Building Inspections Permits

By requiring building inspection permits and demolitions for building, as well as by looking into emergency orders and work done without permission, Toronto Building enforces adherence to the Ontario Building Code.

About Building Inspections Permits

Mandatory Inspections by Law:

Builders are required by the Ontario Building Code, Subsection 1.3.5.1, to notify the Chief Building Official when your building is prepared for required inspections at each important stage of construction.

• Once your construction project begins, it is your responsibility to get in touch with the Toronto Building Department to arrange for the necessary inspections.
• Failure to conduct these checks could result in expensive delays and lengthy work stoppages.
• With the help of a building inspector, you can confirm which inspections are necessary for your specific project.
• Your building permit price includes the cost of these inspections.
• Your local inspection office can arrange for further inspections (an additional fee may apply).

Your permission forms include information about the inspector and the district inspections office, such as their name and phone number.

Construction Phases That Need Inspection

Inspectors may need to visit your construction site numerous times to do the following inspections, depending on the project's specific requirements. The many kinds of mandated inspections that may be necessary for each project are listed on the pages to which the links below lead.

• When to request small building inspections (Part 9 of the Ontario Building Code, including houses and small commercial structures)
• When to schedule massive building inspections (Part 3 of the Ontario Building Code).

Response Times for Inspections

Booking an inspection for your facility requires a minimum of 48 hours' notice. Monday through Friday, during regular business hours, inspections are conducted.

When doing their required inspection:

• Building inspectors must be able to observe the portion of the project that is being examined.
• Before your project is finished, any construction components that have been covered up before the necessary inspection has been conducted must be uncovered for inspection and passed.
• Please keep in mind that each inspection requires that your stamped permit plans be present.
• Print copies of any documents provided with the permit, such as records, drawings, or specifications, and keep them on hand for inspections. Drawings and specifications must be printed full size, to scale, and in color. This applies to permits issued by email or on a DVD (all permits after November 2012).

Request a Building Inspection

Building permit holders in Toronto have 24/7 access to the online system to request for inspection, postponing inspections, and cancelling inspections. Monday through Friday, during regular business hours, inspections are conducted.

You can do the following steps to request a building inspection via a web application on a PC or smartphone:

• Click on the link below to request a building inspection - https://secure.toronto.ca/InspectionRequest/index.do
• Check out the inspection details.
• Cancel or reschedule an inspection.
• To see the forthcoming inspections, you will need your permit number and the contact details of the person who will be on site to meet the inspector at the scheduled time in order to submit an online request for an inspection.

Note:

• After making your request, it is advised that you close the browser to preserve your privacy and security.
• You need a permit number to set up or cancel an inspection.

Search Inspection Status Online

Information on permits that are older than five years, closed, or cancelled is not available on the building permit application and permit inspection status website. This website's information is current as of the previous business day.

The application for city building permit status now shows the status of applications for preliminary zoning reviews, including those for zoning certificates and preliminary project reviews.

Monitor a permit's development as it goes through the review and/or inspection process by clicking on https://secure.toronto.ca/ApplicationStatus/setup.do?action=init

Request an Inspection Status Report Online

An inspection status report will indicate which inspection stages have passed, failed, or are pending. Details of the inspection are not included. The Permit Inspection Status Report was taken from electronic records kept in the Toronto Building at the time of purchase.

You will require the following in order to acquire an inspection status report:

• Permit number
• Email address
• Credit card

Send an online request for a written report outlining the progress of a permit's required inspections.

Building Inspection Status Report for Toronto

An application for an inspection status report will let you do the following by clicking on the https://secure.toronto.ca/InspectionStatusReport/index.do. Follow the below-steps for further proceedings.

• Look up a building permit.
• An inspection status report can be purchased and ordered.
• Receive and download the inspection status report.
• Which Inspection Stages have passed, failed, or are pending will be noted in an Inspection status report. Details of the inspection are not included.

The Inspection Status Report was taken from electronic records kept in the Toronto Building at the time of purchase.

Working Without a Permit

Building permits will only be provided for work that is permitted by these laws and regulations, which include the building by-law, zoning rules, plumbing and electrical system codes, among other laws and regulations that are related to building and renovation work.

Inspections and permits operate together to guarantee that the work was done correctly, safely, and in accordance with the plans indicated in the permit.

After the work has begun, if you discover that you need a permit

If it comes out that you require a permit for work that has already begun but you do not have one, there could be serious and potentially expensive repercussions, such as:

• A fine for "working without a permit." This is an additional fee of up to $27,234.64 and is equal to 50% of the permit fees for the project, or $198.59 (2021 rate), whichever is higher.
• A hold-up while we process your permit application. During this period, all work must cease. The application processing fees and deadline are still in effect.
• It might be necessary to undo the completed job.
• You might need to perform additional structural or mechanical work that wasn't originally planned for or budgeted for.

Note: Even if you hired a contractor who promised you that permits weren't required, you as the homeowner are still responsible for covering these costs or fines.

Future legal, financial, or other problems that would affect your ability to sell your home or file an insurance claim.

Partial Occupancy of an Unfinished Building

An unfinished building must adhere to the requirements of Division C, Part 1, Subsection 1.3.3 of the Ontario Building Code before any portion of it can be occupied. After confirming with the building inspector that the structure is ready for such a permission, a request for an authority to occupy is made to allow a component of an incomplete building to be occupied.

When submitting a request for a partial building occupancy permit:

• Maintain communication with various inspection organizations (such as the Fire Services and the Electrical Safety Authority) to ensure that you can get the necessary permissions before the building is ready for occupancy.
• Any additional costs will be minimized by adhering to Ontario Building Code requirements before inspection.

If you don't have one and continue to occupy an unfinished structure, you risk being asked to leave and facing other legal repercussions.

Send an email with your application for a permit for occupancy. A minimum of 10 working days must pass before the intended occupancy date in order to submit an application.

General Occupancy Requirement

To schedule an appointment for Toronto occupancy building inspection permits in Toronto, get in touch with your building inspector.

• When requesting a permit to occupy an unfinished Part 3 building, you must first confirm with the building inspector that the structure is prepared for the permit.
• Give a detailed description of the space that will be occupied. Please be aware that the suggested occupancy date has a 10-business-day lead time.
• Each stage of occupancy necessitates a different occupancy permit.
• The Ontario Building Code's Division C, Part 1, Article 1.3.3.1 specifies the conditions for occupancy permits.

Documentation Required

Before the occupancy inspection, the architects and engineers on your project are required to submit reports indicating their satisfaction with the work done on the portions of the building that will be occupied.

Fees Required

Occupancy Permit (authorization to move in before construction is finished) - $428.95 minimum per permit

The initial five hours of the inspection are covered by the occupancy permit price (building, plumbing, and HVAC inspection). The price for additional time will be $85.79 per hour. (Rates are valid beginning January 1, 2020)

Active Permit Review Program

When Toronto Building's records show that there are ongoing building licences for which no inspection requests have been received, letters with an included Notice of Intention to Repeal will be addressed to permit owners with permits older than 18 months. The Toronto Building has not been informed that the work permitted by the permit(s) has started.

According to Section 10.2 of the 1992 Building Code Act, permit holders are required to inform the Chief Building Official that the construction is ready for inspection at each stage of completion indicated in the Ontario Building Code. Without a request for an building inspection permits, Toronto Building is forced to draw the conclusion that no work has started.