Which patios does the City of Ottawa exempt from a building permit?

The City's patio page says a patio is exempt from a building permit if all four of the following are met: the patio structure is supported directly on the ground, meaning it is not raised and not constructed on deck blocks; it does not have an occupant load exceeding the aggregate sum of the occupant loads permitted for the interior and exterior spaces; it does not adversely impact the existing exiting arrangement; and it does not adversely impact the existing barrier-free accessibility. That page is not written exclusively for houses, so the exemption is not a blanket rule for every residential concrete patio.

There are conditions that can pull a patio back into permit territory even when it looks straightforward. The City's list of projects not requiring a permit notes that exempt projects must still comply with the 2024 Ontario Building Code and any applicable law, including the Zoning By-law. It also states that designated heritage buildings or buildings within a Heritage District Overlay are not subject to those exemptions, so if your property carries a heritage designation, ask the City's Building Code Services before work begins.

Steps and landings connected to the patio add another layer. The City's Landscaping Education Guide (March 2026) says some hardscape structures need a building permit, specifically stairs, landings and decks that provide access to a building. The City's Building Code Services advisory on landscaping materials reinforces this: a landscaping structure that provides access to a building or serves a required egress may require a permit where, among other triggers, there is more than 600 mm (2'-0") difference in elevation between adjacent surfaces, or where a retaining wall exceeds 1 m (3'-3") in exposed height. The 2024 Ontario Building Code also sets out rise, run, handrail and guard requirements for exterior stairs, and states those provisions apply regardless of whether a permit is required. So even a permit-exempt stoop must meet the Code's dimensional rules.

Zoning is a separate question from permits. Both Zoning By-law 2008-250 and Zoning By-law 2026-50 apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions from both by-laws applying. Zoning By-law 2026-50 sets minimum soft-landscaping percentages for front and exterior side yards that a large patio could affect. We found no lot-coverage percentage for patios, and no single number can be given as the rule for your lot. Confirm the zoning rules that apply to your specific property with the City.

The contractor doing the work also needs a City of Ottawa Hardscaping Contractor Licence, which has been required since March 1, 2026 for businesses that install concrete patios, steps and walkways on private property. The City's March 2026 news release advises homeowners to ask to see the licence and to check the City's published list of licensed contractors. Ottawa Concrete Pros does not verify anyone's licence or insurance.

Before any digging starts, a locate request must be submitted through Ontario Dig Authority at least five business days before the dig, under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012. Locates are free.

When you have two written quotes in front of you, set them side by side and check that each one spells out the base preparation depth and material, the slab thickness, the concrete compressive strength (the 2024 Ontario Building Code sets 32 MPa for exterior flatwork), the finish, and whether removal of existing concrete and disposal are included or priced separately.