Building Permit Application Process
for Building a deck in the City of Toronto.
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Are you thinking of building a deck?
When do you need a permit to build a deck?
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A building permit is required
if the proposed deck is more than 60 centimetres or 24 inches above ground,
serves as a principal entrance of a home,
or forms part of a building exit required
under the Ontario Building Code.
It’s important to note
that the construction of a deck
needs to comply with zoning requirements
even when a building permit is not required.
A link to Zoning By-law 569-2013
on the City's website is included below.
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Applying for a building permit?
You need the following forms when applying for a building permit:
Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish.
Schedule 1: Designer Information.
Tree Declaration.
Forms.
The first form to complete
is the Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish.
It needs to be completed fully and signed by the Applicant.
The next is the Schedule 1: Designer Information Form.
This form is required when the deck is designed
by someone other than an engineer or architect.
Next is the Tree Declaration Form.
This form is required when building a deck,
or for any other project.
This form is always required when building a deck,
even when there are no trees being affected by the construction.
In addition to completion of the Tree Declaration Form,
the Applicant is also responsible to comply
with other applicable Tree Protection By-laws
explained on the City website at toronto.ca/trees
and select Tree & Ravine Protection
then Permit & Tree Protection.
A link to all required forms can be found
in the video description below.
In addition to the forms, you will also need to provide
the following plans or drawings:
a Site plan or a Survey,
and Plan and Elevation drawings.
What is a Site Plan or Survey?
A Site Plan referencing a legal property survey
needs to be provided showing all property dimensions
including property lines, any right-of-way or easements,
location of all buildings on the lot,
as well as, size and setbacks for the proposed deck.
Dimensions should also be provided
for parking areas, driveways,
hard and soft landscape areas,
and accessory structures
including sheds, decks and detached garages.
Site statistics should be included on the Site Plan.
A summary of existing and proposed site statistics
should be provided to include lot area and lot coverage
(areas of all buildings on the lot).
Proposed areas of yard landscaping
should be clearly indicated
whether it is soft landscaping such as grass,
or hard landscaping such as interlocking stones.
Survey.
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A survey is a legal document
prepared by a registered land surveyor
that shows your property boundaries,
structures and any existing easements.
What do we need to include in the Plan Drawings?
Your plan drawings should show details
regarding footings, columns,
beams, joists, stairs and guards.
For footings – details such as spacing,
depth, and height above grade
should be clearly indicated.
For columns, beams and joists
details such as size, material, location,
span, and spacing should be clearly indicated,
along with decking material.
And how much detail do we need include in the Elevation Drawings?
On the Elevation Drawings, details such as height of the deck,
height of the guards and handrails should be indicated.
The guardrails should be of a design that is not climbable.
For stairs – details such as the rise and run
dimensions of the steps should be included.
Before you go, let’s quickly check off
what you will need for your permit application.
Permit Application Checklist:
The Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish Form,
Schedule 1: Designer Information Form,
Tree Declaration Form,
Site or Survey, Plan Drawings,
Elevation Drawings.
With these items prepared, you are now ready
to apply for your deck building permit.
For more information, search:
Decks and Porches on the City website.
A link to this page is included in the video description below.
Disclaimer:
All illustrations and dimensions shown in this video
are examples only and not indicative of any zoning by-law
or Ontario Building Code requirements.
toronto.ca/building
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