As of February 16, 2026, Ontario municipalities are required to use the updated Building Permit Application to Construct or Demolish form developed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) for their building permit applications. Members should become familiar with the updated form.

As stated in CodeNews #377, the new form replaces outdated Tarion/Ontario New Home Warranty Program references and a field to capture the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017 (NHCLA) builder/vendor license number(s) for new homes. In addition, an editorial change recommends providing builder information if this is known at the time of permit application. This change is being made to align the form with current builder/vendor licensing under the NHCLA, support consumer protection, and improve information-sharing with regulators.

Updates to Practice Tip PT.08 Participation in the Permit Process: Application for Building, Demolition, or Conditional Permits

For further information, read the recently updated Practice Tip PT.08 Participation in the Permit Process: Application for Building, Demolition or Conditional Permits. Most of the information in PT.08 is unaffected by this change to the application form. The OAA has revised the following:

• updated hyperlinks refer to the new application form;
  
• new commentary on “Section E Builder (if known)” has been added;
  
• commentary on “Section F New home construction licensing requirement” edited to align with the new wording in the application form, and to flag potential risk for members around determinations of what qualifies as a “new home” and if the builder is required to be licensed;
  
• definition of a “new home” referenced in Section F has been removed to avoid duplication of the definition contained within the referenced legislation.

Consult the PT.0.0 Index to Practice Tips for other related resources.


This article originally appeared in the Practice Advisory newsletter, which is developed by the OAA’s Practice Advisory Services team to offer numerous resources for both members and the public. The OAA does not provide legal, insurance, or accounting advice.

Readers are advised to consult their own legal, accounting, or insurance representatives to obtain suitable professional advice in those regards.