Decks, Porches and Patios

For a deck, you must have a permit before starting construction, if:

• The deck is connected to a house or other structure, or
• A detached deck exceeds 10 square metres (108 square feet) in area, or
• Exceeds a height of 600mm (2 feet) high from grade, or
• The deck is covered or has a roof.

If at any time you have a question or are unsure whether a building permit is required, please call the Building Department at 905-335-7731

View the list of projects and their specifications that do not need building a permit.

Yes, you must have a permit before starting construction, if the porch is:

• greater than 10 m2 (108 ft2), or
• greater than 60 cm (24 5/8inches) high from grade measured from the top of the adjacent walking surface, or
• covered or has a roof, or
• connected to a house or other structure, or
• constructed with footings and foundations

View the list of projects and their specifications that do not need building a permit.

For an uncovered patio constructed on grade you do not require a permit as it's considered a landscaping element.

View the list of projects and their specifications that do not need building a permit.

Before you can apply for a building permit, you may need a zoning clearance certificate. A zoning clearance certificate is the City’s written confirmation that your proposed construction complies with the current zoning compliance for your property.

For questions about the pre-building permit approval process, call the City’s Community Planning Department at 905-335-7642 or contact by email.

Other regulatory approvals may be necessary if your property lies within Conservation Halton or Niagara Escarpment Commission boundaries. It is your responsibility as the property owner to contact those applicable agencies first to determine their requirements when developing on your property.

Conservation Halton: 905-336-1158 or by email.

Niagara Escarpment Commission (Georgetown): 905-877-5191 or by email.

View the step-by-step guide to Applying for Building Permit.

The Decks and Porches checklist provides a project specific outline of all the necessary documents and forms .

A homeowner can design a building/structure for their property without being qualified under the Ontario Building Code Act. The owner must prepare plans and specifications with enough detail to demonstrate the project complies with the Ontario Building code.

If any person other than the owner prepares plans and takes responsibility for the design of a building, they must have the required technical qualifications under the Ontario Building Code.

View our Building Permit Fee Schedule for more information on building permit fees. Please refer to 'Schedule A' of the city's Building Permit By-law for all fees. The fee includes plan review and site inspection services. 

Once you submit a complete building permit application, a plan review will be conducted within 10 business days.

At that time, your permit will either be issued or an application status report will be sent with items that need to be addressed before the city can issue a permit.

The city only accepts permit applications through electronic submission. You can find out more information on Applying for a Building Permit step-by-step guide.

Yes, once your permit is issued, the building inspector's contact information will be provided on your issued permit card.

• You will receive a checklist indicating which inspections are needed. 
• You must contact the building inspector directly to book all required inspections.