Permits are the part of renovating that homeowners dread most, and the part we take off your plate entirely. Here is what is actually involved, in plain language.
What needs a permit?
Structural changes, additions, removing load-bearing walls, new plumbing or electrical layouts, and most anything that changes the footprint or systems of your home. Cosmetic work usually does not. Paint, flooring, and swapping cabinetry inside the same layout are yours to do without a City sign-off.
The grey area is bigger than people expect. A kitchen that stays in its footprint but moves a sink may still need a permit. A basement that gains a bedroom needs proper egress. Burlington publishes an exemption list and an eCheck tool for looking up what applies to a specific property, and when we are not certain, we tell you so rather than guessing.
What the City actually wants
Getting a permit in Burlington starts with understanding each step in the process and gathering the right documents for it.
Nearly any project that changes the exterior of your home needs approval from the Zoning department, which calls for a land survey, a site plan and architectural drawings. If the project does not comply with the zoning bylaw, a minor variance will often let it move forward, but it adds time and cost.
Most projects that enlarge the footprint of your home or add hard surfaces to the property (sheds, garages, patios, walkways) need a Grading and Drainage Clearance Certificate. That requires a grading and drainage plan prepared by a land surveyor or professional engineer.
A tree permit may be needed if any trees will be damaged or removed, or even if work happens within a set distance of trees the City regulates. That application needs a report from a professional arborist.
Once Zoning clearance is in hand, the project goes to the Building department for the building permit application. Depending on the scope of work, that may need architectural drawings, structural calculations, engineering, mechanical design and calculations, and more. Review starts once the submission is complete, but the permit will not be issued until grading and drainage clearance is done, where it applies. A tree permit does not hold up the building permit, but work cannot begin until the tree permit is issued.
If that sounds like a lot, it is. That is why Burlington homeowners have trusted Marcon to handle it for more than three decades.
Where properties get complicated
If your lot backs onto a creek, ravine, wetland, steep slope or shoreline, a conservation authority permit sits alongside the municipal one. Several conservation authorities cover our service area, and which one applies depends on the watershed rather than the town you live in. All of them now operate under O. Reg. 41/24.
If your property is near a provincial highway, you may also need a permit from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
Second storey additions have a trap of their own. Many Burlington neighbourhoods have stricter rules for two-storey homes than for one-storey homes. If the addition pushes past what zoning allows for height, setback or lot coverage, it goes to the Committee of Adjustment as a minor variance, and that is a hearing with its own calendar.
How long does Burlington take?
Ontario gives municipalities ten business days to review a permit application for a house, and thirty for complex buildings. That is the review window, not the wait. The clock only starts once your application is complete, restarts if a resubmission is required, and says nothing about the approvals that come before it.
For a sense of the real number, Grimsby publishes an average total processing time of seven to thirteen weeks. Burlington does not publish an equivalent figure, but the shape is the same.
In our experience, Zoning, grading and tree approvals together typically take 6 to 8 weeks, though that can move faster or slower depending on how many applications the City is processing at the time. If a minor variance is needed, expect it to add 2 to 3 months. The Building department rarely issues a permit on the first submission, so plan on going through the ten business day review twice.
Incomplete submissions are the single biggest cause of delay, which is exactly why we manage the paperwork ourselves.
One more thing worth knowing: under section 8 of the Building Code Act, a permit can be revoked if construction has not started within six months of issue. It is rarely enforced, but permits are not something to pull early and sit on.
What Marcon handles
Every application, every drawing submission, every inspection, every follow-up call. We have spent three decades building working relationships with the City of Burlington and Halton Region.
Permit time runs before construction, so we build it into your schedule up front and start the paperwork early rather than waiting. You will not chase the municipality, fill out forms, or wait on hold. When construction begins, everything is already in order.
General information, current to October 2026. It is not legal advice, and requirements vary by property.
“We learned that Marcon can actually handle the entire municipal permitting process for you which is a huge plus, as navigating that on your own can be a real headache.”
