Porches and Decks

A deck or porch is an exterior structure that may or may not be attached to a building, with or without a roof, and may include guards (railings) as required by the Ontario Building Code.

A building permit is required for:

• Any-sized deck or porch (covered or uncovered) where it is attached to a building.
• A detached uncovered deck or porch greater than 10 sq.m. and more than 200 mm above adjacent grade.
• A detached covered deck or porch greater than 10 sq.m. regardless of height
  above adjacent grade.
• A detached deck or porch (covered or uncovered) less than or equal to 10 sq.m. where it is adjacent to or associated with a door to the building and more than 600 mm above adjacent grade.
• The replacement or installation of new guards (railings) require a building permit.

If you are unsure if your deck or porch requires a building permit, please contact the Building Division at 905-546-2720 or [email protected].

Note: In cases where a Building Permit is not required, all porches and decks must still meet Zoning By-law requirements and all other applicable regulations.

Permit Requirements for your Project & Checklist

You will need to submit:

• A Site Plan that shows your existing house and the size and location of the proposed porch or deck. The Site Plan must also include:
  • Title, scale, north arrow, and property dimensions
  • Street name and municipal address number
  • Setbacks to all property lines for the existing dwelling and the proposed deck or porch
  • Any right-of-ways and/or easements
  • Location and size of all accessory buildings, garages, sheds and pools including hot tubs
  • Front yard landscaping, such as a driveway or sidewalks (if applicable)
• Detailed construction drawings indicating:
  • Size/dimensions of proposed porch/deck in relation to existing structure, height from grade to top of slab, decking, railing and/or roof where applicable
  • Construction of stairs, guards and handrails; include stair width, stringer size, rise, run, guard spacing, height, materials and attachment details
  • Roof framing (if applicable): include materials, size, grade and spacing of rafters, showing support details at all bearing points
  • Footing, foundation or pier construction details; include size, space, depth and compressive strength of concrete
  • For wood frame deck construction: indicate size, grade, direction, spacing and span of joists and beams. View sample wood frame deck drawing(PDF, 45.31 KB)
  • For concrete porch construction: indicate concrete compressive strength; thickness of slab; size and spacing of any rebar present, and means of support. View sample concrete porch drawing(PDF, 508 KB)
• Building Permit Fee

To ensure your application is complete refer to the:

Residential Decks/Porches Checklist(PDF, 528.77 KB)

Apply Online for Building Permit

Applications can now be submitted online by property owner, or agent acting on behalf of the owner.