Does a small freestanding deck in Riverside South need a permit?

A freestanding deck in Riverside South needs a permit only when two conditions are both met: its walking surface is greater than 10 square metres (approximately 108 square feet) in area, and its walking surface is more than 600 mm (24 in.) above the adjacent grade. If either condition is not met, no permit is required under the City of Ottawa's rules for a freestanding deck. The word "small" matters here, so the exact area and height of your deck determine the answer.

There is one important exception to keep in mind. If the deck serves as the principal access to your home and it is elevated, a permit is required regardless of size or height. Heritage properties are also not subject to the permit exemptions, so if your property falls within a Heritage District Overlay, check with the City's Building Code Services before assuming no permit is needed.

Even without a permit, the 2024 Ontario Building Code and the City's Zoning By-laws still apply. That means the deck must still meet Code requirements for guards, footings and loads, and it must comply with setback rules. Under both Zoning By-law 2008-250 and Zoning By-law 2026-50, the most restrictive provisions of each apply to permit applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026. For an uncovered, unenclosed deck with a walking surface no higher than 600 mm above grade, there is generally no minimum setback in the rear or interior side yard, but in the front yard it must sit at least 1 metre from the lot line and may project no more than the greater of 2 metres or 50 per cent of the required yard. In all other cases, a minimum setback of 1 metre from any lot line and a maximum projection of 2 metres applies. Because both by-laws are in play and some provisions are still under appeal, confirm the rules for your specific lot with the City.

A few things to sort out before building:

• Measure the walking surface area carefully: if it is close to 10 square metres, have a builder or designer confirm the calculation.
• If the deck is within 600 mm of the ground and meets the other conditions in the 2024 Ontario Building Code, the footing frost-depth rules may not apply, but the deck still needs to be anchored against uplift and lateral movement unless it meets all five conditions of the floating-deck exemption.
• Before any digging, submit a locate request through Ontario One Call at least 5 business days in advance. It is free and required by law.

If your deck does need a permit, the City's fee is $12.75 per $1,000 of assessed project value, with a minimum of $117.00, and you will need scaled, dimensioned drawings with a site plan, framing plan and elevations.

The request form on this site sends your project details to local Ottawa deck builders listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory, so you can compare written quotes.