Design Guides and Requirements

Urban requirements

If your property is located within the urban area of the Municipality of Port Hope, you must include the following information with your permit application:

• Site plan (showing the location of all buildings on the property and the distance from the property line, height of all proposed structures and the percent of the property they will occupy)
• Two sets of construction plans (including specifications for heating and ventilation and engineering)
• Complete the Building Permit and Designer Information Form and Energy Efficiency Design Summary
• A Site Plan Agreement may be required prior to obtaining a building permit. Visit Planning and Development Services to find out more information.

Additional approvals

Depending on the location and nature of your construction project, you may need to get the following approvals before you apply:

• Northumberland County approval for septic systems
• Entrance permit from the Municipality of Port Hope (if the property is on a Municipal roadway)
• Entrance permit and setback permit from Northumberland County or the Province of Ontario (if your property is on a county road or provincial highway)
• Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority approval (if the building is on or near an environmental-constraint area or fill-restricted area)
• Port Hope Area Initiative for inspection of soil. 

Rural requirements

If your property is located within the rural area of the Municipality of Port Hope, you must include the following information with your permit application:

• Site plan (showing the location of all buildings on the property and the distance from the property line, height of all proposed structures and the percent of the property they will occupy)
• Two sets of construction plans (including specifications for heating and ventilation and engineering)
• Complete the Building Permit and Designer Information Form and Energy Efficiency Design Summary
• Copy of the deed to the land
• Survey with elevations may be required
• A Site Plan Agreement may be required prior to obtaining a building permit. Visit Planning and Development Services to find out more information.

Additional approvals

Depending on the location and nature of your construction project, you may need to get the following approvals before you apply:

• Northumberland County approval for septic systems
• Entrance permit from the Municipality of Port Hope (if the property is on a Municipal roadway)
• Entrance permit and setback permit from Northumberland County or the Province of Ontario (if your property is on a county road or provincial highway)
• Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority approval (if the building is on or near an environmental-constraint area or fill-restricted area)
• CSA approval (for manufactured homes)

Building permit drawing requirements

To learn what requirements are needed in permit drawings, please contact us by phone at 905-885-2431 or by email:

• Requirements for Building Permit Drawings
• Duplex Dwelling Building Permit Requirements