Permit guideBramptonBuilding PermitsAdditional Residential Units
Third unit and garden suite registration and permits
To be legal, third units and Garden Suites must be registered with the City of Brampton, and each needs a building permit; a Garden Suite starts through the Planning Division.
Check whether you need a permit
- As of May 2023, the by-law allows for a maximum of 3 units (including the principal dwelling) on a property as a combination of the following:
- Principal Dwelling plus one attached second unit and one separate garden suite
- Principal Dwelling and one attached second unit and one attached third unit
- If a second unit is already previously registered with the City of Brampton, customers can apply for the third unit. Or, customers can apply for a second and third unit together with one set of drawings.
- A Garden Suite is ancillary to a single detached, semi-detached, or townhouse, that is located in a building detached from the principal dwelling and located in the rear or interior side yard, and which may be freestanding or attached to a detached private garage.
- The process to obtain a Garden Suite starts through the Planning Division rather than Building Division. After approval at Planning, a building permit application will be required.
- To be legal, second units, third units and Garden Suites must be registered with the City of Brampton.
- All ARUs must be registered, regardless of who lives there. This ensures safety and emergency preparedness.
- On lots with more than one ARU, an additional parking space will be required to ensure there is at least one space for each unit. All required parking spaces must be located entirely with the boundaries of property on a permitted driveway or garage/ carport.
- Only if the property is on Conservation Authority Lands
Get conservation authority approval
- The Conservation Authority Act was amended requiring approval by the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) or the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) when constructing an additional residential unit within the lands regulated by the conservation authorities.
- Your permit will not be allowed to proceed if approval is not granted by the associated conservation authority.
- Only if your property is on the City’s heritage registry
Heritage approval
- Heritage properties are managed to conserve important cultural heritage attributes. If your property is on the City’s heritage registry it may require heritage approval.
- Only if the proposed ARU design does not conform to the Zoning By-law
Ask for a minor variance
- If the proposed ARU design does not conform to the Zoning By-law you may consider making an application to the Committee of Adjustment to request a minor variance.
- If approved, a minor variance can grant relief from the Zoning By-law requirements.
- You can also email cao@brampton.ca for information.
- Only if you apply for the third unit
Third unit: ensure you are following the Zoning By-Law
- Only if you apply for the third unit
Third unit: apply online for a building permit
STEP 2: Apply online for a building permit.
Submission requirements
Submission requirements include:
- A completed Application for Registration and Change of Use Building Permit, Three-Unit Dwelling
- Legal survey of the property
- Complete sets of the drawings, prepared in accordance with generally accepted architectural and engineering practices
Fees
- Payment of $200 registration fee, $400 registration fee if applying for the second unit and third unit together
- Payment deposit of $481.05 or $1,667.29 deposit fee if applying for the second and third units together
Apply online
- Read the Submission Requirements prior to starting your online application.
- To apply online: Brampton Building and Business Portal
- Only if you apply for the third unit
Third unit: pay any fee balance at issuance
- STEP 3: At issuance of the permit, a payment fee balance may be applicable.
- Only if you are building a garden suite
Garden suite: apply through the Planning Division
- Step 1: Apply through the Planning Division for Custom Home Approval and Zoning By-Law Compliance.
- A fee of $530 will be applicable, along with a $5000 security deposit.
- Only if you are building a garden suite
Garden suite: what the Planning review needs
A Custom Home – Garden Suites Review application requires an architectural control review, zoning compliance, grading, servicing and site drainage prior to submitting a building permit application.
What to submit
To apply, submit a Custom Home - Garden Suites Review application form with the required drawings in accordance with the submission requirements for Garden Suites Review.
How to apply
- Applications can be submitted online via our application tool, BramPlanOnline.
- Please email GardenSuites.Review@brampton.ca for more information about constructing a Garden Suite.
General provisions
General provisions for Garden Suites include:
- Location: Located in the rear or interior side yard only
- Size: Maximum size of 80 sq. m (≈ 861 sq ft). for Hamlet, Estate or Agricultural zones; or 35 sq. m (≈ 377 sq ft). for all other Residential zones
- Setback: Must be setback 2.5m (≈ 8 ft 2⅜ in) from the rear yard; 1.8m (≈ 5 ft 10⅞ in) from the side yard; and 3.0m (≈ 9 ft 10⅛ in) from the principal dwelling
- Height: Must be the lesser of the height of the principal dwelling or: 7.5m (≈ 24 ft 7¼ in) for Hamlet, Estate or Agricultural zones and 4.5m (≈ 14 ft 9⅛ in) for all other Residential zones.
- Access: Must maintain a 1.2m (≈ 3 ft 11¼ in) unobstructed pedestrian path to the main access of the garden suite
- Cannot contain a balcony or rooftop patio
Guidelines
The review
- Urban Design staff will review the submission and assist with the design of the garden suites to ensure it conforms to the City of Brampton Garden Suite Guidelines and the City-wide Urban Design Guidelines (or successor document).
- Zoning staff will review the proposal for compliance with the applicable zoning by-law.
- Development Engineering staff will review and approve the site servicing and grading plan.
- Once the review is complete, Urban Design staff will provide an Architectural Control Review stamp on the final elevations. Development Engineering staff will then provide instructions to the applicant on obtaining the approved engineering plans and paying the grading securities.
- A fee of $530 is required as per User Fee (Municipal Act) By-law 380-2003.
- Only if you are building a garden suite
Garden suite: apply online for a building permit
Step 2: Apply online through the Building Division for a building permit.
Submission requirements
Submission requirements include:
- Urban Design and Engineering Approved Drawings from Planning
- Legal survey of the property
Garden suite form
Fees
- Payment of $200 registration fee
- Payment of $2,004.10 permit fee
Apply online
- Read the Submission Requirements prior to starting your online application.
- To apply online: Brampton Building and Business Portal
- Only if you are building a garden suite
Garden suite: Educational Development Charges
- Step 3: Educational Development Charges (EDCs) is collected prior to building permit issuance.
- The City collects EDCs on behalf of the school boards, based on the EDC rate at the time of building permit issuance.
Property surveys
- When submitting a building permit application, the legal survey must be legible and include the signature and information of the surveyor who prepared the document.
- During permit submission, the document will be reviewed and determined if acceptable. If not acceptable, you will need to find an alternative method of locating a survey.
- Please note: the City of Brampton does not maintain a record of surveys for all properties.
Complete construction and book inspections
Complete construction and book inspections as required.
- Occupancy inspections of the second and third unit can be granted separately. All other inspections must be booked together.
- An Inspection Recall Fee applies to Additional Residential Unit (ARU) permits. ARU permits include Two-Unit and Three-Unit Dwellings, as well as Garden Suites.
- If an inspection does not pass on two separate occasions, a fee will be charged for any following inspections.
- Download the Inspection Recall Pamphlet.
- The final registration certificate will be issued at the same time as occupancy is granted for an ARU permit.
- You are no longer required to email your Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) certificate to Twounit.zoning@brampton.ca to finalize the registration process for your Additional Residential Unit (ARU).
Get a Residential Rental Licence
- Although your Additional Residential Unit (ARU) is registered with the City of Brampton’s Building Division, owners and/or operators cannot rent or allow a unit to be occupied until a Residential Rental Licence (RRL) is obtained.
- Renting without a licence is prohibited and may result in enforcement action.
- To apply for a Residential Rental License, visit www.brampton.ca/rrl. Licence applications and renewals are free.
Written from Brampton’s own pages as published on 19 October 2026. The municipality decides what a permit needs: confirm with it before you apply. Legal notice