Is tandem parking allowed for a Toronto secondary suite?

Tandem parking is generally permitted to satisfy the parking requirement for a secondary suite in Toronto, but the rules depend on your specific zoning and lot configuration.

Toronto's zoning bylaws allow tandem parking arrangements (where one car parks behind another in a single driveway lane) to count toward the required parking spaces for a secondary suite. This is actually a practical accommodation the City made specifically because many older Toronto lots — particularly the post-war bungalows in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York — don't have the width to accommodate side-by-side parking.

Under Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, a secondary suite (also called a basement apartment or accessory dwelling unit) generally requires one additional parking space beyond what's already required for the principal dwelling. Tandem parking on your existing driveway can satisfy this requirement, provided the driveway is long enough to accommodate both vehicles — typically at least 5.6 metres deep per tandem space, though your specific zone may vary.

Toronto-specific context worth knowing: If your property is in an area with a parking exemption zone — common in many downtown and inner-city neighbourhoods with good TTC access — you may not need to provide any additional parking at all for the secondary suite. These exemptions cover large portions of the old City of Toronto, so it's worth checking before you assume you need to reconfigure your driveway. You can verify your zoning and parking requirements through the City's online mapping tool or by calling Toronto Building at 416-397-5330.

One important distinction: the tandem space must be on your private property — not on the public boulevard or street. The driveway must also meet minimum width standards (typically 2.6 metres for a single lane). If your garage is involved, the City has specific rules about whether a garage space and a driveway space can count as a valid tandem pair.

Your next steps should be to check your property's zoning designation at toronto.ca/building, confirm whether you're in a parking exemption area, and then consult with a designer or architect familiar with Toronto secondary suite regulations before finalizing your plans. A building permit is required for any secondary suite, and the parking compliance will be reviewed as part of that application.

You can also browse contractors and designers experienced with secondary suites in the Toronto Construction Network directory — finding someone who knows the local zoning nuances can save you significant time and headaches.