R-2 — Residential – One/Two Dwelling District
Residential – One/Two Dwelling District (R-2) is one of Calgary's low-density residential districts under the Land Use Bylaw. Permitted: single detached house, semi-detached house, duplex, secondary suite. Needs City approval: backyard suite.
Last reviewed: August 2026
What you can build in R-2
Permitted (the rules below still apply):
- Single detached house
- Semi-detached house
- Duplex
- Secondary suite
Needs City approval (decided case by case):
- Backyard suite
R-2 rules at a glance
| Building height | 10 m — Duplex: 11 m; Semi-detached house: 11 m A Duplex or Semi-detached Dwelling gets a flat 11.0 m (s.487(3)). A Single Detached Dwelling is capped at 10.0 m (s.487(1)), rising to 11.0 m only where the parcel is at least 400.0 m² AND at least 10.0 m wide (s.487(2)). All other uses are 10.0 m (s.487(4)). |
|---|---|
| Parcel coverage | 45% (single detached); 50% (semi detached); 50% (duplex); 45% |
| Front setback | 2 m. 3 m with no lane |
| Side setback | 1.2 m. 3 m on one side if there's no lane and no attached front or side garage For a Semi-detached Dwelling there is no required side setback from the property line on which the party wall sits (s.485(3)). |
| Rear setback | 7.5 m |
| Minimum parcel depth | 22 m |
| Maximum dwelling units | 2 per parcel |
| Minimum parking | 2 stalls per unit Duplex: 1/unit; Semi-detached house: 1/unit · 1 per secondary/backyard suite |
Common R-2 permit mistakes
- A duplex or semi-detached needs a lot at least 13 m wide and 400 m². A single detached house only needs 7.5 m and 330 m², so narrower lots can't be split.
- The house and garage together can cover at most 45% of the lot (50% for a duplex or semi-detached), less 21 m² for each parking stall not in a garage. In older, established neighbourhoods, an open front porch doesn't count.
- A duplex or semi-detached can be 11 m tall, but a single detached house is held to 10 m unless the lot is at least 400 m² and 10 m wide.
- With no rear lane and no attached garage on the front or side, one side setback goes from 1.2 m to 3.0 m.
Notes
- Deleted by 21P2024 effective January 1, 2025, then restored by Bylaw 9P2026 effective August 4, 2026. This district is in force again.
- Permitted Single Detached, Semi-detached, and Duplex Dwellings.
- Parcel width: 7.5 m for SFD; 13.0 m for semi-detached/duplex (s.479).
- Front setback is a fixed 2.0 m (laned) / 3.0 m (laneless), not contextual (s.484).
- Parcel coverage reduced by 21 m² per required parking stall not in a private garage (s.482(3)). An unenclosed front porch meeting s.339.1 is exempt from parcel coverage; a garage is not.
- A Backyard Suite needs City approval (24P2014, s.476).
Is a specific Calgary lot zoned R-2?
Amest reads the current district for any Calgary address and shows the buildable envelope, setbacks and unit count for that exact lot — free.
Check an address →Bylaw sections: Purpose (s.474), Permitted uses (s.475), Parcel width (s.479), Parcel depth (s.480), Parcel area (s.481), Parcel coverage (s.482), Front setback (s.484), Side setback (s.485), Rear setback (s.486), Height (s.487), Parking (s.488). Read the live City of Calgary bylaw for this district →
Related Calgary districts
- R-1 — Residential – One Dwelling District
- R-1N — Residential – Narrow Parcel One Dwelling District
- R-1s — Residential – One Dwelling District
- R-2M — Residential – Low Density Multiple Dwelling District
- R-C1 — Residential – Contextual One Dwelling District
- R-C1L — Residential – Contextual Large Parcel One Dwelling District
- R-C1Ls — Residential – Contextual Large Parcel One Dwelling District
- R-C1N — Residential – Contextual Narrow Parcel One Dwelling District
All Calgary zoning districts →
Digitized from the City of Calgary Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 as amended (incl. Bylaw 9P2026, effective August 4, 2026). Amest is not the City of Calgary, a planning authority, or a law firm. Preliminary information only — confirm with the City and a qualified professional before buying or building.