Oshawa deck permits · Reformity Inc.Deck Permit Drawings in Oshawa
Yes, if the deck will be more than 24 in (600 mm) above the ground or support a roof: Oshawa requires a building permit for new and replacement decks like that. A lower, roofless deck on a house needs no permit but must still meet the Ontario Building Code and the Zoning By-law's setbacks.
We prepare and submit your permit drawings to the City of Oshawa, then build to the approved plan.
Do you need a permit?
Deck permit rules in Oshawa.
Oshawa's deck permit trigger is the same citywide, but what you check first depends on the lot. On newer subdivision lots in Windfields, Kedron, Taunton and Samac, start with zoning: the R1-A to R1-E, R2 and R3-A zones require a 7.5 m rear yard, and a deck may project 2.4 m into it, with stairs 1.5 m further. On older lots south of Highway 401, a replacement deck needs a permit just like a new one once it's more than 24 in above the ground. Applications go through the City's online portal as to-scale metric PDFs: site plan, foundation and framing plans, sections and guard details.
Checked against the City of Oshawa's own by-laws and pages in November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm them for your address before we draw.
When a permit is needed
A building permit is needed for any deck more than 24 in (600 mm) above the ground, or any deck supporting a roof. Lower, roofless decks are exempt but must still meet the Ontario Building Code and the Zoning By-law.
City of Oshawa: decksYard projection limits
Decks may project up to 2.4 m into the minimum front or rear yard (1.5 m into an exterior side yard), and stairs 1.5 m more. Zones R1-A to R1-E, R2 and R3-A set a 7.5 m minimum rear yard; special conditions can differ.
Oshawa Zoning By-law 60-94, Table 4.6, s. 4.6.5 & Tables 6.2, 7.2, 8.2 (PDF, last updated August 2026)Drawings the City asks for
Drawings must be to scale and metric: a site plan with lot dimensions and setbacks; pier location, depth, size and spacing; beam, joist, ledger and decking details; stairs and guards with SB-7 connection details; and elevations and a roof plan where applicable.
City of Oshawa: decks (permit application requirements)Other approvals come first
A permit can't be issued until applicable-law approvals are in place, such as CLOCA approval in a fill-regulated area or flood plain, an MTO permit within 400 m of Highway 401 or 407, or heritage consent to alter a designated property.
City of Oshawa: building permits (applicable law approval)Railings and replacement decks
The City's permit guide lists new or replacement guards (railings) as permit work; repairing a house's guard isn't. New and replacement decks also need permits, including platforms attached to the house or an above-ground pool, unless the low-deck exemption applies.
City of Oshawa: When do I need a building permit? (guide, PDF)
What the city asks for
The Oshawa application.
Issued by: City of Oshawa, Building Services. We put the package together, submit it and keep you posted.
Documents
- Application to Construct or Demolish (2026 provincial form)
- Schedule 1: designer information
- Owner's authorization form, if the owner isn't applying
- Applicable Law form, completed and included with the application
- Site plan: whole lot with dimensions, the deck's size and setbacks, existing buildings and structures, and any septic parts or easements
- Foundation: pier location, depth, size and spacing (helical piles need an engineered design and a commitment to general review form)
- Framing plan and sections: deck size and height above grade, beams, joists, ledger, decking, stairs and guards, with SB-7 guard connections
- Elevations of each side, and a roof plan for a covered deck, where applicable
- Flattened, unlocked, black-and-white PDFs, to scale and in metric
How it goes
- 1We measure the yard and check your zone's rear-yard depth, the 2.4 m deck projection, and any CLOCA, MTO or Metrolinx approvals.
- 2We draw the site plan, foundation and framing plans, sections, and stair and guard details, to scale in metric.
- 3We apply on Oshawa's Application Portal as a deck, porch, ramp, balcony per storey, veranda or walk-up, uploading the PDFs; once accepted, the fee is paid in the portal.
- 4We answer review comments until the permit is issued.
- 5Before building, we call the Building Inspector, who tells us when to call for each inspection.
- Processing time
- Not published. Oshawa says processing depends on the quality and completeness of the plans, how quickly review comments are answered, code compliance and workload, and it can't guarantee Building Code review timeframes because of record application volumes. Applications that need Committee of Adjustment approval are considered premature and won't be processed.
- Inspections
- Oshawa doesn't publish a fixed deck inspection list. Once the permit is issued, call your Building Inspector when you're ready to start; the inspector tells you when to call for inspections. Call 905-436-3311 (calls before 9 a.m. may get a same-day inspection); inspections run Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Deck drawing — framing plan — Framing plan, section through the deck and elevation. Illustrative sample sheet. Click to enlarge.
Deck drawing — elevations & details
Permit drawings included
We prepare and submit your permit drawings.
A site plan with setbacks, a framing plan, a section through the deck, and footing, guard and stair details, drawn to the City of Oshawa's checklist and submitted with your application.
- Dimensions to your lot lines
- Materials, sizes and spacing
- Footing and base sections
- Code notes for the inspector
Decking · real projects
Recent decking jobs across the GTA.
Real Reformity jobs from our project files. Customer addresses are never published.
Oshawa deck permit FAQ
Quick answers.
Yes, if the new deck will be more than 24 in (600 mm) above the ground or support a roof: the City's permit guide lists new and replacement decks as permit work. Repairing an existing low, roofless deck the same way needs no permit, and neither do non-structural deck repairs.
In zones R1-A to R1-E, R2 and R3-A the minimum rear yard is 7.5 m and a deck may project 2.4 m into it, so it can generally come within 5.1 m of the rear lot line, and its stairs within 3.6 m. Special zoning conditions can differ, and unenclosed decks don't count toward lot coverage. Going closer takes a Committee of Adjustment minor variance first; the City won't process a permit application that needs one.
Yes. Oshawa's deck page asks for an engineered design for helical piles, plus a commitment to general review form, with the permit application. For conventional piers, the drawings show each pier's location, depth, size and spacing.
Send the form on this page or call 437-241-6287. We reply within one business day, visit to measure, prepare the drawings for the City of Oshawa, submit the application and give you a fixed written price for the work.
Let us handle the Oshawa permit.
We measure, draw it to the City of Oshawa's rules, submit the application and build to the approved plan. One business-day reply.
More in Oshawa
Guide: Do I Need a Deck Permit in Ontario? Brampton, Mississauga & Toronto
Deck Permit Drawings in other cities