Sheds and Accessory Structures

Before you can get a building permit, you may need a pre-building approval application, which is the city’s written confirmation of the current zoning, forestry and site grading/drainage regulations for a property. For questions about the pre-building approval process, call the city’s Community Planning Department at 905-335-7642.

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 to determine their requirements when developing on your property.

• Email Conservation Halton or call 905-336-1158
• Email Niagara Escarpment Commission (Georgetown) or call 905-877-5191 

1. A zoning clearance certificate issued by the Community Planning Department
2. A completed building permit application
3. Designer schedules to show all designer qualifications, as per the OBC
4. The following construction drawings:
   • Floor plan(s) layout of the deck/porch – fully dimensioned including framing types, sizes & spans, etc.
   • Cross-section/Elevations including pier/footing/foundation details, connection details, height from grade, stair & guard details, etc.
5. A site plan - fully dimensioned showing lot lines, existing structures and proposed deck structure and setback distances.
6. Innovative materials or systems, such as composite decking or aluminum guards, may not be recognized by the Ontario Building Code. For those products, a Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) approval and Minister's Ruling or Building Materials Evaluation Commission (BMEC) approval is required. A copy of the CCMC or BMEC report must be submitted with your application for each innovative material or system to be used. Steel, aluminum and glass railing systems must be designed in accordance with structural requirements in Division B, Part 4 of the Ontario Building Code and an engineered design must be submitted.
7. BMEC Authorizations or Minister’s Rulings with CCMC Evaluation Listings for innovative materials or systems.
8. Permit fees – View our Building Permit Fee Schedule for more information on building permit fees.

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 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.

A declaration of designer form, “Schedule 1” available through the Building Department, must be completed by the designer of the drawings.

There is a minimum fee payable when you apply for a building permit. The fee includes plan review and site inspection services.

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.

Once you submit your 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 email your application, drawings and documents to Building Permit staff.  

All submissions must meet the city's electronic application submission standards. The submission standards can be accessed by visiting our Applying for a Building Permit page or by contacting the Building Department.

Yes, once your permit is issued, you will receive a checklist indicating which inspections are needed. You must contact the building inspector directly to book all required inspections. Building inspector contact information will be provided on your issued permit card.