Do I need a permit?

Whether a backyard shed, deck, or fence needs a building permit, for every Ontario municipality. Verified local rules are layered on top of the provincial baseline, and baseline rows still point you to the right place to confirm before building.

The provincial baseline

Under the Ontario Building Code, a detached one-storey storage shed of 15 square metres (about 160 square feet) or less, with no plumbing, does not need a building permit. Anything larger, with plumbing, or attached to another building does. Zoning rules (setbacks, height, lot coverage) always apply even when no building permit is needed.

Find your permit rule

Enter a town name or the first three postal-code characters.

City	Region	Shed needs a permit over	Coverage
Addington Highlands	Lennox and Addington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Adelaide-Metcalfe	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Adjala-Tosorontio	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Admaston/Bromley	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ajax	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Alberton	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Alfred and Plantagenet	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Algonquin Highlands	Haliburton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Alnwick/Haldimand	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Amaranth	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Amherstburg	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Armour	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Armstrong	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Arnprior	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Arran-Elderslie	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Asphodel-Norwood	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Assiginack	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Athens	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Atikokan	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Augusta	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Aurora	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Aylmer	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Baldwin	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bancroft	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Barrie	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bayham	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Beckwith	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Belleville	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Billings	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Black River-Matheson	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Blandford-Blenheim	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Blind River	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bluewater	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bonfield	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bonnechere Valley	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bracebridge	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bradford West Gwillimbury	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brampton	Peel	10 m² (108 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brant County	Brant	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brantford	Brant	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brethour	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brighton	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brock	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brockton	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brockville	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brooke-Alvinston	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bruce County	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Bruce Mines	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Burk’s Falls	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Burlington	Halton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Burpee and Mills	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Caledon	Peel	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Callander	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Calvin	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cambridge	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Carleton Place	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Carling	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Carlow/Mayo	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Casey	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Casselman	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cavan Monaghan	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Central Elgin	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Central Frontenac	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Central Huron	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Central Manitoulin	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Centre Hastings	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Centre Wellington	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chamberlain	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Champlain	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chapleau	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chapple	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Charlton and Dack	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chatham-Kent	Chatham-Kent	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chatsworth	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Chisholm	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Clarence-Rockland	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Clarington	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Clearview	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cobalt	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cobourg	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cochrane	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cockburn Island	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Coleman	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Collingwood	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Conmee	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cornwall	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Cramahe	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dawn-Euphemia	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dawson	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Deep River	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Deseronto	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dorion	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Douro-Dummer	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Drummond/North Elmsley	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dryden	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dubreuilville	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dufferin County	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Durham, Regional Municipality of	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dutton/Dunwich	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Dysart et al	Haliburton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ear Falls	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
East Ferris	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
East Garafraxa	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
East Gwillimbury	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
East Hawkesbury	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
East Zorra-Tavistock	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Edwardsburgh/Cardinal	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Elgin County	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Elizabethtown-Kitley	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Elliot Lake	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Emo	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Englehart	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Enniskillen	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Erin	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Espanola	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Essa	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Essex	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Essex County	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Evanturel	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Faraday	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Fauquier-Strickland	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Fort Erie	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Fort Frances	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
French River	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Front of Yonge	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Frontenac County	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Frontenac Islands	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gananoque	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gauthier	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Georgian Bay	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Georgian Bluffs	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Georgina	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gillies	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Goderich	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gordon/Barrie Island	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gore Bay	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Grand Valley	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Gravenhurst	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Greater Madawaska	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Greater Napanee	Lennox and Addington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Greater Sudbury	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Greenstone	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Grey County	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Grey Highlands	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Grimsby	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Guelph	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Guelph/Eramosa	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Haldimand County	Haldimand	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Haliburton County	Haliburton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Halton Hills	Halton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Halton, Regional Municipality of	Halton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hamilton	Hamilton and area	15 m² (160 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hamilton	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hanover	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Harley	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Harris	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hastings County	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hastings Highlands	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Havelock-Belmont-Methuen	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hawkesbury	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Head, Clara and Maria	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hearst	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Highlands East	Haliburton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hilliard	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hilton	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hilton Beach	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hornepayne	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Horton	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Howick	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Hudson	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Huntsville	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Huron County	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Huron East	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Huron Shores	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Huron-Kinloss	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ignace	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ingersoll	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Innisfil	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Iroquois Falls	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
James	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Jocelyn	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Johnson	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Joly	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kapuskasing	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kawartha Lakes	Kawartha Lakes	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kearney	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kenora	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kerns	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Killarney	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kincardine	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
King	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kingston	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kingsville	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kirkland Lake	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Kitchener	Waterloo and Wellington	15 m² (160 sq ft) for a shed; 10 m² for other accessory buildings	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
La Vallee	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Laird	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lake of Bays	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lake of the Woods	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lakeshore	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lambton County	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lambton Shores	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lanark County	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lanark Highlands	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Larder Lake	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
LaSalle	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Latchford	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Laurentian Hills	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Laurentian Valley	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Leamington	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Leeds and Grenville	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Leeds and the Thousand Islands	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lennox and Addington County	Lennox and Addington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Limerick	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lincoln	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
