General Building Information

Access your Building Permit files digitally: As part of our transition to digital intake for building permit applications, all building permits being issued on or after March 31, 2026 and submitted on or after January 1, 2026 will be processed and provided exclusively in digital format. Paper copies of building permits, reviewed drawings and related supporting documents will no longer be issued at City Hall with the exception of:

commercial tenant improvement permits
residential restoration permit applications

These application types must be submitted as paper applications and will be issued as a paper copy.

Changes to Development & Building Permit process (Effective July 1, 2026): The City of Burnaby is updating its development approval process. For some projects, a Development Permit will be required before a Building Permit can be submitted or issued. This change supports clearer requirements earlier in the process and helps improve overall timelines. More information available shortly.

New! Updated processes

Building Permit Applications and Issuance

Online Applications

All Residential Building Permit applications and new Commercial Building Permit applications must be submitted online through the My Permits Portal, except:
- Restoration and commercial tenant improvement permit applications are excluded and must be applied for in-person at City Hall.
- For further information, please contact the Building Division at 604-294-7130.
Paper applications are no longer accepted.

Digital Permit Issuance

Building Permits are issued digitally once:
- all City requirements have been met; and
- all applicable fees have been paid in full.
Physical copies of permits, reviewed drawings or supporting documents are no longer issued at City Hall.

Permit drawings and files

To access and download your issued permit drawings and files:

Log in to mypermits.burnaby.ca
Locate your permit in the navigation bar by clicking View
From the View dropdown, under Permits, click “My Permits”
Under Permit details, select “Attachments” to download your permit

Construction Site Requirements

During construction, the applicant is responsible for:

Printing and keeping a copy of the City issued building permit posted in a conspicuous location on site and remain posted for the duration of the work.
Maintaining a full size colour set (36" × 24") of City approved and City stamped drawings at the job site at all times for inspection purposes.

Permit applications

Permits can be applied for in person at the building division front counter Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 8 am-4 pm and Thursday, 8 am-7 pm.
Residential building permits and select subtrade permits (electrical, gas, plumbing) can be applied for online via My Permits Portal.
If you applied for your sub-trade permit online and need it sooner than the current wait time, you must come into the front counter to have your subtrade permit processed.

R1 zoning changes

Effective July 1, 2024, applications are required to meet the applicable Zoning Bylaw provisions in their entirety. Mixing and matching bylaw provisions is not permitted.
All residential building permit applications that have been accepted are considered in-stream and are under the Zoning Bylaw that was in effect at the date of application.
To change your in-stream application or issued building permit, you must have the existing permit cancelled and re-apply under the R1 Zoning Bylaw, as they are required to meet the bylaw provisions in its entirety.
For further information, please contact the Building Division at 604-294-7130.

Permit revisions

Revisions to sub-trade permits can be applied for via [email protected] or in person at the building division front counter.
For revisions to building permits that were submitted online, please send an email directly to [email protected] and staff will advise you of the next steps.
For revisions to building permits that were submitted in person, please bring the following to the front counter: Completed Issued Building Permit Revision Form, the original sealed drawings, 2 sets (minimum) of the revised plans.

Inspection bookings

Inspections can be booked by calling the inspections line at 604-294-7130 between 8:30 am-3 pm for the next available business day.
Select inspections can also be booked online on My Permits Portal.

Brochures and bulletins

These documents below have been created as a guide to help you get building permits processed and projects completed in Burnaby. If you are unsure on where to begin your building project, please contact the building division for assistance.

Please note: We are working on updating this webpage to reflect the changes we are making in the application process. Thank you for your continued patience as we strive to improve the building permits process.

Sign Permit Application Procedure

Forms

For permit application forms, please visit our permits and applications webpage.

Additional forms, checklists and documents listed below are available for you to download, complete and submit to the building division as you work through the steps of your building project.