Finishing a Basement in Peterborough: Permit, Drawings, Ceiling Height and Egress
Updated · 10 min read · By Gilbert Brothers
In this guide
- When the City says a basement needs a permit
- Who can draw the plans and who can do the work
- What a complete application holds
- Ceiling height
- Windows, egress and alarms
- Radon: what Health Canada advises before you renovate
- Inspections and closing the permit
- If the house is a designated heritage property
- If your house is outside the city limits
- Frequently asked questions
The short answer
In Peterborough, the City says you need a building permit to finish a basement. The City requires one for any construction in your basement, including drywall, moving or adding plumbing fixtures (even in a bathroom that is already roughed in), creating rooms and adding insulation. Painting and decorating are not included. You can't start framing while the City reviews your plans. Rules differ by property and change, so confirm with the City, or your township's building office, before you start.
When the City says a basement needs a permit
The City of Peterborough's Basement Finishing Guide gives its reason. The City says provincial law requires the permit so the Ontario Building Code's health and safety standards are checked, and that permits also confirm the building meets the zoning by-law.
The City's Building Services page lists "finishing a basement or converting a room to a bedroom" as a permit trigger, and lists damp-proofing basements as work that does not need one.
Don't start early. The City says beginning without a permit is against the law, fines may be issued, and early work often has to be undone. If the basement will become a second dwelling with its own kitchen, different City rules apply; see what the City's rules allow for a basement suite.
Who can draw the plans and who can do the work
Drawings. The City says the homeowner on title may prepare the drawings. If the owner does not, a designer with at least a BCIN (Building Code Identification Number) House qualification must, with a Schedule 1: Designer Information form. Depending on the scope, the City may also want heating and ventilation (HVAC) drawings, and an engineer for structural parts outside the Code's standard designs.
Construction. The City's guide says that once the permit is issued, any competent party may complete the work, except for plumbing. A plumber hired for the job must be licensed with the City of Peterborough (Building Services can verify that if you ask). For electrical work, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) says that if you hire someone to do electrical work in your home, by law it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor. It says homeowners who do it themselves must file a notification of work with ESA (ESA's page). The City's guide says a qualified gas technician is required for work such as gas fireplaces or relocating fuel-fired appliances.
Your duties as owner. The City puts these on the homeowner: getting the permit, requesting the inspections, making sure the work complies and passes the Building Inspector and the Mechanical Inspector (plumbing and HVAC), and having the permit closed. If the applicant is not the owner, an Authorization to Act as Agent form is needed.
Before you sign with any contractor, ask three things: who applies for the permit, who books the inspections, and whether the quote includes the drawings and permit fees.
What a complete application holds
The City says an application missing any of this is incomplete and cannot be processed. Its checklist, uploaded through the online application portal, is:
- the signed Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish;
- the Authorization to Act as Agent form, if you are not the owner on title;
- a complete set of drawings, and Schedule 1: Designer Information;
- any approvals from other City divisions or agencies, such as Heritage or the conservation authority; and
- the administrative fee, paid when you apply.
The floor plan can be hand drawn or digital, but it must be to scale and dimensioned. The City wants room names and areas, door and window sizes, the proposed walls, ceiling heights including under bulkheads and beams, the mechanical equipment and ductwork, and existing work shown apart from new.
Fees. The City's 2026 fee table lists "Residential Alterations Without Identifiable Gross Area" at a $62.50 administrative fee plus $34.00 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $235 minimum permit fee. At that rate every $10,000 of construction value adds $340. Which row applies to your project is the City's call, and fees change each year. For the rest of the budget, and how long the work takes, see what a basement renovation costs: published ranges and Peterborough permit fees.
How long the City has. The 2024 Building Code gives a chief building official 10 days to issue or refuse a permit for a house where no dwelling unit is above another, such as a house with no suite. The count starts the day after a complete application is submitted, and Saturdays, holidays and days the office is closed don't count (Division C, Article 1.3.1.3, in the Ministry's 2024 Building Code Compendium, updated September 14, 2026). The official can also tell you in writing within two days that plans are missing or the work would break an applicable law, and then the 10 days does not apply. Rules differ by property and change; confirm with the City before you start.
Ceiling height
The City's guide sets minimum ceiling heights under Article 9.5.3.1 of the Code, and the Code's table adds one row the guide does not list. For a home less than five years old:
| Room or space | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Living room, dining room, kitchen | 2,300 mm (7 ft 6.5 in) over at least 75% of the required floor area, and 2,100 mm (6 ft 11 in) clear at any point of it |
| Bedroom | 2,300 mm over at least 50% of the required floor area, or 2,100 mm over all of it; floor with a clear height under 1,400 mm (4 ft 7 in) is not counted in that area |
| Bathroom, water closet room | 2,100 mm where a person would stand |
| Hall, passage and other finished rooms | 2,100 mm |
| Under beams, ductwork and other projections | 1,950 mm (6 ft 5 in) |
| Basement space (in the Code's table only) | 2,100 mm over at least 75% of the basement area, except that under beams and ducts it may be reduced to 1,950 mm |
The City's guide says homes five years or older may conform to Part 11 of the Code, which offers two alternatives to those heights (Table 11.5.1.1.-C, alternative C105). A house can meet either one: 1,950 mm (6 ft 5 in) over the required floor area and in any location normally used as a means of egress, or 2,030 mm (6 ft 8 in) over at least 50% of the required floor area, where any part of the floor with a clear height under 1,400 mm (4 ft 7 in) is not counted in that area. The City's guide joins the two with "or", and so does the Ministry's Compendium PDF (November 4, 2024 update). The Compendium's web version prints the two items without a connecting word. Part 11's version begins "Except for secondary suites", so a suite is measured differently; see the suite rules. Ask the City which option it will accept for your house.