London	Southwestern Ontario	10 m² (108 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Loyalist	Lennox and Addington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Lucan Biddulph	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Machar	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Machin	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Madawaska Valley	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Madoc	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Magnetawan	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Malahide	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Manitouwadge	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mapleton	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Marathon	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Markham	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Markstay-Warren	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Marmora and Lake	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Matachewan	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mattawa	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mattawan	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mattice-Val CA´tA©	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
McDougall	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
McGarry	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
McKellar	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
McMurrich/Monteith	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
McNab/Braeside	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Meaford	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Melancthon	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Merrickville-Wolford	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Middlesex Centre	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Middlesex County	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Midland	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Milton	Halton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Minden Hills	Haliburton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Minto	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mississauga	Peel	10 m² (108 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mississippi Mills	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mono	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Montague	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Moonbeam	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Moosonee	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Morley	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Morris-Turnberry	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Mulmur	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Muskoka	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Muskoka Lakes	Muskoka	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Nairn and Hyman	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Neebing	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
New Tecumseth	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Newbury	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Newmarket	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Niagara Falls	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Niagara-on-the-Lake	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Niagara, Regional Municipality of	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Nipigon	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Nipissing	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Norfolk County	Norfolk	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Algona Wilberforce	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Bay	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Dumfries	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Dundas	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Frontenac	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Glengarry	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Grenville	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Huron	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Kawartha	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Middlesex	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Perth	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
North Stormont	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Northeastern Manitoulin and The Islands	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Northern Bruce Peninsula	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Northumberland County	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Norwich	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
O’Connor	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oakville	Halton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oil Springs	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oliver Paipoonge	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Opasatika	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Orangeville	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Orillia	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oro-Medonte	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oshawa	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Otonabee-South Monaghan	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ottawa	Eastern Ontario	15 m² (160 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Owen Sound	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Oxford County	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Papineau-Cameron	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Parry Sound	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Peel, Regional Municipality of	Peel	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Pelee	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Pelham	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Pembroke	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Penetanguishene	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Perry	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Perth	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Perth County	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Perth East	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Perth South	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Petawawa	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Peterborough	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Peterborough County	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Petrolia	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Pickering	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Pickle Lake	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Plummer Additional	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Plympton-Wyoming	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Point Edward	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Port Colborne	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Port Hope	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Powassan	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Prescott	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Prescott and Russell	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Prince	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Prince Edward County	Prince Edward	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Puslinch	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Quinte West	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Rainy River	Rainy River	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ramara	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Red Lake	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Red Rock	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Renfrew	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Renfrew County	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Richmond Hill	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Rideau Lakes	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Russell	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Ryerson	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sables-Spanish Rivers	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sarnia	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Saugeen Shores	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sault Ste. Marie	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Schreiber	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Scugog	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Seguin	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Selwyn	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Severn	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Shelburne	Dufferin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Shuniah	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Simcoe County	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sioux Lookout	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls	Kenora	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Smiths Falls	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Smooth Rock Falls	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Algonquin	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Bruce	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Bruce Peninsula	Bruce	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Dundas	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Frontenac	Frontenac	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Glengarry	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Huron	Huron	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South River	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South Stormont	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
South-West Oxford	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Southgate	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Southwest Middlesex	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Southwold	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Spanish	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Springwater	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St. Catharines	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St. Clair	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St. Joseph	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St. Marys	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St. Thomas	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
St.-Charles	Sudbury	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Stirling-Rawdon	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Stone Mills	Lennox and Addington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Stratford	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Strathroy-Caradoc	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Strong	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Sundridge	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tarbutt	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tay	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tay Valley	Lanark	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tecumseh	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tehkummah	Manitoulin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Temagami	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Temiskaming Shores	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Terrace Bay	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Thames Centre	Middlesex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
The Archipelago	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
The Blue Mountains	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
The Nation Municipality	Prescott and Russell	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
The North Shore	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Thessalon	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Thornloe	Timiskaming	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Thorold	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Thunder Bay	Thunder Bay	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tillsonburg	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Timmins	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tiny	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Toronto	Greater Toronto	15 m² (160 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Trent Hills	Northumberland	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Trent Lakes	Peterborough	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tudor and Cashel	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tweed	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Tyendinaga	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Uxbridge	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Val Rita-Harty	Cochrane	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Vaughan	York	15 m² (160 sq ft)	Municipal rule	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wainfleet	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Warwick	Lambton	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wasaga Beach	Simcoe	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Waterloo	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Waterloo, Regional Municipality of	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wawa	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Welland	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wellesley	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wellington County	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wellington North	Wellington	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
West Elgin	Elgin	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
West Grey	Grey	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
West Lincoln	Niagara	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
West Nipissing	Nipissing	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
West Perth	Perth	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Westport	Leeds and Grenville	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Whitby	Durham	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Whitchurch-Stouffville	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
White River	Algoma	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Whitestone	Parry Sound	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Whitewater Region	Renfrew	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wilmot	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Windsor	Essex	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Wollaston	Hastings	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Woodstock	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Woolwich	Waterloo	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
York, Regional Municipality of	York	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules
Zorra	Oxford	15 square metres provincial baseline	Provincial baseline	Shed, deck & fence rules

