How to Get a Secondary Suite / ADU
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Before homeowners decide to renovate their homes to incorporate a new or upgraded secondary suite, they should contact Vaughan’s Building Standards department to discuss their plan and obtain the necessary information regarding zoning and building permit requirements.
The City of Vaughan requires all renovators/contractors to have a City of Vaughan business licence to work in Vaughan. Homeowners have the right and are encouraged to ask if a renovator/contractor is licensed or contact the City to verify licence status before hiring them.
Please note in accordance with 7.6.3.1 of Division B, of the Ontario Building Code, there may be a requirement to upgrade the water distribution piping system.
Step 1: Review secondary suite criteria
A secondary suite must comply with the requirements of Vaughan’s Zoning By-law.
Eligible properties
- Secondary suites are only allowed in specific single detached, semi-detached and street townhomes.
Parking
- The parking spaces must be located on a properly surfaced driveway or garage or carport and cannot include parking on the street. One additional parking space per additional residential unit will be required to accommodate the secondary suite. The parking spaces must be located on a properly surfaced driveway or garage or carport and cannot include parking on the street.
Secondary suites are not allowed:
- In dwellings used for a bed and breakfast, home occupation, a private home tutor, a private home daycare or a group home.
- In the Woodbridge Special Policy Area.
- Within a floodplain.
Step 2: Contact the City of Vaughan
New secondary suites or secondary suites built after July 14, 1994
A secondary suite built after July 14,1994 must comply with the Ontario Building Code.
Submit a building permit application to the Building Standards department. Include professionally prepared drawings that indicate the proposed construction details and demonstrate compliance with the Ontario Building Code. Drawings must be prepared by an architect or professional engineer or a qualified designer under the Ontario Building Code.
Secondary suites built before July 14, 1994
If a secondary suite was built before July 14, 1994, the property owner must contact Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) to arrange for a fire code inspection. VFRS will inspect the dwelling to ensure it complies with the applicable requirements of the Ontario Fire Code and identify any required upgrades.
If upgrades to the unit are required, a building permit must be obtained to demonstrate compliance with the Ontario Fire Code. Once the required upgrades are completed, staff from VFRS will complete a final inspection to ensure the secondary suite is compliant with the Ontario Fire Code. In some cases, a building permit may be required where no upgrades are necessary.