General Information
You do not need a building permit for the following:
- replacing your flooring (carpet, tile, hardwood, etc.)
- installing cabinets with no plumbing changes
- replacing a window or door of the same size
Note: A finished basement must comply with the Ontario Building Code and Oshawa's Zoning By-Law.
For all complaints regarding construction without a building permit, please call our office at 905-436-5658 or email [email protected]
| General Building Code Requirements |
- You must have a minimum ceiling height of 6 ft 11 in. You can reduce the ceiling height to 6 ft 5 in underneath your beams and ducts.
- Doors must have a gap under them for rooms without return air ductwork.
- Each bedroom needs natural light. The total window area must be 5% of the room's floor area.
- Windows in walls that are closer than 4 ft to the property line require a fire rating protection of 45 minutes.
- The main exhaust fan in a house with not more than 5 bedrooms must comply with the Ontario Building Code. If there are more than 5 bedrooms, you need a qualified designer to determine if your mechanical system is sufficient.
- There must be a smoke alarm in each bedroom and in each hallway leading to the bedrooms.
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| General Zoning Restrictions |
- The entire building shall be a "single housekeeping establishment" with inside access throughout the entire building.
- There is to be no extra cooking facilities in the building.
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| Permit Application Requirements |
- A building permit application form and a Schedule 1 Designer Information form fully completed. An owner's authorization form will be required if the applicant is not the property owner.
- Permit Applications: You can apply for a permit through email at [email protected] and a staff member will contact you for payment. Most of our staff are currently working from home but have access to both email and voicemail. Paper Applications: Paper building permit applications will still be accepted, however: there will be a delay in their review due to COVID-19 isolation and then the conversion to digital. We encourage applicants to submit digital documents for faster service.
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Timeframes for Permit Issuance: The period within which a permit shall be issued or refused is regulated by the Ontario Building Code. However, due to pandemic challenges, transition from paper to digital applications, staff working remotely, and the large volume of applications, we cannot guarantee that we will meet the review timeframes. Please account for this when applying for your building permit.
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