Do I Need a Building Permit?
Find out which building code governs in your province or territory, and whether your job is likely to need a municipal building permit.
Sound familiar?
- “You are not sure if a small job needs a permit from the municipality.”
- “A client wants to skip the permit to save money and you do not know where you stand.”
- “You are not sure which building code even applies where you work.”
What this tool does
Pick your province or territory and the type of work. This tells you which building code governs, whether the edition is current, and how likely the job is to need a permit. The final call always rests with your municipality.
This is general guidance. Your local municipality (the authority having jurisdiction) has the final say on whether a permit is needed and sets the thresholds, and some by-laws are stricter. Always confirm with your municipal building department before you start.
Step 1 - Where is the work?
How to get a building permit
- Have your drawings prepared by a competent person (an architect, an engineer, or a qualified designer such as a BCIN-registered designer in Ontario) to your provincial building code.
- Submit the application to your local municipality's building department and pay the permit fee. Approval can take a few days to a few weeks depending on the work.
- Once the permit is issued, build to the approved drawings, book the required inspections, and get your occupancy sign-off (plus any electrical or gas certificates) at the end.
What the law actually says
- •Building approval in Canada runs on two levels. The National Building Code of Canada sets the model technical standards, and each province or territory adopts its own building code from it (for example, the Ontario Building Code, or the BC Building Code). Whether a specific job needs a permit, and the thresholds for minor work, are decided by your municipality (the authority having jurisdiction), and they vary from place to place. Being exempt from a permit does not exempt the work from the building code, which it must still meet.