Zoning Compliance Review | City of Hamilton

A Zoning Compliance Review confirms the zoning of a property, permitted uses, and other applicable regulations for a property. Applications for Zoning Compliance Review may be submitted by the applicant, registered owner, or agent.

Request a Zoning Compliance Review

Request a Zoning Compliance Review for each of these scenarios:

A detailed review of a development proposal to determine zoning compliance with the applicable Zoning By-law.

Formally clear conditions imposed by the Zoning Review section for an approved consent/land severance application.

A review of supporting documents and evidence to determine and confirm if the existing use of a property can be deemed legally established non-conforming.

Required as part of the City of Hamilton’s response to the Province’s Bill 13 & Bill 109. Download the Terms of Reference(PDF, 690.14 KB)

Note: A Draft Zoning By-law Amendment shall also be submitted with the Zoning Compliance Review application.

Templates for Draft Zoning By-law Amendments:

A detailed review which will determine all necessary minor variances that are required for a development proposal prior to formal application for minor variance.

A detailed review of a development proposal to determine zoning compliance with the applicable Zoning By-law prior to formal application for building permit. This may be required prior to building permit application for certain properties within the City of Hamilton, as part of the City of Hamilton’s response to the Province’s Bill 23.

How to Apply for a Zoning Compliance Review Application

Application Form

Download Zoning Compliance Review Form(PDF, 159.03 KB)

Application requirements for each subtype of the Zoning Compliance Review application can be found on page 2 of the Zoning Compliance Review application form, and are further detailed in the full information package and checklist.

Full Information Package and Checklist

Review Zoning Compliance Review – Full Information Package and Checklist(PDF, 481.64 KB)

Please ensure that all required documentation/plans are submitted with your application, or delays may result in having your application processed.

All applications are required to be submitted in electronic format via the City of Hamilton’s Customer Portal. If you require alternate arrangements, contact the Planning Division at 905-546-2424 ext. 1355 or [email protected] for assistance.

Application fees must be made upon submission or the application is deemed incomplete. Fees are non-refundable. Fees can be paid online by credit card or by cheque or certified cheque (payable to “City of Hamilton”) and must be accompanied by a cover letter or Fee Intake Memo.(PDF, 129.58 KB)(PDF, 89.05 KB)

Refer to the Planning Division Fees page for a complete list of application fees.

If this is your first time applying online with the City of Hamilton, you’ll need to complete two simple steps.

Step 1: Create a City of Hamilton Account (my.hamilton.ca)

You will need to create an account at my.hamilton.ca/

This is the City’s centralized access point that allows you to easily view, access, and submit a wide range of City services using one account.
Once your City account is created, you can sign in anytime to manage your services online.

Step 2: Access the Customer Portal

After signing into my.hamilton.ca/, select the Planning & Development Applications category to create your Customer Portal account.
Once you are setup on the Customer Portal, navigate to Getting Started and select Planning & Growth Management. Select an action and follow the steps.

Need Help?

For assistance with my.hamilton.ca and login troubleshooting visit My.hamilton Portal FAQs
For assistance with applying, visit Planning, Permitting, Licensing & By-Law System

If you already have:

a my.hamilton.ca account, and
a Customer Portal account,

Visit my.hamilton.ca/ and select the Planning & Development Applications category. Navigate to Getting Started and select Planning & Growth Management. Select an action and follow the steps.

Need Help?

For assistance with my.hamilton.ca and login troubleshooting visit My.hamilton Portal FAQs
For assistance with applying, visit Planning, Permitting, Licensing & By-Law System

Upon completion of the Zoning Compliance Review application, you will receive via the customer portal:

A Zoning Compliance Letter outlining what parts of the Zoning By-law have been met (comply) and those that do not meet the Zoning By-law (non-complying).
Stamped and signed drawings to be submitted in support of a future application.

For the purposes of a Building Permit Application, all the requirements of the Zoning By-law must comply. If some part of the development does not comply, drawings may need to be updated or minor variances may be required (see below for further information). This may require another Zoning Compliance Review application and that additional fees to be paid.

Drawings can not be further altered if the Zoning Compliance Review is required prior to another application.

Date modified

July 07, 2026