Before you can apply for any building or pool permit, you must get an approved Zoning Clearance Certificate with the City of Burlington. All certificates expire one year from the date they were issued.
What is a zoning clearance certificate?
A zoning clearance certificate is a detailed review of a proposal intended for a future building permit application, to determine compliance with all zoning regulations in the City’s Zoning By-Law and other applicable law (i.e. approval from external agencies).
A Zoning By-law controls the use of land in your community, such as:
- How land may be used
- Where buildings and other structures can be located
- The types of buildings that are permitted and how they may be used
- The lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, building heights and setbacks from the street.
Please make sure your Zoning Clearance Certificates are approved before applying for a building permit.
- All zoning clearance certificates expire one year from the date they are issued where no building permit application has been submitted to the Building Department.
- Ensure your application complies with the City's zoning by-law (Zoning By-Law 2020) and any other applicable laws.
- Ensure your plans are to scale and include all required information listed on the submission checklists, and adhere to the submission standards.
- If you need approval from external agencies, obtain your approval from these agencies first and submit this with your zoning certificate application.
- To find zoning information for a specific property, including external agencies, use our interactive zoning map
- To find information on the deemed street width for a specific property, or if a deemed street width needs to be requested from city staff, use our Deemed Street Width App.
| Examples of external agencies |
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Commercial Patios
For information on the Temporary Use By-Law to permit temporary outdoor patios for the COVID-19 pandemic recovery please visit our Temporary Outdoor Patios page.
Zoning Verification Letter
This service is typically used to confirm zoning information such as permitted uses and regulations for a property or survey compliance that does not require a zoning clearance certificate. A detailed letter of use is recommended if you are requesting confirmation that a use is permitted.
Apply for a Property Information Request if you require a Zoning Verification Letter.
Select the above if you are making a residential application. This process includes a Zoning review, Grading and Drainage review, and Forestry review for the following application types:
- Detached Dwelling
- Semi-Detached Dwelling
- Accessory Dwelling Unit
Select the above if you are making a Zoning Clearance Certificate application for the following application types:
- Industrial
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Multi-Residential
- Other
Select the above if you are making a residential swimming pool application. This process includes a Zoning review, Forestry review, and Pool Enclosure review.
Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Application (Low-Density Residential)
Please make sure your Consolidated Pre-building Permit Application is approved before applying for a building permit.
Pre-Building Permit Application Form Process |
| The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. |
| Complete the Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Application Form |
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Please download and complete the Pre-building permit application form. Please thoroughly review the zoning, site engineering and forestry checklists and FAQ documents prior to applying. Please thoroughly review the fee schedule prior to applying. Applications which do not meet submission standards and incomplete applications will not be accepted. |
| Email completed form |
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Email your completed application form for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review to zoning@burlington.ca. |
| Application Checked for Completion |
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This application review process may take several days to ensure that the application is complete. You will be notified of any required additional supporting documentation to support your application and asked to resubmit your application if necessary. An application is not considered complete until all required documents have been received by the City of Burlington. |
| Application File Number and Payments |
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When your application has been deemed complete you will be provided with an application file number and advised on fee payments. E-Transfers are the preferred method and must be sent from a bank that recognizes auto-deposit. |
| Application Circulation |
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Your application will be circulated to the Zoning, Site Engineering, and Forestry Departments for review. You will be advised once comments have been prepared by Subject Matter Experts from each department. Once all departments have signed off on their review and no further revisions are required, your Consolidated Approval will be issued. |
| Do I need to apply for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review? |
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If your home is a semi-detached or detached dwelling and you are planning a construction project, you need to apply for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review prior to applying for building permit. Before applying for building permit for a Low-Density Residential application, you will need to apply for a Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review. The consolidated review process is a single application which is reviewed by the Zoning, Site Engineering, and Forestry departments. Once consolidated approval is issued you can apply for your building permit. Examples of work that requires consolidated review include:
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| What documents do I need to apply for a Consolidated Pre-building Permit? |
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Please refer to the application checklists below. If your project scope is not included in these checklists, or if you have further questions regarding the submission requirements, you can reach out to city staff at planning@burlington.ca. Please note: For almost all applications you will require a legal survey of your property, an Arborist Report, and Grading and Drainage Plan. Application Form: Additional Checklists for Submission: |
| Consolidated Pre-building Permit Application |
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The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. Complete the Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Application Form and click the button below to make your application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please thoroughly review the zoning, site engineering and forestry checklists and FAQ documents prior to applying. Applications which do not meet submission standards and incomplete applications will not be accepted. Submit your application form for Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Review to zoning@burlington.ca Please view the Fee Schedule. |
| Who should I contact if I have questions about an active application? |
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For general inquiries about the application requirements, application process and/or application status updates, please contact planning@burlington.ca. Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. The processing time for approval may be up to 8 weeks due to current volumes. Once you have received your Consolidated Pre-Building Permit Approval, you can apply for building permit. To make your building permit application, visit the Building Permit web page.
