Toronto pool enclosure permit: when you need one and what to submit
The short answer
Yes. You need a zoning certificate from Toronto Building, then a pool fence enclosure permit from Municipal Licensing and Standards. City fee: $214.79 zoning certificate, plus the enclosure permit fee.
Last verified 2026-10-07 · City of Toronto: Fences and swimming pool enclosures, City of Toronto: Zoning certificate for a pool fence enclosure, Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 447, Fences (PDF)- City fee
- $214.79 zoning certificate, plus the enclosure permit fee
- Where to apply
- City of Toronto: Express building permit application
- Review time
- Express service aims to review a complete deck, porch or house alteration application in 3 business days.
At least 1.2 m high, with every door of the house outside the enclosure and self-closing, self-latching gates kept locked. You can't fill the pool until the City inspects the enclosure.
What an application usually includes
Toronto’s checklist has the exact list; apply through City of Toronto: Express building permit application.
- A site plan showing the pool, the enclosure and the gates
- A cross-section of the fence with its height and openings
- Gate details: self-closing, self-latching, latch height
- The application, and an inspection before you fill the pool
Local quirks
- Starting work before the permit is issued adds 50% of the permit fee.
- A pool enclosure has to keep every door of the house outside the fenced pool area.
- Any fence within 2.4 m of a driveway must be see-through, so drivers can see the sidewalk.
Design your Toronto pool enclosure to the Building Code.
The design, drawings and code checks work in Toronto today. Toronto’s own forms aren’t built in yet, so you’ll fill those in on the City’s portal.