How to Start a Bakery in Calgary
Open a bakery in Calgary: work out the City licence types from seating, takeaway, and production, clear location approval, then pass the Alberta Health Services plan review and inspection.
How to Get a Building Permit in Calgary
How to get a building permit in Calgary: the development permit first, the ePermit application, 2025 fees, timelines, and inspections.
Applies in: Alberta
The short answer
In Calgary, a building permit is the second of two approvals: planning approval (a development permit) first if the project does not meet the Land Use Bylaw, then building safety approval (the building permit) confirming the construction meets the building code. Homeowners apply online with a myID account; licensed contractors use the City's VISTA portal. A new-house permit takes 21 calendar days or less once submitted, and the fee for a new single, semi-detached, or duplex dwelling is $112 plus $10.14 per $1,000 of construction value under the City's 2025 fee schedule.
Step 1: Work out which approvals your project needs
Calgary splits approvals in two, and confusing them is the most common delay:
Planning approval — the development permit. This confirms the project fits the Land Use Bylaw: the use, the setbacks, the lot coverage, the parking. A new house, a secondary suite, or a change of use normally needs one. The City's own requirement list is blunt about the order: your building permit plans must match the approved development permit, and a building permit application may be refused if you do not supply adequate information to the safety codes officer within 90 days of receipt — with no refund of fees paid.
Building safety approval — the building permit. This confirms the construction itself meets the building code: structure, electrical, plumbing, gas, heating, and fire safety. It is the permit most people mean when they say "building permit."
Some small projects need only the building permit, and a few need neither. Check the City's page for your project type before you start drawing — a fence, for example, usually needs no building permit but needs planning approval if it does not meet the bylaw, while a retaining wall usually needs a building permit.
Step 2: Assemble the drawing and document package
For a new single detached or duplex dwelling, the City's application requirement list asks for:
- A completed Construction Permit Application (one for each unit)
- A completed Building Permit Fee Calculation – New Homes form (one for each unit)
- A completed Section 9.36 (Energy Efficiency) Project Summary Form (one for each unit)
- Proof of registration from the Government of Alberta's New Home Buyer Protection Program (one for each unit)
- One dimensioned site plan
- Dimensioned building plans (one copy per unit, naming which unit each set is for)
Two practical traps: for a semi-detached dwelling you need two approved building addresses before applying — contact the City's addressing department at 403-268-8127 or email a copy of your site plan to addressing@calgary.ca. And the drawings must be signed by the right person for the project type; the requirement list states who may sign each drawing set, so confirm that before paying a designer.
For renovations and additions the package is smaller but the same discipline applies: upload each document under the correct document type in ePermit. The City warns that a site plan filed with the residential drawings instead of under "site plan" causes delays, files must be under 10 MB, and file names must not contain special characters.
Step 3: Apply online or in person
Online. Homeowners apply through the City's online permit system and need a myID account first. Licensed contractors apply through VISTA and can request VISTA access from the portal. The ePermit system covers new single and semi-detached dwellings, secondary and backyard suites, basement developments, detached garages and sheds, uncovered decks, home renovations and additions, retaining walls, wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, pools, and demolitions. ePermit takes credit card only — Mastercard, Visa, or American Express — and refunds are processed within six weeks to the original form of payment.
In person. Bring the completed application form and all documents to the Planning Services Centre, 3rd floor, Municipal Building, 800 Macleod Trail SE, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can book an in-person appointment in advance.
After you submit online you receive a confirmation email with a Job Access Code (JAC). Enter the JAC in VISTA to track the application. In ePermit, the statuses that mean the permit is with the City are "pre-screen" and "project review"; "revision" and "re-submission" mean the file is back with you and needs an update before you resubmit.
Step 4: The review, and the 90-day clock
The safety codes officer reviews the application for bylaw and safety codes compliance. Timelines the City publishes:
| Permit | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Single construction permit, new house | 21 calendar days or less |
| Residential improvement project | 7 calendar days or less |
| Simple projects (deck, garage, basement, hot tub) | May be processed in one day |
| Development permit, single detached or duplex in the developed area | 10 to 12 weeks, including advertisement and appeal |
If the officer asks for more information, the 90-day clock starts: supply adequate information within 90 days of receipt or the application may be refused, and fees paid are not refunded. A partial permit is automatically issued on single construction permits in developing areas; in the developed area it takes one business day after submission.
Revisions work differently before and after issue. Before the permit is issued there is no revision fee. After it is issued, a revision fee applies — except when the safety codes officer pushes the revision, in which case no additional plans review fee is charged. You can change a contractor on a new-house permit at any time by updating the business identification number (BID) from the trade's City business licence.
Step 5: Build, inspect, and mind the expiry
Once the permit is issued, build to the approved drawings — the permit approves the drawings as submitted, not the project as you wish it had been drawn. Book inspections through the City's inspection booking system, in sequence: an out-of-sequence inspection blocks the next phase, and you cannot book any inspection before the permit is issued.
Remember the expiry dates: a building permit expires 180 days after issuance, and a homeowner permit after 330 days. If a permit expires, you have 30 days to request reinstatement in writing, provided nothing in the submitted documents changes and you pay the reinstatement fee. To extend or reinstate, call the trades desk at 403-268-1488.
Figures and details not verified on the official pages
Two figures were cut rather than published unverified. The dollar total for a development permit on a new house was not stated on the official City pages, so no development-permit fee figure appears here — check the City's Planning Applications Fee Schedule for the current amount. The fee figures in this guide come from the City's 2025 Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule; a newer schedule may have replaced it, so confirm the current schedule and use the City's new-homes fee calculator before you budget.
