Which Ottawa accessibility renovations call for a building permit?

Building Permits for Accessibility Work in Ottawa

The City of Ottawa's permit list covers structural alterations, enlarging or relocating a window or door, adding or removing walls, and plumbing alterations, additions or extensions (except replacing existing fixtures in place). Several accessibility projects land squarely on that list; others are not on any City list, and you need to ask.

Here is how the main projects break down.

Projects the City's list clearly covers:

• Widening a doorway: enlarging a door opening is on the permit list. If the wall is load-bearing, it is also a structural alteration, which is on the list as well. Ask the contractor what the structural work involves.
• Main-floor bedroom conversion that moves or removes walls: adding or removing walls is on the permit list. If the room change involves no wall work, we did not find a clear answer; ask the City's Building Code Services.
• Plumbing alterations, additions or extensions are on the permit list; replacing existing fixtures in place is not. Moving a sink or drain is not a replacement in place, so ask the City to confirm.

Projects not on either City list, where you must ask:

• Entrance ramps and landings: not on the permit list and not on the exempt list. The City's deck page says a deck at the main entrance needs a permit, so ask Building Code Services how a ramp and landing at your entrance will be treated.
• Stair lifts and platform lifts: not on either list. A lift that requires a new floor opening or a structural wall change may be a structural alteration, which is on the permit list; ask the City before work starts.
• Grab bars: not on either list. Ask Building Code Services.

Projects the City says do not need a permit:

• New flooring is exempt. For other threshold work, describe it to the City.
• Replacing kitchen or bathroom cabinets in place (with plumbing fixtures staying put) is also exempt.

Even exempt projects must still meet the Ontario Building Code and zoning. Heritage-designated buildings and properties in a Heritage District Overlay are not exempt from permit requirements regardless of the project type.

On zoning, both Zoning By-law 2008-250 and Zoning By-law 2026-50 treat wheelchair ramps as having no setback limit. By-law 2026-50 extends that to accessibility structures and devices with no setback or projection limit, though it does not define that term; for anything other than a plain wheelchair ramp, confirm with the City. If any part of a ramp would extend past your lot line onto the road allowance, ask the City separately about that.

The permit fee for alterations is $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a minimum of $117, based on the City's January 1, 2026 fee schedule. Construction value includes materials, labour, overhead and professional fees.

One thing worth checking before any work begins: if you are applying to a funding program such as Ontario Renovates or the March of Dimes Home and Vehicle Modification Program, both programs state they will not cover costs for work done before they authorize it, so confirm program approval timing alongside your permit timeline.