BUILDING & RENOVATING

Building Permit Process

A building permit is required to begin construction, demolition, or renovation on your property. As part of the building permit process, Building Services staff must review your plans to ensure they comply with the Ontario Building Code, the zoning by-law, and other applicable regulations.

Electronic Submissions Process

Building permit application can now be submitted by email or through the Applications and Permit Portal. All electronic submissions undergo a thorough review for completeness. In the event of missing items, applications will receive notification by email.

Submission Requirements:

  1. All documents, plans, and drawings must be submitted in PDF format and should not be locker of password protected.
  2. Separate submittals for each document, specifications, shop drawings, and plans are required, adhering to proper file naming conventions per discipline (such as application form architectural, structural, mechanical).
  3. Plans or drawings with multiple pages and sets must be consolidated into a single PDF, flattened, and saved as a separate submittal. 
  4. Drawings and specifications must be presented in black and white only. 
  5. Ensure all documents are appropriately labelled. 
  6. Ensure a blank area is provided on the plans to permit notations and stamping by the examination staff. 

For large files exceeding email size limits, request access to our File Transfer System by emailing buildingpermits@townofws.ca. 

Don't need a permit:

The following types of minor construction work don’t require a permit in Stouffville but may still require other building approvals. Your project must still adhere to the Ontario Building Code, even if it doesn’t require a permit.

  • Adding insulation
  • Air conditioners or heat pumps added to an existing furnace system
  • Antennas and satellite equipment
  • Fences (not including pool fences)
  • Furnace replacements with the same or better heat output as the original furnace
  • Re-roofing with lightweight material that does not exceed the structural capacity of the framing
  • Re-cladding with any lightweight material that improves the existing wall performance. The wall must be less than three stories tall, on a detached building and no closer than 600 mm to any property line
  • Kitchen cabinetry replacement, as long as any plumbing is not relocated or replaced
  • New or replacement eave-troughs, fascias, downspouts and soffits
  • Plumbing fixture (sinks, toilets, taps, etc.) replacements that are not relocated
  • Repairs to leaking foundations
  • Retaining walls less than 1 m in height and where drainage is not negatively impacted
  • A Shed is exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit, provided that the shed:
    • Is not more than 15 m2 in gross area,
    • Is not more than one storey in building height
    • Is not attached to a building or any structure,
    • Is used only for storage purposes ancillary to a principal building on the lot, and,
    • Does not have plumbing.
  • Solar collectors mounted on a building less than five square metres in aggregate area
  • Solar collectors not mounted on a building
  • Window and door replacement as long as the size is not increased
  • Wood decks with a surface that is equal to or less than 600 mm above ground

Resources for homeowners

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(905) 640-1900

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