Do I need a permit to finish my basement in Toronto?

Not always. Finishing a basement with no structural change, no new plumbing and no additional dwelling unit does not need a building permit. Add a bathroom, move a wall, cut an egress window, underpin the floor or create a second suite, and it does.

The City's 2026 permit fee for finishing a basement in a house or townhouse, including second suite work, is $6.20 per square metre of floor area, against a minimum permit fee of $214.79.