-10, Council will not approve conversions from rental to strata units unless Surrey's vacancy rate is 4% or more as measured by CMHC.
How much does a strata conversion cost in Surrey? +
$1,113 for strata conversions or amendments (Development Application Fees Bylaw No. 18641, consolidated July 27, 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 Surrey? +
Council issues a Certificate of Approval; the Approving Officer then signs the strata plan.
Do tenants have to agree to a strata conversion in Surrey? +
In the 2014 duplex example, the owner notified the tenants. Rental to strata only when the CMHC vacancy rate for Surrey is 4% or higher (Policy M-10).
Can a secondary suite be its own strata lot in Surrey? +
The City's small-scale housing page treats a house and its suite as a single real estate entity.
Can a laneway house or coach house be strata titled in Surrey? +
Not confirmed by our research. Ask the city before you apply.
Does a new multiplex in Surrey 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. The fee bylaw lists $412 for a non-phased strata plan that needs execution by the Mayor and City Clerk; which plans need it is not stated.
Sources for Surrey
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