Building Permit in Burlington, ON

Yes, most building projects in Burlington require a building permit from the city. Based on our data, Burlington has issued 221 building permits to date, making it one of the most common permit types in the city. Requirements vary depending on the scope and size of the project. Contact Burlington's building department for specific requirements for your project.

Based on our analysis of 221 permits, the average processing time for a building permit in Burlington is 60 days from application to approval. Processing times have been decreasing in recent years. In 2026, the average was 85 days.

Burlington issues approximately hundreds of building permits per year.

The top neighbourhoods for building permits in Burlington are Ward 6 (105 permits), Ward 1 (39 permits), and Ward 4 (29 permits). These areas account for 78% of all building permits in the city.

Based on construction values reported on 221 permits, the average building project in Burlington has a construction value of $888,449. The median value is $710,266, which may be more representative as it excludes outliers. Note that this is the total project construction cost, not the permit fee.

The typical process for a building permit in Burlington involves: 1) Preparing your project plans and documentation, 2) Submitting your application to Burlington's building department, 3) Paying the applicable permit fees, 4) Waiting for plan review and approval (average 60 days), 5) Receiving your permit and beginning construction, and 6) Scheduling required inspections during and after construction.

Burlington is one of 14 major Canadian cities we track for building permit data. With an average processing time of 60 days, you can compare Burlington's building permit statistics including volume trends, processing times, and neighbourhood breakdowns with other cities on our national building permit comparison page.