Renovation permits in Ottawa: what needs one, what it costs in 2026, and how long it takes
Updated
Which Ottawa renovations need a building permit, the City's 2026 permit fees, typical review times, and the Ontario code items inspectors check.
What needs a permit
Ontario's rules are broad. The province's guide says you need a building permit before you make renovations, repairs or additions, change a building's use, or build most new structures over ten square metres.
In practice, for an Ottawa house, these jobs need a permit: finishing a basement, adding a bathroom or moving plumbing, removing or changing a load-bearing wall, cutting a new or larger window or door opening, building an addition, and adding a secondary dwelling unit.
These usually do not: painting, flooring, new cabinets in the same layout, replacing fixtures in the same spot, and replacing windows or doors in the existing openings.
When in doubt, ask the City before work starts. Building without a permit costs more later.
What it costs in 2026
The City of Ottawa sets permit fees in two schedules, both effective January 1, 2026.
New floor area is charged by the square metre. The gross floor area schedule lists $12.52 per m² for new floor area in a detached, semi-detached or row house, which covers additions. A finished basement is charged at $2.99 per m².
Work that adds no floor area is charged on the value of the work. For alterations and renovations the rate is $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a minimum of $117. A plumbing-only permit is $117.
A few examples, using those rates. Finishing a 70 m² basement is about $210 in permit fees. A $60,000 kitchen with a wall removal is about $765. A 25 m² rear addition is about $313, plus any interior alterations charged by value.
Watch the surcharge. If construction starts before the permit is issued, the City adds 50% of the permit fee, up to $10,000.
Permit fees are small next to the other costs. Drawings, an engineer's review for beams or footings, and sometimes a survey or geotechnical report usually cost more than the permit itself.
How long it takes
Ontario sets decision timeframes for complete applications. For a house, the province gives 10 days as the example.
The clock starts when the application is complete. Missing drawings, unclear structural details or zoning questions stop it. Most delays come from incomplete submissions, not from the review itself.
Plan on two to six weeks from first submission to permit for a typical basement, kitchen or bathroom. Additions take longer, and if zoning does not allow the design, a minor variance through the Committee of Adjustment can add several months.
Once issued, the work has to start within six months, and it should not stop for long stretches. Inspections are booked at set stages, such as framing, plumbing rough-in, insulation and final.
Code items inspectors look for
Bedroom egress. A bedroom needs a window or door that can be used to get out in a fire. The City of Ottawa's advisory on egress windows sets an unobstructed opening of at least 0.35 m², with no dimension under 380 mm. Outside a basement, the sill can be no more than 1,000 mm above the floor. In a basement, the window well needs 550 mm of clear space in front of the window, and a well deeper than 1,000 mm needs a way to help you climb out.
Smoke alarms. New work needs hardwired smoke alarms where the Building Code calls for them, including every storey and each bedroom, connected so one sets off the rest.
Carbon monoxide alarms. Since January 1, 2026, the Ontario Fire Code requires a CO alarm next to each sleeping area and on every storey in homes with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage. Older homes that already had one alarm outside the bedrooms may need more. A basement bedroom near a gas furnace needs one.
Insulation and moisture. Inspectors check insulation values and the vapour barrier before drywall goes up. On Ottawa's clay soils, deal with water outside first: grading, downspouts, and a working sump and backwater valve.
Structure. Beams, posts and footings must match the stamped or designer-signed drawings. The inspector checks them before they are covered.
Before you sign
Ask who applies for the permit. It should be the contractor or their designer, and it should be named in the contract.
Ask to see the permit before demolition starts, and keep the inspection records with your house papers. A buyer's home inspector may ask for them when you sell.
Finally, keep a copy of the approved drawings on site. Trades and inspectors work from them, and changes should be noted before they are built.