Permit Finder

Tick the statements that describe your project. The permits it likely needs appear below, with links to what each one requires. Free, no account needed.

Buildings & structures

Will you build a new building or structure, or an addition to one?
Includes stations, maintenance facilities, pump houses, electrical buildings and permanent kiosks.Do you need to start shoring, excavation, foundations or the structure before the full building permit is issued?
Part permits are issued in construction order: shoring → services under foundation → foundation → site services → structure.Will you renovate or alter the inside of an existing non-residential building?Will you replace or alter sprinklers, the fire alarm system or electromagnetic door locks, with no other construction?Will you build a "designated structure": a retaining wall over 1 m high, pedestrian bridge, communication tower, crane runway, exterior storage tank, or rooftop dish/solar collectors?Will you set up stacked site trailers, trailers without wheels or needing a water hook-up, tents or other temporary structures?Does the design depart from the Building Code's standard ("acceptable") solutions, e.g. performance-based fire or exit design?Will anyone need to occupy all or part of the building before it is complete?Is any existing building or structure being demolished?Does the demolition include any residential units (houses, apartments, rental units)?
Six or more units with at least one rental unit also triggers rental housing demolition screening.Will a building with six or more homes, any of them rented, be demolished or converted to another use?
Toronto's rental housing by-law (Municipal Code Ch. 667). Often needs City Council approval.Will demolition or construction remove asbestos, lead, PCBs, mould or other designated substances or hazardous waste?Must existing gas, electricity or water services be disconnected before demolition?Will you install signs: building signs, ground/pylon signs, or company signage on hoarding?Will the building need a new or larger electrical service from the local utility?Is a building or demolition permit being applied for next to a City road, without Site Plan approval?
Toronto Building takes a Municipal Road Damage Deposit at intake in this case.

Planning, zoning & heritage

Is this new development or a significant addition that may be subject to Site Plan Control?Does the design slightly exceed zoning limits (height, setbacks, lot coverage, parking)?Is the proposed use or scale not permitted by the current zoning?Does the proposal conflict with the Official Plan (land use designation, policies)?Will you create new lots or public roads, or divide a building into condominium units?Will you split a property, adjust lot lines, or register an easement or lease of over 21 years on part of a property?Will the land change to a more sensitive use (e.g. industrial to residential, parkland or school), or is it known or suspected to be contaminated?Does the work affect a listed or designated heritage property or heritage conservation district?Will you disturb ground that has not been previously assessed for archaeology (e.g. undisturbed soil, green space)?

Streets & right-of-way

Will work occupy a City street, sidewalk, boulevard or lane (hoarding, staging, material storage, lane closures)?
Includes crane or boom-truck hoisting over the road, and dewatering hoses across sidewalks. Closures longer than 30 days need Council approval (or delegated authority).Will traffic, transit, cyclists or pedestrians be detoured or have lanes reduced?Will you do minor digging in the right-of-way: boreholes, test pits, daylighting, or small service cuts?Will you install or relocate utilities, or excavate a large area, in the right-of-way?Will anything permanent or temporary encroach on the City road allowance (piling, shoring, canopies, ramps, fences, planters)?Will you create a new driveway, curb cut or vehicle access point from a City street?Will shoring anchors or tie-backs extend under the City right-of-way or a neighbouring property?Are bus shelters, benches, bins, newspaper boxes, bike racks or planters in the way of your work?Does the design permanently close or remove a road, lane or other public thoroughfare?Is any work within about 400 m of a provincial highway, or in the MTO right-of-way?Will any sign be visible from a provincial highway?Will you build or change an entrance onto a provincial highway?
MTO may also ask for a letter of credit while you work near its infrastructure.Will oversize or overweight loads be moved on public roads (e.g. large precast, tunnel boring machine parts, cranes)?
Each road authority on the route (City, MTO, regions) issues its own permit.Is the work near TTC subway, streetcar or bus infrastructure, does it affect a transit route, or must a stop be moved?

Water, sewers & dewatering

Will you install, relocate or alter municipal sewers or watermains?Will the City take over (assume) any new public sewers, watermains, roads or other infrastructure you build?Will you connect to, change or disconnect a water or sewer service?Will you install or replace a backflow prevention device on a water service?Will you pump groundwater or stormwater out of excavations during construction?
50,000 to under 400,000 L/day: EASR registration. 400,000 L/day or more: Permit to Take Water. Discharging to a City sewer also needs a discharge permit.Will the finished structure pump groundwater or drainage to City sewers permanently (e.g. foundation drains, track or tunnel drainage)?Do you need construction water from a City fire hydrant?Do you need a hydrant flow test to design a sprinkler or private fire system?Will City watermain valves need to be operated, a water service shut off, or a watermain or sewer temporarily bypassed or relocated?
Only Toronto Water operates City valves. Request at least 2 working days ahead.Will you build stormwater management works (ponds, tanks, oil/grit separators) or outfalls?Will the project remove about 2,000 m³ or more of excess soil from the site?
Ontario Excess Soil Regulation (O. Reg. 406/19): file a notice on the Excess Soil Registry before soil leaves the site.

Trees, parks & natural areas

Will any City street trees (any size) be injured or removed, including work in their root zone?Will any trees on private property with a trunk 30 cm or more in diameter be injured or removed?Are there trees whose trunks cross a property line (boundary trees) that could be affected?Will trees in a City park be injured or removed?Will you access, stage in or work on City parkland or other City-owned property?Is the work in a ravine or natural feature protection (RNFP) area, including grading or tree removal there?Is the work in a TRCA regulated area: near a valley, watercourse, wetland, flood plain or the Lake Ontario shoreline?Will you work in or near water that could affect fish or fish habitat (culverts, outfalls, bank work)?Will you build a bridge, culvert or other work in, on, over or under a navigable waterway?Could the work affect species at risk or their habitat (e.g. bat roosts, nesting birds, turtles)?