Related guides
- How to get a building permit in Toronto — the Toronto companion: the same two-approval split, different city process and fees.
- How to get a building permit in Vancouver — the Vancouver companion: Vancouver Coastal Health and City permit layers for BC builds.
- How to start getting a building permit in British Columbia — the BC-wide companion: how the provincial building code and municipal permits fit together.
- Trade schools in Calgary — the Calgary trades companion: where to train for the licensed trades your build will need.
- How to start a renovation contracting business in Canada — the business side: licensing, insurance, and quoting for renovation work.
- How to become a home inspector in Alberta — the inspection side: what a home inspector checks, and the Alberta licensing path.
Getting a building permit in Calgary, in five steps
- Check whether you need a development permit firstIf the project does not meet the Land Use Bylaw, get planning approval (a development permit) before the building permit — your building plans must match the approved development permit.
- Assemble the drawing packageDimensioned site plan and building plans, the Section 9.36 energy efficiency summary, the fee calculation form, and proof of Alberta New Home Buyer Protection Program registration for new homes.
- Apply through ePermit or in personHomeowners apply online with a myID account; licensed contractors use VISTA. In-person applications go to the Planning Services Centre, 3rd floor, Municipal Building, 800 Macleod Trail SE.
- Wait for review and answer the safety codes officerA single construction permit for a new house takes 21 calendar days or less; residential improvement projects take seven days or less. Supply any requested information within 90 days or the application may be refused.
- Build to the approved drawings and book inspectionsBook inspections through the City once the permit is issued. A building permit expires 180 days after issuance; a homeowner permit expires after 330 days.
Calgary building permit fees, 2025 fee schedule
| New single, semi-detached or duplex dwelling | $112 plus $10.14 per $1,000 of construction value |
|---|---|
| Basement, garage, or addition under 400 square feet | $333.84 total |
| New secondary suite | $403.52 total |
| Existing secondary suite | $205.92 total |
| New backyard suite, or addition over 400 square feet | $1,302.08 total |
| Homeowner permit | $116.50 total |
| Safety Codes Council fee | 4% of the permit fee ($4.50 minimum, $560 maximum) |
Figures are from the City of Calgary's 2025 Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule. The City also charges a $26.13 water fee per residential dwelling unit on new homes, and a partial permit costs $94 per unit. Confirm the current schedule before you budget — a newer schedule may have replaced the 2025 one.
Questions people ask
Do I need a building permit in Calgary, or a development permit?
Often both, and they do different jobs. A development permit is planning approval: it confirms the project meets the Land Use Bylaw. A building permit (building safety approval) confirms the construction plans meet the building code. If your project does not meet the bylaw, get the development permit first — your building permit plans must match the approved development permit. Some small projects need only a building permit, and some need neither; the City's project pages state which approvals each project type needs.
How do I apply for a building permit in Calgary?
Apply online or in person. Homeowners apply through the City's online system with a myID account; licensed contractors apply through VISTA, the City's contractor portal. In person, applications go to the Planning Services Centre on the 3rd floor of the Municipal Building at 800 Macleod Trail SE. You submit the Construction Permit Application, the fee calculation form, a dimensioned site plan, dimensioned building plans, the Section 9.36 energy efficiency project summary, and — for a new home — proof of registration in the Government of Alberta's New Home Buyer Protection Program.
How much does a building permit cost in Calgary?
It depends on the project. Under the City's 2025 fee schedule, a new single, semi-detached or duplex dwelling costs $112 plus $10.14 per $1,000 of construction value, plus a 4% Safety Codes Council fee and a $26.13 water fee per unit. Fixed totals apply to smaller work: $333.84 for a basement, garage, or addition under 400 square feet; $403.52 for a new secondary suite; $205.92 for an existing secondary suite; and $1,302.08 for a new backyard suite or an addition over 400 square feet. Use the City's fee calculator for new homes to work out your exact fee before you apply.
How long does a Calgary building permit take?
For a single construction permit for a new house, 21 calendar days or less. Residential improvement projects take seven calendar days or less, and simple projects such as decks, garages, basements, or hot tubs may be processed in one day. Planning approval is the slow part: a development permit for a single detached, semi-detached, or duplex dwelling in the developed area takes 10 to 12 weeks, including the advertisement and appeal period. If the safety codes officer asks for more information, supply it within 90 days — after that the application may be refused and the fees are not refunded.
How long is a Calgary building permit valid?
A building permit expires 180 days after it is issued, and a homeowner permit expires after 330 days. If a permit has expired, it may be reinstated if you apply in writing within 30 days of expiry, make no changes to the submitted documents, and pay the reinstatement fee. To extend or reinstate a building permit, call the trades desk at 403-268-1488.
How do I track my Calgary building permit and book inspections?
After you submit online you get a confirmation email with a Job Access Code (JAC). Enter the JAC in VISTA to check the status. Once the permit is issued, book inspections through the City's inspection booking system. You cannot book an inspection before the permit is issued, and inspections must happen in sequence — an out-of-sequence inspection blocks the next phase. If your project has not been assigned a safety codes officer after 21 days, call the Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311.
Sources
- City of Calgary, Residential ePermit for home builders and contractors — what ePermit covers, timelines, statuses, revisions, inspections, and expiry.
- City of Calgary, 2025 Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule — the fee formula and fixed totals for residential work.
- City of Calgary, Building Permit Application Requirement List: Single Detached or Duplex Dwelling — the document package, the 90-day rule, and the two-address requirement for semi-detached dwellings.
- City of Calgary, Fences and retaining walls — planning approval timelines, permit expiry periods, myID and VISTA application routes.