Tap a municipality for the shed, deck, and fence rules together, with the source link and the date it was checked.

❦

Permit questions

What size shed can I build without a permit in Ontario?

Under the Ontario Building Code, a detached one-storey storage shed of 15 square metres (about 160 square feet) or less, with no plumbing, needs no building permit. Some municipalities are stricter: Mississauga, Brampton, and London use a 10 square metre cut-off. Zoning setbacks still apply at any size.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

Usually once the deck is attached to the house or raised above about 0.6 m (24 in) off the ground. The exact trigger varies: Ottawa adds a 10 square metre size test, Vaughan adds an 18.6 square metre one. Low, freestanding decks often need no permit. Check your city below.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

In most Ontario cities a fence needs no building permit, but the fence bylaw caps its height (commonly around 2 m in a rear yard, lower in a front yard). Pool enclosure fences are the exception: they have their own safety rules and a separate permit and inspection.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a plain-language summary that points you to each municipality’s own page. Rules change and vary by zone, so confirm with your city’s building department before you build.

How this page was made

Each verified municipal rule is taken from the municipality's own building-permit page. Baseline rows use Ontario's building-permit guidance and the official municipal list, last checked on 2026-06-24.

This is a plain-language explainer, not legal or professional advice, and not the bylaw itself. Rules change and vary by zone within a city. Always confirm with your municipality's building department and the linked official page before you build. Decks and sheds near a conservation authority's regulated area may need a separate permit.