What is a real property report
A real property report, or RPR, is a legal survey of your property prepared by an Alberta land surveyor. It shows the property lines and where everything sits on the lot, including the house, garage, deck, sheds, fences and retaining walls, with the distances to each line. Only a registered Alberta land surveyor can prepare one. It is a snapshot of the property on the day of the survey.
What is a certificate of compliance
A certificate of compliance is the City of Calgary's stamp on your RPR. It confirms that the buildings shown are in places the Land Use Bylaw allows. It is not required by law. Lenders, lawyers and the standard Alberta purchase contract ask for it, and in most sales the seller provides it.
What an RPR and compliance stamp do not check
This is the part most people miss. The compliance stamp does not look at building code, and it does not confirm that permits were taken out or inspections passed. A garage in the right place gets a stamp even if nobody inspected it. To see the permit side, check the permit history on the City's myProperty map, which shows the last 10 years of permits for a house. Our guide to renovations done without a permit explains what to do if something is missing.
How much does a real property report cost in Calgary
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| New RPR from an Alberta land surveyor | Roughly $600 to $1,000, depending on the lot and the surveyor |
| Updating an existing RPR | Often less than a new one, if the same surveyor did the original |
| City compliance review for a house, semi or duplex | $189 per parcel |
| City compliance review for a townhouse or rowhouse | $281 per parcel, or $432 for a 7 day expedited review |
Survey prices are set by each firm, so get a couple of quotes. The City's fees come from its 2026 planning applications fee schedule.
How long it takes
Allow about two weeks for the surveyor, longer in the spring market. The City does an initial review of a house in 1 to 2 days. If it needs a closer look, for example to pull old records, allow another 14 days. Order the RPR when you decide to sell, not after you accept an offer.
Is my old RPR still good
Alberta has no fixed expiry date for an RPR, but it only shows the property as it was on the survey date. If you have added a deck, shed, garage, fence, air conditioner or addition since then, or a neighbour has changed something along the line, you need an updated report. Your lawyer will tell you whether the buyer's contract accepts the one you have.
What if the compliance stamp is refused
If something on the lot breaks the bylaw, such as a shed too close to the line or a deck in the setback, the City will not stamp the report until it is fixed. You can move or change the structure, apply for a development permit to allow it, or in some cases ask for an encroachment agreement if it crosses onto City land. All of those take time, which is another reason to order the RPR early. Our guides to deck permits and sheds and garages list the setbacks.
Why it matters before a renovation
For an addition, a garage or a backyard suite, the RPR is where design starts. It shows where the lines really are and how much room the setbacks leave. At Kay2 we ask for a current RPR, or order a survey, before we draw an addition. For the zoning rules that decide what fits, see Calgary zoning codes explained, and for the City's compliance link, see how to apply for permits and inspections in Calgary.
Sources
Checked November 8, 2026. Programs and rules change; confirm current details with the source before you rely on them.
Talk it through with Kay2
Every project starts with a complimentary consultation with one of our estimators.
