Estimate only, confirm with the city. Turn on JavaScript to run the numbers.
Who charges what in Surrey
A new multiplex in Surrey pays one-time charges to several bodies. The City of Surrey collects its own development cost charge (DCC): Townhouse: $29.63 per sq ft; Apartment: $33.47 per sq ft. Official page still names Bylaw 21174 as current. Reduced 2026 bylaw (TH $27.15, low-rise $30.72 per sq ft) sent to the Province; not shown as adopted. Rates per sq ft of dwelling unit area. Pending: 2026 DCC Bylaw (third reading May 11, 2026, awaiting provincial approval) would cut TH to $27.15 and low-rise to $30.72 per sq ft. Effective 2024-05-15 (Bylaw 21174 as amended).
Because Surrey is in Metro Vancouver, the city also collects Metro Vancouver's regional water, sewer (FSA sewerage area) and parkland DCCs and the TransLink DCC for the Regional Transportation Development Cost Charge. On a 4-plex those regional lines add $92,532.
For schools, SD 36 Surrey collects a school site charge.
Amenity cost charge (ACC): Townhouse: $5.68 per sq ft; Apartment: $8.81 per sq ft. ACC General Bylaw No. 21993. Houseplex units use per-unit rates instead. Houseplex rate $9,153.96 per additional dwelling unit.
Building permit: Bylaw 17850 consolidated to 2026-05-25
Worked examples
4-plex, 4 units of 1,100 sq ft on a 6,000 sq ft lot at $400 a sq ft to build: $271,073 total, $67,768 a unit. The biggest line is Surrey municipal DCC at $130,372, 48% of the total. That ranks Surrey number 15 of 19 for a 4-plex.
6-plex, 6 units of 1,000 sq ft on the same lot: $382,245 total, $63,708 a unit, number 15 of 19. A duplex of two 1,400 sq ft units comes to $165,282.
Full line items: duplex, 4-plex, 6-plex.
What is changing
- DCC corrected to current Bylaw 21174 rates: townhouse $29.63, low-rise apartment $33.47 per sq ft. The lower 2026 rates are not shown as adopted on the city page.
- Metro Vancouver's draft 2028 to 2030 DCC program would charge multiplexes of 3 or more units the apartment rate per unit and duplexes the townhouse rate. Not adopted. How the regional DCC works.
- DCC: Verified: city DCC page confirms Bylaw 21174 in force since 2024-05-15; corporate report R098 (2026-05-11) confirms TH $29.63, low-rise $33.47, read 2026-10-16
What this leaves out
Area-specific add-ons, credits for existing homes on the lot, waivers, in-stream protection, servicing works, and utility connection fees. Check those with the city before you price land.
Cities near this cost for a 4-plex: New Westminster ($65,688 a unit), Burnaby ($85,982 a unit). Compare all 19.
Background: what a DCC is, ACCs, school site charges, BC multiplex zoning rules.
Surrey: rates on file
Surrey is in Metro Vancouver, so regional water, sewer and parkland DCCs and the TransLink DCC also apply. Regional and TransLink lines are in the estimate above. Checked 2026-10-16.
| Charge | Rate | Status | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal DCCOfficial page still names Bylaw 21174 as current. Reduced 2026 bylaw (TH $27.15, low-rise $30.72 per sq ft) sent to the Province; not shown as adopted. Rates per sq ft of dwelling unit area. Pending: 2026 DCC Bylaw (third reading May 11, 2026, awaiting provincial approval) would cut TH to $27.15 and low-rise to $30.72 per sq ft. | Townhouse: $29.63 per sq ft; Apartment: $33.47 per sq ft | Verified | 2024-05-15 (Bylaw 21174 as amended) | Source |
| Amenity cost chargeACC General Bylaw No. 21993. Houseplex units use per-unit rates instead. Houseplex rate $9,153.96 per additional dwelling unit. | Townhouse: $5.68 per sq ft; Apartment: $8.81 per sq ft | Verified | 2026 | Source |
| School site chargeSD 36 Surrey | Provincial schedule, $600 to $1,000 per unit by density | Provincial maximum | 2026-10-16 | Source |
| Building permit fee | Bylaw 17850 consolidated to 2026-05-25 | Verified | 2026-05-25 | Source |
Questions
How much are development fees on a 4-plex in Surrey?
About $271,073, or $67,768 a unit, for four 1,100 sq ft units on a 6,000 sq ft lot, counting priced lines only. Estimate only, confirm with the city.
Does the Metro Vancouver regional DCC apply in Surrey?
Yes. Surrey is in Metro Vancouver, so regional water, sewer and parkland DCCs and the TransLink DCC apply.
Does Surrey charge an amenity cost charge?
Yes. Townhouse: $5.68 per sq ft; Apartment: $8.81 per sq ft.