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City permits, licences, and land development applications have different processing times. The processing timelines are measured in calendar days from when a customer submits a complete application to when a decision is made. Any neighbour notification and appeal periods that may be required following the application decision are not included in the processing times.
Incomplete or inaccurate applications that result in requests for additional information or fees not being paid on time add time to the process. There may also be some variation in processing times during the peak construction season. The City encourages applicants to consider hiring professional contractors and designers to help ensure complete application submissions and avoid delays.
Permits and licences are an important part of guiding development and helping ensure we are achieving the safe, inclusive, vibrant and walkable city envisioned by The City Plan. Establishing predictable, transparent service levels is part of Edmonton's Economic Action Plan, which includes actions to improve Edmonton’s regulatory processes and reduce red tape.
Housing types infographic
Note: Before starting a project and to avoid delays, homeowners are encouraged to visit edmonton.ca/naildownyourpermit to confirm if their project requires a permit, and what information is needed to submit a complete permit application.
Home improvement permit application processing times for interior or exterior renovations to existing single-detached and semi-detached houses, row houses up to 4 units, secondary suites, decks and accessory structures, like sheds, and detached garages, associated with these housing types.
Please refer to the Multi-Unit residential and Mixed-Use Building Alteration Permits section for permit application processing times for interior and exterior renovations to apartments or condos (including renovations to the interior of individual residential suites) and row houses with 5 or more units. For garage and garden suites, please refer to the New Home Construction Permits section.
| Permit Type |
Processing Time Includes both building and development permit |
|---|---|
|
Deck - Simple Uncovered* Single uncovered platforms under 6 feet high in backyards |
25 Days |
| Deck - Complex Uncovered | 40 Days |
|
Demolition - Simple Simple projects with asbestos clearance and gas disconnected |
25 Days |
| Demolition - Complex | 40 Days |
|
Garage - Simple Detached* Standard designs for single detached houses, less than 55 square metre building area |
25 Days |
| Garage - Complex | 40 Days |
| Home Addition | 40 Days |
| Home Renovation and Basements | 40 days |
| Secondary (Basement) Suites | 40 Days |
| Sheds, Gazebos, Pergolas and Carports | 40 Days |
| Renewable Energy System | 40 Days |
| Swimming Pool and Hot Tubs | 40 Days |
*Some detached garages and simple, uncovered decks may qualify for automated review and could be issued as quickly as the day of application.
Permit application processing times for interior and exterior alterations, including renovations to common areas and individual units, or changes in the activities or use of the property for any existing multi-unit buildings. Also includes processing times for standalone temporary structures and hoarding associated with these building types.
For decks and accessory structures, such as sheds and detached garages, please refer to the Home Improvement Permit processing times section. For additions to multi-unit buildings, please refer to the New Multi-Unit Residential Construction and Additions Permits section.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Alterations and Change of Use Development Permit Applies to alterations to duplexes, row houses with 5 or more units, stacked row houses, and apartments or condos with or without commercial space |
35 Days |
|
Alterations and Temporary Standalone Structures Building Permit Applies to alterations to duplexes, row houses with 5 or more units, stacked row houses, and apartments or condos with or without commercial space. Also includes office trailers and sea cans. |
75 Days |
Permit application processing times for new low-density residential construction in both infill (development of new housing in established neighbourhoods) and greenfield (development on land that has not previously been developed) areas. This includes single-detached houses, semi-detached houses and side by side row houses up to 4 units with or without secondary suites, and garage and garden suites.
For side by side row houses with 5 or more units and stacked row houses, please refer to the New Multi-Unit Residential Construction and Addition Permit processing times section.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| Greenfield Development Permit | 25 Days |
| Greenfield Building Permit | 35 Days |
| Infill Development Permit | 40 Days |
|
Expedited Infill Development Permit* Class A single-detached and semi-detached house permits only. |
20 Days |
| Infill Building Permit | 35 Days |
*Learn about the eligibility criteria for an expedited infill development permit application.
Permit application processing times for the new construction of and additions to multi-unit housing buildings in both infill (development of new housing in established neighbourhoods) and greenfield (development on land that has not previously been developed) areas.
