Richmond Hill deck permits · Reformity Inc.Deck Permit Drawings in Richmond Hill
Usually, yes. Richmond Hill requires a building permit for any deck attached to the house, more than 600 mm (2 ft) above average grade, or larger than 10 m² (108 sq ft); a low, small freestanding deck needs none but must still meet zoning setbacks.
We prepare and submit your permit drawings to the City of Richmond Hill, then build to the approved plan.
Do you need a permit?
Deck permit rules in Richmond Hill.
Richmond Hill's deck permit trigger is broad: attached to the house, more than 600 mm above average grade, or over 10 m². On brick-clad homes the first design question is the connection, because the Building Code doesn't allow a deck to be fastened to brick veneer; the load goes to the foundation wall, or the deck stands on its own. Footings go at least 1.2 m down, to undisturbed soil. Zoning comes from By-law 93-25, in force for most of the city since the Ontario Land Tribunal's July 2026 decision: a deck 0.6 m or higher can project 2.5 m into the required rear yard.
Checked against the City of Richmond Hill's own by-laws and pages in November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm them for your address before we draw.
When you need a permit
A building permit is required if the deck is attached to the house, more than 600 mm (2 ft) above average grade, or over 10 m² (108 sq ft). The Building Code bars fastening decks to brick veneer; the load must reach the foundation wall.
City of Richmond Hill: Deck Permit Application Process, R6 (PDF)Rear-yard projections and setbacks
Under By-law 93-25 (in force on most lots), decks 0.6 m or higher may project 2.5 m into the required rear yard; lower decks may reach 2 m from the rear lot line. Both stay 0.3 m from side and 2.4 m from flankage lot lines; stairs, 0.3 m from any lot line.
Zoning By-law 93-25, s.3.15 (PDF, Aug. 31, 2026 consolidation)Footings, framing and guards
Drawings must show footings at least 1,200 mm (4 ft) below grade on undisturbed soil; joist, beam and column sizes and spacing; the house connection; and guard height, spacing and connections. Plastic guards aren't permitted unless approved by CCMC.
City of Richmond Hill: Deck Permit Application Process, R6 (PDF)Privacy screens on decks
In a side or rear yard, a privacy screen on a deck more than 0.6 m above grade may rise 1.9 m above the deck floor. Keep it more than 1.2 m from side and rear lot lines and 4.6 m from street lines; maximum total length 12.2 m, with no single length over 9.2 m.
Fence By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 973, s.973.6.2 (PDF)Ravine and valley lots
In a TRCA-regulated area, O. Reg. 41/24's deck exception covers only an unenclosed, detached deck of 15 m² or less that isn't cantilevered and isn't in a wetland or watercourse. Other decks there may need TRCA's permission, which the City's deck checklist lists as a pre-approval.
O. Reg. 41/24, s.5 (e-Laws)
What the city asks for
The Richmond Hill application.
Issued by: City of Richmond Hill, Building Division (Building Services). We put the package together, submit it and keep you posted.
Documents
- Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish
- Schedule 1 designer information (BCIN and statement of responsibility, or architect or engineer stamp where applicable)
- Site plan or current survey showing the deck and its setbacks to the side and rear lot lines
- Plan view showing where the deck connects to the house
- Section showing heights and connection details
- Materials, height above average grade, joists, beams, footings, columns, guards and stairs on the drawings
- Pre-approvals where applicable: site plan agreement, Heritage Richmond Hill (designated properties), TRCA (regulated areas)
- Unprotected, flattened black-and-white PDFs, to scale no smaller than 3/16" = 1'-0"; no scans
How it goes
- 1We measure the yard and check the deck against your lot's zoning through the City's zoning information request (staff don't give zoning information by phone or in person).
- 2We draw the site plan, plan view and section with footing, framing, house connection, guard and stair details, plus the designer information the checklist asks for.
- 3We submit online for pre-screening; the Building Division checks completeness and emails the outstanding items and fee.
- 4We complete the formal application within two weeks of that email; the fee is paid online by credit card (Visa or Mastercard).
- 5Once the permit is issued, the permit card and drawings are printed in colour and kept on site, and we book each inspection through the City's request form.
- Processing time
- No deck-specific time is published. The Building Division says it checks any building permit application for completeness within 2 business days; its published time for complete house permit applications is 10 business days, but it doesn't say whether a deck counts as a house permit.
- Inspections
- Book through the City's Building Inspection Request form once the permit is issued; requests after 3 p.m. count as the next business day, and the City aims to respond within 2 business days. Richmond Hill doesn't publish a deck-specific list; its housing inspection stages begin with footings (digging done, no concrete until passed) and end with a final exterior inspection.
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 Richmond Hill'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.
Richmond Hill deck permit FAQ
Quick answers.
Not if it isn't attached to the house, is 600 mm or less above average grade, and is 10 m² (108 sq ft) or smaller. Zoning still applies: under By-law 93-25, a deck under 0.6 m can come within 2 m of the rear lot line, but must stay 0.3 m from side lot lines and 2.4 m from a flankage lot line.
No. The City's deck checklist notes that the Building Code doesn't permit a deck to be connected to brick veneer; the load must be transferred to the foundation wall, and the permit drawings must show that connection. We connect to the foundation or design the deck to stand on its own posts and footings.
The City doesn't publish a deck-specific time. It commits to a completeness check on any building permit application within 2 business days, and to responding to complete house permit applications within 10 business days, without saying whether a deck counts as a house permit. After pre-screening, the formal application and fee must be in within two weeks of the City's email, or the file has to be resubmitted.
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 Richmond Hill, submit the application and give you a fixed written price for the work.
Let us handle the Richmond Hill permit.
We measure, draw it to the City of Richmond Hill's rules, submit the application and build to the approved plan. One business-day reply.