Do I need a building permit?
Paint and new flooring, usually not. Moving walls, finishing a basement, cutting a bigger opening or changing ductwork, usually yes. Here’s how to tell before you start, and why the answer depends on where you live.
What’s in the job? Pick every part.
Tap everything your project includes. Each job lands in the bucket most departments put it in.
Usually needs a permit0
Nothing here yet.
Depends on your department0
Nothing here yet.
Often exempt0
Nothing here yet.
Electrical Safety Authority0
Nothing here yet.
A guide from published department lists, not a ruling. Your department decides.
If it touches structure, layout, plumbing or ducts, plan on a permit.
A building permit is how your municipality checks that the work meets the Ontario Building Code before it’s built, and inspects it while it’s being built. Each building department publishes its own guidance on what needs a permit, and most also list work that doesn’t. Those lists are close, but not identical.
What usually needs one, and what often doesn’t.
- Finishing a basementMost departments list it as permit work.
- Moving, adding or removing wallsIncluding new rooms and changed layouts.
- Removing a load-bearing wall, beam, column or lintelAlways structural work.
- New or enlarged openings, and walkoutsA bigger window, a new door, a basement walkout.
- Adding or changing plumbingListed as permit work by some departments.
- New or replaced ductwork, or a new HVAC systemSome departments list it.
- Underpinning or digging out for headroomListed by some departments.
- Other items on some listsA new bedroom, re-insulating, a wood stove, waterproofing and weeping tile, dormers or an attic finish.
- Additions and new homesAny new floor area or new building.
- A second unitEvery additional unit, inside the house or detached.
- Painting, cabinetry, millwork and flooringSurface work.
- Fixtures replaced in the same placeWith the same type.
- A same-size window or doorIn the existing opening.
- Re-roofing or re-claddingWith the same material.
- A furnace replaced like for likeOn some lists only. Others put HVAC work on the permit side, so never assume.
- A shed of 15 m² or lessOne storey, detached, no plumbing. The Building Code exempts it.
Electrical work goes to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), not the building department. Almost all electrical work needs an ESA notification filed before work starts, and you may need both.
Three jobs that look small but often aren’t.
A wall that isn’t load-bearing
In some municipalities, adding or removing any wall is permit work. In others it isn’t. If you’re not sure the wall carries load, treat it as structural until someone checks.
A kitchen or bathroom that moves
Swapping a sink in the same spot is often exempt. Moving it across the room means new plumbing, which some departments list as permit work. We show new fixture locations on the layout; we don’t offer plumbing design.
A basement with its own kitchen
A finished basement becomes a second unit when it’s a separate dwelling, with its own kitchen, bathroom and entrance. Then fire separation, exits and the unit rules apply.
Not sure if your project is basic or major? Read Basic or major renovation?
Already started without one? There’s a way back.
A building department can issue orders and stop-work orders, and fines under the Building Code Act can reach $50,000 for an individual. Some municipalities also add a penalty fee on the permit.
Drawings of what was built
And what still needs to change to meet the code.
A permit application
We prepare the drawings and the application.
Inspections
The work is inspected. We don’t do the construction.
Permit questions.
Do I need a permit to finish my basement?
Usually, yes. Most departments list finishing a basement as permit work, and fees are often charged by floor area. If the finished space will be a separate unit, that’s a second suite, with its own rules.
Basement unit requirementsDo I need a permit to take out a load-bearing wall?
Yes. Building departments list removing a load-bearing wall as permit work. The beam and post design is prepared and sealed by an outside licensed professional, and we prepare the permit drawings around it.
Wall removal permitsDo I need a permit to remove a non-load-bearing wall?
It depends on your municipality. Some list adding or removing any wall as permit work; others don’t. Check your own department’s list, or ask us.
Do I need a permit to replace windows?
Not usually, if the new window is the same size and goes in the existing opening. Making the opening bigger is a different job.
Does electrical work need a building permit?
Electrical work goes to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), not the building department.
Can I draw my own plans for the permit?
Yes. Owners may design their own project and drawings, and owners designing their own house are exempt from designer registration. The risk is that incomplete drawings slow the permit while the examiner asks for changes.
Pick the question closest to yours.
Find your building department
Permit lists, fees and how to apply, one page per department.
Basic vs. Major Renovation
What moves a project from surface work to permit work.
The renovation process
From quote to issued permit, step by step.
Pricing
Fixed design fees, from $1,500 plus HST for a renovation.
Tell us what you’re changing. We’ll tell you if it needs a permit.
Send a short description and your address. We check your department’s list and tell you plainly.