These figures are from the City's guide and the 2024 Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24) in the Ministry's Compendium Part 9 (page updated October 20, 2026), as of October 27, 2026. The Compendium home page says its web version reflects amendments up to and including O. Reg. 242/26 (July 22, 2026). The province's e-Laws site also shows O. Reg. 325/26, filed October 2, 2026, which changes the date of the Ontario Amendments document that section 1 of the Building Code adopts, from July 17, 2026 to October 1, 2026. The Compendium home page doesn't list it among the amendments it says it reflects. Confirm the current wording with the City.
Windows, egress and alarms
Glass area. Rooms with electric lighting need a minimum unobstructed glass area, measured on the glass, not the frame. The guide's table:
| Room | Home under 5 years | Home 5 years or older |
|---|---|---|
| Living and dining rooms | 10% of area served | 5% of area served |
| Bedrooms and other finished rooms | 5% of area served | 2.5% of area served |
| Laundry, storage, utility, basement recreation room, unfinished basement, kitchen | No window required | No window required |
Part 11 allows the older-home reduction only where a window is not used as a means of egress and does not conflict with ventilation requirements.
Egress. Egress means a way out in an emergency. A basement level that contains a bedroom needs a way outside. If there is no door to the exterior grade, the City requires an egress window (Article 9.9.10.1). It must open from the inside without tools or special knowledge and give an unobstructed opening of at least 0.35 square metres (3.8 square feet) with no dimension under 380 mm (15 inches). Where it opens into a window well, 550 mm (about 22 inches) of clearance is required in front of it. The City also says a well needs frost cover for the foundation, with at least 48 inches from the base of the well to the bottom of the footing.
Alarms. The guide requires at least one smoke alarm and one carbon monoxide alarm on every storey, including the basement. Smoke alarms are also required in each sleeping room and in the hall outside; carbon monoxide alarms go next to each sleeping area. They must be permanently wired with battery back-up, and the smoke alarms interconnected.
Doors and hallways. Doors on the path between the basement and the outside must be at least 810 mm (32 inches) wide, as must utility room doors. Bathroom doors are 610 mm (24 inches) and other doors at least 760 mm (30 inches). A hallway must be at least 860 mm (34 inches) clear, with a narrower 710 mm option in limited cases. These are the City's figures for a typical case; rules differ by property and change, so confirm with the City before you start.
Radon: what Health Canada advises before you renovate
Health Canada's renovation safety page (modified June 16, 2023) advises a long-term radon test of 3 months and says that if the level is high, it is best to reduce it before or during renovations. Peterborough Public Library lends radon detectors from October to March for 42 days, one per card, and says a high reading from a short-loan detector should be followed by a test of at least three months. A three-month test takes a season, so if you want the result before work starts, begin it early.
Inspections and closing the permit
Give the inspectors at least 48 hours' notice and pass each inspection before the next phase of work. If an inspector is not told a stage is ready, finishes may have to be removed so it can be inspected. If you change the design after the permit is issued, talk to the plans reviewer first; revised drawings and a revision fee may follow. Call for the final inspection so the permit can be closed.
Among the City's common inspection failures: the build does not match the approved layout, stair risers are uneven because finishes changed the height, moisture protection is missing at the bottom plates of walls, and the utility room door is too small.
If the house is a designated heritage property
For a house inside the City, the City's heritage permit page says a heritage permit is required for certain alterations on any individually designated property or any property in a Heritage Conservation District. Its list includes replacing or altering existing windows and doors, or the openings for them, so read it if your plan changes a basement window or door. It also says most interior work is not on the list unless the designation includes interior heritage attributes. The City says a building permit can only be issued after the heritage application is approved, and that the heritage process may take several months. Ask Building Services and the City's heritage staff whether your property is designated before you plan the work.
If your house is outside the city limits
This page follows the City of Peterborough's guide, so its lists are the City's. A house in a township around the city is dealt with by that township's building office, not the City's, and the lists differ. For example, Asphodel-Norwood's page lists interior renovations as needing a permit where "a bedroom is added", "a bathroom is added", or "a new dwelling unit or apartment is created", while Cavan Monaghan's page lists basements, "new or repairs or finishing for living space". Neither is a ruling on your basement. See which office issues your renovation permit, and confirm with your township's building office before you start.
If you want someone to look at your basement, Gilbert Brothers renovates basements: see basement renovations, or request a free estimate. The estimate is free at your home, the quote covers the whole job before work starts, and you get a reply within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start framing while the City reviews my plans?
No. The City says beginning construction without a building permit is against the law.
Can I draw my own basement plans?
The City says the homeowner on title may. Otherwise a designer with at least a BCIN House qualification must prepare them.
Are there reasons to wait before finishing a basement?
It depends on what the checks on this page turn up. Measure the ceiling height against the City's minimums, and note that Health Canada advises a three-month radon test and says a high level is best reduced before or during renovations. The window and egress rules apply to any bedroom. Confirm with the City before you start.
Does every basement room need a window?
Not by the City's glass-area table: laundry, storage, utility and recreation rooms, and kitchens, need none where there is electric lighting. Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms do.