How Do I Legalize My Secondary Suite in Calgary Before the 2026 Amnesty Ends?

by Michael Smith

Photo: Nicewomanizer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

To legalize your suite in Calgary, apply to the City by December 31, 2026. That's the deadline for the Calgary secondary suite amnesty, which waives the Development Permit and Secondary Suite Registry fees. Your suite must also meet safety rules like egress windows and fire separation, then pass two City inspections.

What Is the Calgary Secondary Suite Amnesty, and When Does It End?

The City of Calgary's Secondary Suites Amnesty Program waives two fees for legalizing an existing suite that isn't registered yet. Those are the Development Permit fee and the registry fee. City council voted to extend the amnesty to December 31, 2026. This "existing secondary suite" path applies only to suites built before March 12, 2018.

Normally those two fees add up to about $741, per a City fee advisory from February 2024. Right now, calgary.ca shows both fees at $0 because the amnesty is active. Trade permits (Building Safety Approval, electrical, plumbing, mechanical) are separate. They are not waived. Registered suites have grown fast under the amnesty. The City's Secondary Suite Registry, the list of legal suites, went from about 13,000 suites in 2024 to 26,000 by August 2026.

Amnesty vs. Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP), at a glance:

	Secondary Suites Amnesty	Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP)
What it is	Waives City fees for legalizing an existing, unregistered suite	A grant that reimburses part of the construction cost for specific safety upgrades
What it covers	Development Permit fee + Secondary Suite Registry fee, about $741 combined per a City fee advisory (Feb 2024); both currently show $0 on calgary.ca due to the active waiver	Up to $10,000 toward safety items like egress windows, smoke alarms, and fire separation
Deadline / status	Open and active until December 31, 2026	New applications waitlisted as of June 24, 2026; funded first-come, first-served if money frees up
Dollar impact	About $741 in waived City fees; does not cover construction costs	Up to $10,000 reimbursed for qualifying costs, if you're not stuck on the waitlist
Extra condition	Suite must have been built before March 12, 2018 to use this pathway	Suites funded through SSIP can't be licensed as a short-term rental for two years

Is your suite legal? Call us at 403-919-2247 or email michael@mstrealty.ca. We'll help you figure out where your suite stands before the amnesty deadline.

How Much Does It Cost to Legalize a Basement Suite in Calgary in 2026?

Legalizing and building out a basement suite in Calgary typically costs about $58,000 to $110,000, as of September 2026. That's an estimate, from Calgary contractor and industry price guides, not a City figure. The amnesty's waiver only removes the City's Development Permit and registry charges. It does not cover building costs, materials, or trade labour.

Even with the amnesty active, you'll still pay for trade permits:

Building Safety Approval, $205.92
Electrical, $116.50
Plumbing, $116.50
Mechanical, $116.50

There's also a City grant, the Secondary Suite Incentive Program, or "SSIP" for short. If your project qualifies for SSIP and isn't stuck on the waitlist, it can reimburse up to $10,000. That covers safety work, such as an egress window or fire separation.

Is the $10,000 Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP) Still Available?

Not for new applicants. As of June 24, 2026, new SSIP applications go on a waitlist, funded first-come, first-served, only if money frees up. SSIP itself is a separate City grant from the amnesty. It reimburses up to $10,000 per qualifying homeowner for specific safety upgrades. Don't count on SSIP funding coming through before you legalize.

To qualify, you generally need to:

Own the property for the whole process
Apply only once per person
Have a suite inside the main dwelling, not a backyard or detached suite
Hold an active building permit
Wait to start work until after you apply
Complete a mandatory eLearning course

Each item has its own cap:

Up to $1,500 for egress windows
Up to $1,000 for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Up to $4,000 for a smoke-tight barrier (the fire-rated wall and ceiling between suite and main home)
Up to $7,500 for accessibility upgrades
$10,000 as the total cap per home

One more thing: a suite funded through SSIP can't be licensed as a short-term rental for two years.

What Are Calgary's Egress Window Requirements for a Legal Suite?

A legal suite bedroom needs an egress window with a clear opening of at least 0.35 m² (3.8 ft²), with no side smaller than 380 mm (15 inches), and it must open without tools or a key. The City also requires two inspections: one at framing (rough-in) and one final.

The suite also needs a building permit, confirming construction meets the building code. A Development Permit is also required in some cases. You need one if your zoning district has the City decide case by case. You also need one if the design doesn't meet Land Use Bylaw rules.

