Building permits — Waterloo, Ontario

Do I need a building permit? What does it cost?

In the City of Waterloo, Ontario, building permit rules are set by Building Bylaw No. 2021-078, verified 2026-08-29. Permit fees: Floor area of the proposed work is to be measured to the outer face of exterior walls and to the centre line of party walls or demising walls. Fees set in: Schedule C of the Fees and Charges Bylaw of the Corporation of the City of Waterloo. Administered by: Chief Building Official.

Building Bylaw No. 2021-078 adopted bylaw
permit required for construction, alteration or structural repair of buildings and parts of buildings including plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, sewage systems, farm buildings, designated structures and signs s. 2.1(2)
fee basis Floor area of the proposed work is to be measured to the outer face of exterior walls and to the centre line of party walls or demising walls. s. 3.3(1)
fees location Schedule C of the Fees and Charges Bylaw of the Corporation of the City of Waterloo s. 3.1(1)
authority Chief Building Official s. 1.2 (Permit)
scout note

Sets the permit framework for construction, demolition and change-of-use, plus inspection requirements and permit fee structures.

Machine-readable: building-permits.json · Official website: http://www.waterloo.ca · Last verified 2026-08-29 · Building permits across Ontario · Building permits in other municipalities