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Zoning Clearance Certificate (Non-Residential)
Please make sure your Zoning Clearance Certificates are approved before applying for a building permit.
Zoning Clearance Certificate (Non-Residential) Application Form Process |
| The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for Zoning Clearance Certificates. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. |
| Complete the Zoning Clearance Application E-Form |
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Please submit your application for Non-Residential Zoning Clearance Certificate online. Please thoroughly review the submission standards and fee schedule prior to applying. Applications which do not meet submission standards and incomplete applications will not be accepted. Do NOT use this application form for Low-Density Residential or Residential Swimming Pool Applications. |
| Application Checked for Completion |
| The application review process may take several days to ensure that the application is complete. You will be notified of any required additional supporting documentation to support your application and asked to resubmit your application if necessary. An application is not considered complete until all required documents have been received by the City of Burlington. |
| Payments of Fees |
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When your application has been deemed complete you will be provided with an application file number and advised on fee payments. E-Transfers are the preferred method and must be sent from a bank that recognizes auto-deposit. |
| Application Review and Approval |
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Non Residential Zoning Certificate Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. The processing time for approval may be up to 6-8 weeks due to current volumes. Once you have received your Zoning Clearance Certificate Approval, you can apply for building permit. To make your building permit application, visit the Building Permit web page. |
| Non-Residential Zoning Clearance Certificate Application Requirements |
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Please refer to the application checklists below. If your project scope is not included in these checklists, or if you have further questions on the submission requirements, you can reach out to city staff at planning@burlington.ca. Industrial/Commercial/Institutional: |
| Non-Residential Zoning Clearance Certificate Online Application |
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The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for Zoning Clearance Certificates. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. Complete the Zoning Clearance Application E-Form to make your application. Have all your documents ready prior to starting the online application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please thoroughly review the submission standards document prior to applying. Applications which do not meet submission standards will not be accepted.
Submit your application for Non-Residential Zoning Clearance Certificate (e-form link) Do NOT use this application form for Low-Density Residential or Residential Swimming Pool Applications.
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| Who should I contact if I have questions about an active application? |
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For general inquiries about the application requirements, application process and/or application status updates, please contact planning@burlington.ca. Non Residential Zoning Certificate Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. The processing time for approval may be up to 6-8 weeks due to current volumes. Once you have received your Zoning Clearance Certificate Approval, you can apply for building permit. To make your building permit application, visit the Building Permit web page. |
Residential Swimming Pool Application
The City has consolidated the three approvals required prior to constructing a residential swimming pool into one application form and a combined review process. These 3 approvals include a Zoning Clearance Certificate, Forestry Approval (Tree Permit) and a Pool Enclosure Permit. A separate combined residential zoning clearance certificate application is not required as it’s part of the pool application.
Residential Swimming Pool Application Process |
| The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for residential swimming pools. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. |
| Complete Online Application Form |
| Complete the Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application E-Form to make your application. Have all your documents ready prior to starting the online application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. |
| Application Checked for Completion |
| The application review process may take several days to ensure that the application is complete. You will be notified of any required additional supporting documentation to support your application and asked to resubmit your application if necessary. An application is not considered complete until all required documents have been received by the City of Burlington. |
| Payments of Fees |
| When your application has been deemed complete you will be provided with an application file number and advised on fee payments. E-Transfers are the preferred method and must be sent from a bank that recognizes auto-deposit. Combined Residential Swimming Pool Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. |
| Application Circulation |
| Your application will be circulated to the Zoning, Building and Forestry Departments for review. You will be advised once comments have been prepared by Subject Matter Experts from each department. Once all departments have signed off on their review and no further revisions are required, your Residential Swimming Pool Approval will be issued. Combined Residential Swimming Pool Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. |
| Residential Swimming Pool Application Requirements |
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The following documents are required to make a Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application:
If you have further questions please contact:
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| Residential Swimming Pool Online Application |
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The City of Burlington’s Community Planning Department is accepting online submissions for residential swimming pools. Hard copy submissions are not being accepted at this time. Complete the Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application E-Form to make your application. Have all your documents ready prior to starting the online application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Submit your application for Residential Swimming Pool (e-form link)
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| Who should I contact if I have questions about an active application? |
| For general inquiries about the application requirements, application process and/or application status updates, please contact planning@burlington.ca. Combined Residential Pool Permit Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. The processing time for approval may be up to 8 weeks due to current volumes. |
| Residential Swimming Pool Resources |