Electrical, equipment & emissions

Is there a large electrical installation: a 3-phase service or generator of 400 A or more, a feeder over 1000 A, over 750 V, emergency power for life-safety systems, or generation/storage over 10 kW connected to the grid?
Electrical work can't start until ESA has reviewed the plans for these installations.Does the design include elevators, escalators, lifts, generators or fuel tanks?Will the finished facility discharge air or noise from equipment (generators, ventilation fans, exhausts)?Will you install or alter heating, ventilation or air conditioning systems?Will you install or alter plumbing fixtures or drains inside a building?

Nearby infrastructure & airspace

Will the work be within about 2 m of existing utility plant (gas, hydro, telecom) or require utilities to be relocated?Will gas mains, hydro distribution plant or other utility equipment need to be relocated or protected?Will you install radio, cellular or broadcasting antennas or towers?Will cranes operate on or near Toronto Pearson airport lands or within its airport zoning area?Is any work on, over, under or next to railway lands, including temporary crossings?Will you use or cross a hydro transmission corridor (e.g. for access, laydown or parking)?Will cranes or tall structures be used near an airport or heliport, or be taller than 90 m?Will a crane swing over a street or a neighbouring property?
Swinging over neighbours needs their written consent, which becomes a permit condition.

Construction operations

Will noisy work happen outside the noise by-law's permitted hours (evenings, overnight, Sundays or holidays)?Is this a construction project costing more than $50,000, or one that includes trenching or tunnelling workers must enter?
The constructor must file a Notice of Project with the Ministry of Labour before work starts.

Outside Toronto

Does any work extend into the City of Mississauga?
The questions below narrow down the Mississauga, Region of Peel and Region of Durham permits.In Mississauga, will you occupy or dig in a City road: cranes, bins, lane closures, boreholes, service connections or utility installation?
Mississauga has six types of road occupancy permit; utility work over 20 m also goes through PUCC circulation.In Mississauga, will you permanently change a City road, curb, driveway entrance or City equipment (signals, streetlights)?In Mississauga, will you disturb soil or discharge dewatering or site water to a storm sewer?
Discharges to sanitary sewers are approved by the Region of Peel instead.In Mississauga, will trees 15 cm or larger (private or City-owned) be injured or removed, or will you access or stage through a City park?In Mississauga, will you construct, demolish or shore a building, or install signs?In Mississauga, will shoring tiebacks or anything else extend under or over City roads or neighbouring land?In Mississauga, is site plan approval, a minor variance, a consent (severance or easement), heritage approval or rental-housing demolition involved?In Mississauga, will noisy work happen outside 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, or on Sundays or holidays?Will you film or photograph (including drones) on Mississauga roads, parks or facilities?Will you connect to Region of Peel water or sewers, discharge dewatering to them, use a Peel hydrant, or build sewers Peel will own?
Peel runs water and wastewater for Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.Will you work on, close or build an access to a Region of Peel road, or does a development next to one need regional review?Is any non-residential work in a Peel drinking-water wellhead protection area (mostly Caledon)?Will you work in, build an entrance onto, install utilities in, or hold an event on a Region of Durham road?Will you connect to Durham water or sewers, use a Durham hydrant, or discharge dewatering to Durham sewers?In Durham, will you clear trees in a woodland of 1 ha or more, convey land to the Region or change to a more sensitive land use, or install a septic system?Will you work in, build an entrance onto, install utilities or encroach in, investigate or hold an event on a York Region road, or does a development affect regional infrastructure?
York Region: Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Aurora, King, Whitchurch-Stouffville, East Gwillimbury, Georgina.In York Region, will you discharge dewatering to sewers or drainage, build in a drinking-water vulnerable area, or remove trees from a treed area over 0.2 ha?Will you work on or within 50 m of a Halton Region road, install utilities in one, or build an entrance onto one?
Halton Region: Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills.In Halton, will you connect new water or sanitary services, discharge dewatering to Halton sewers, or remove trees in a woodland over 0.5 ha or in Greenlands?Is any work in the City of Brampton (roads, fill/grading or trees)?Is any work in the Town of Caledon (roads, fill/grading or woodlands)?Is any work in the City of Vaughan (roads or utilities, fill/grading, trees, after-hours noise)?Is any work in the City of Markham (roads, trees, after-hours noise)?Is any work in the City of Richmond Hill (roads, fill/grading, trees)?Is any work in the Town of Oakville (roads, fill/grading, trees, after-hours noise)?Is any work in the City of Burlington (roads, fill/grading, storm sewer dewatering, trees)?Is any work in the Town of Milton (roads, entrances, fill/grading)?Is any work in the Town of Halton Hills (roads, entrances, fill/grading)?Is any work in the City of Pickering (roads, more than 20 m³ of fill or topsoil, trees)?Is any work in the Town of Ajax (roads, fill/grading, trees)?Is any work in the Town of Whitby (right-of-way, fill/grading, trees)?Is any work in the City of Oshawa (roads, utilities, fill/grading)?Is any work near a stream, valley, wetland or shoreline in the Credit Valley, Conservation Halton, Lake Simcoe or Central Lake Ontario watersheds?
In the Toronto region (TRCA) see the TRCA permit question. Check the watershed maps to see which authority applies.Will oversize or overweight loads travel on roads in Mississauga or the Regions of Peel, York, Halton or Durham?

Permits you are likely to need

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