Other rules:

A minimum ceiling height of 1.95 m, cut to 1.85 m where ductwork or beams force a drop ceiling
Fire separation is the wall and ceiling that seal off the suite. It needs at least 12.7 mm (½ inch) drywall on the ceiling and both sides of the studs, with taped joints. Plus a solid-core connecting door, at least 45 mm thick, with a self-closer
A bedroom, bathroom, kitchen with cooking space, and a living area. Plus a private entrance, separate from the main door

There are two ways to apply:

A reduced-requirements package: owner declaration, info sheet, colour photos
A full-plans package: owner declaration, site plan, floor plans, elevations

Submit either one through apply.calgary.ca or in person.

Does Legalizing a Secondary Suite Increase a Calgary Home's Value?

A legal suite can support a Calgary home's value two ways. A lender may count rental income from a registered suite when a buyer applies for financing; this doesn't apply to an illegal or unregistered suite. Demand for suite properties is also climbing: Calgary's registry grew from about 13,000 suites in 2024 to 26,000 by August 2026.

An unregistered suite doesn't offer either benefit, and it adds real risk at resale. Sellers and their REALTORS® are advised not to call an unregistered suite "potential income." Both sides should confirm the suite's legal status in writing before a deal closes.

If a suite still needs legalizing before you sell, browse our Homes with Suites for Sale search. If you're house hunting for a home with a suite already registered, the same search works. Nearby communities like Elbow Park are worth a look too. Older housing stock there makes suite legalization a common project.

What Happens After December 31, 2026 If I Haven't Legalized My Suite?

After December 31, 2026, the Development Permit and registry fees go back to their normal, non-waived cost. Calgary's safety rules for a legal suite don't go away when the amnesty ends. That includes egress windows, fire separation, and the two required inspections. If a flagged, unregistered suite isn't legalized, the City may require the owner to remove it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out if my basement suite is already legal in Calgary?
Search your address on the City's Secondary Suite Registry map. If it appears, the suite is legal and registered. Registered suites also have a sticker inside the unit.

What's the difference between the secondary suite amnesty and the Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP)?
The amnesty waives City permit and registry fees for legalizing an existing suite. That's about $741, per a City fee advisory. SSIP is a separate grant, worth up to $10,000, for specific safety upgrades. New applications are currently waitlisted.

Is a secondary suite the same as a backyard or laneway suite in Calgary?
No. A secondary suite is a separate unit inside the main house, like a basement suite. A backyard or laneway suite is a detached structure on the same lot. Both the amnesty and SSIP apply to suites inside the main house, not backyard or detached suites.

Will legalizing my suite change my property taxes?
We can't say for certain. It depends on your specific property. Check with the City of Calgary's Assessment department, or a tax professional. They can explain how registering a suite may affect your assessment.

Can I still sell a house in Calgary with an unregistered secondary suite?
Yes, but market it carefully. REALTORS® are advised not to call an unregistered suite "potential income." Buyer and seller should confirm the suite's legal status in writing before closing. A lender may also limit how much an unregistered suite's rental income counts toward a buyer's mortgage.

Sources

City of Calgary, "Legalize an existing secondary suite"
City of Calgary, "Add a new secondary suite"
City of Calgary, "Secondary Suite Incentive Program"
City of Calgary, "Secondary suite permit costs and timelines"
City of Calgary, "Rent a secondary suite" (Secondary Suite Registry map)
City of Calgary fee advisory B23-003, "Existing Secondary Suite Frequently Asked Questions" (dated February 5, 2024)
newsroom.calgary.ca, "Suite success: how homeowners created thousands of homes through Incentive Program" (Aug 13, 2026)
Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA), "What to consider about homes with separate suites?" (Jan 16, 2025)
Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA), "Basement Suites, In-law suites, Secondary Suites: Real Estate Practice Tip"
HomeStars, "Basement development cost in Calgary" price guide (contractor/industry cost range, not a City figure)

The amnesty runs until December 31, 2026. Maybe you're not sure whether your suite qualifies, what it will cost, or how it affects your home's value. Either way, we're happy to walk through it with you.

Call us at 403-919-2247, email michael@mstrealty.ca, or browse homes with suites for sale to see what's on the market right now.

Author: Michael Smith, Michael Smith Team
Last updated: September 21, 2026