The drawings you submit and the inspections you pass are the bookends of every permitted deck. A clean, complete drawing set sails through review; a footing inspection booked before you pour keeps the build moving. Below we answer the eight process questions Ontario homeowners ask most. This page is part of our complete guide to building a deck in Ontario.

What drawings do you have to submit?

What deck permit drawings do I have to submit?

Most Ontario building departments want four drawings: a site plan (the deck on your lot with setback dimensions), a framing/foundation plan (joists, beams, posts, footings), an elevation (heights and guards), and a cross-section (how it’s built). All to scale, with sizes and species noted. Some towns provide a simple deck-drawing template.

1. Site plan — your lot with the deck located and dimensioned to each property line, proving setbacks.
2. Framing / foundation plan — joist size and spacing, beams, posts, and footing size and depth.
3. Elevation — the deck’s heights above grade and the guard, viewed from the side.
4. Cross-section — a cut-through showing the ledger, framing, decking, and how it all connects.

Do I need an engineer’s stamp?

Usually no — a standard deck built inside the prescriptive span tables doesn’t need an engineer’s stamp; the building department reviews your drawings directly. You need an engineer when the design goes outside the tables: long spans, tall decks, heavy point loads like a hot tub, unusual soil, or where your municipality specifically requires it.

Most homeowners never hit that threshold. If your spans, beams, and footings come straight from the framing span tables, you can submit your own drawings. It’s the unusual stuff — a hot tub, a second-storey deck, or poor soil — that pulls an engineer into the picture.

Timeline: approval and build

How long does permit approval take?

For a simple residential deck, many Ontario municipalities aim to review within about 10 business days, sometimes faster for over-the-counter deck permits. Complex or incomplete applications take longer. The clock effectively resets if your drawings come back with a deficiency letter, so a complete, correct submission is the fastest route to approval.

How long does the build itself take?

The build is usually quick — a typical ground-level or attached deck takes a few days to about two weeks, depending on size, footings, and weather. Concrete cure time, plus waiting for the footing inspection before you pour or backfill, stretches the schedule more than the carpentry does.

What’s a deficiency letter, and why was my application returned?

A deficiency letter is the building department telling you your application is incomplete or doesn’t meet code — missing dimensions, no site plan, undersized framing, or an unclear detail. Your application is returned for correction, not refused. Fix exactly what’s listed and resubmit; a complete first submission avoids the delay entirely.

Inspections: what, when, and what fails

What inspections happen, and when?

Most deck permits require at least two inspections: a footing inspection BEFORE you pour concrete or backfill (so the inspector can confirm depth and bearing), and a final inspection once it’s built. Some towns add a framing inspection before the decking goes down. Book each one, and don’t cover up work before it’s been seen.

The footing inspection is the one people forget — once concrete is poured, the depth can’t be verified, and an inspector can make you dig it back up. Get your footings right and inspected before you pour, and the rest of the build follows smoothly.

What does the inspector check, and what fails most?

Inspectors check the parts that fail most: footing depth and size, the ledger and its flashing, beam and joist sizes, post connections and bracing, and the guard and stair details (height, gaps, handrail). The most common fails are footings too shallow, a nailed or un-flashed ledger, and guards too low or with gaps over 100 mm.

Almost every common failure traces back to a detail covered elsewhere in this guide — footing depth, the ledger connection, and the stair and handrail dimensions. Build to those and the inspection is a formality, not a fear.

How do I book inspections, and how much notice?

Book inspections through your municipality’s building department — usually online or by phone — and give the notice they require, commonly one to two business days. Have your permit number ready. Schedule the footing inspection before you pour and the final once everything is complete. Don’t backfill or cover work until it passes.

Frequently asked questions