For mixed-use buildings (blend of commercial and residential), please see the New Commercial Buildings and Additions processing times section.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Multi-Unit Residential Development Permit Includes side by side row houses with 5 or more units, stacked row houses and apartments or condos without commercial space. |
90 Days |
| Side-by-side Row Houses with 5 or more units Building Permit | 70 Days |
| Stacked Row Houses and Apartments and Condos without Commercial Space Building Permit | 145 Days |
| Multi-Unit Residential Additions Building Permit | 120 Days |
Permit application processing times for interior and exterior alterations and renovations, demolitions, or changes in business activities to existing commercial, industrial, institutional or mixed-use buildings. Also includes processing times for standalone temporary structures and hoarding associated with these buildings.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| Alterations and Change of Use Development Permit | 35 Days |
|
Alterations, Standalone Temporary Structures and Hoarding Building Permit Includes office trailers, storage sheds and sea cans. |
75 Days |
Permit application processing times for new construction or additions to commercial, industrial, institutional, and mixed-use (blend of commercial and residential) buildings.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| New Commercial, Mixed-use or Industrial Development Permit | 75 Days |
| New Commercial, Mixed-use or Industrial Building Permit | 120 Days |
The City regulates signs on private and public property to manage the type, size, location and other features, such as light pollution, that may impact the surrounding community.
| Permit Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Permanent Sign Permit Are anchored into the ground or affixed to or painted onto a building or other structure that cannot readily be removed from a site. May have static or animated non-digital content. |
30 Days |
|
Digital Sign Permit Content can be changed remotely without having to manually or mechanically replace the sign face or its components. |
60 Days |
|
Temporary Sign Permit Used for a limited time and easily removable. Includes bridge banners, temporary signs on private property such as sandwich boards, road-right-of-way signs, and showhome wayfinding signs. |
5 Days |
states that every person or company that conducts business in Edmonton is required to have a business licence. Processing times do not include the time needed to obtain any development or building permits that may be required before the licence can be issued.
| Licence Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Simple Business Licence Most businesses fall into this category, including most home-based businesses. Applies when a development permit is not required. |
35 Days |
|
Complex Business Licence Require additional consultation with agencies such as the Edmonton Police Service and Edmonton Fire Rescue Services. Typically applies when a development permit is required. |
20 Days |
Processing (lead) time to schedule building and trade permit (safety code) inspections. Work is not complete until it passes all required inspections.
Find real-time inspection availability by visiting the inspections tab in the selfserve.edmonton.ca project dashboard.
| Inspection Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Building (Structure) Inspections Includes foundation inspections |
5 Days |
| Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Inspections | 5 Days |
| Plumbing and Gas Inspections | 5 Days |
| Electrical Inspections | 5 Days |
Land Development includes rezonings, plan amendments, subdivisions and endorsements, and servicing agreements and engineering drawing review.
Processing times indicate how long it takes for the City to review a rezoning or plan amendment application, make a recommendation for Council’s consideration, and advance it to City Council Public Hearing for a decision. Public Hearings are typically held every two weeks; however, there are breaks in the schedule that may impact processing times.
| Rezoning Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Non-Complex Rezoning Conform with City guidelines and neighbourhood plans, aren’t a change in land use or scale (low density to low density), don’t require public engagement beyond notifying surrounding landowners, and have minimal servicing/infrastructure and technical implications. |
90 Days |
|
Complex Rezoning Involve a plan amendment, change of land use or scale (residential to commercial, or low density to higher density) and typically require formal public engagement beyond notifying surrounding landowners. |
160 Days |
Subdivision is the process of dividing a property into 2 or more legal lots. Subdivision is a 2-part process - conditional approval and endorsement. Separate applications, fees and processing times apply to each part.
Conditional Approval - Conditional approval is the process of determining what conditions will need to be met to subdivide lots.
Endorsements - The endorsement process confirms that the conditional subdivision approval requirements have been met.
| Application Type | Processing Time |
|---|---|
|
Non-Complex Subdivision Doesn’t require a servicing agreement, offsite construction and/or assessment payments. Includes boundary adjustments, consolidations and title separations. |
100 Days |
|
Complex Subdivision Requires a servicing agreement, offsite construction and/or assessment payments. Includes applications with reserve dedication or an associated rezoning or plan amendment. |
100 Days |
|
Change Requests Applications requesting a change to a conditionally approved subdivision. |
100 Days |
|
Lot Splits (Residential) Subdivision of an existing residential lot to create additional single or semi-detached, duplex, or row housing lots. |
60 Days |
|
Minor Endorsements Includes all non-complex subdivision and lot split conditional approvals. |
18 Days |
|
Major Endorsement Includes all complex subdivision conditional approvals. |
18 Days |
Servicing agreements ensure development is constructed according to City standards and that the developer pays for the development’s share of the infrastructure from which it will benefit. As part of the servicing agreement, a developer may be required to submit engineering drawings for review.
| Drawing Type | Review Time |
|---|---|
|
Non-Complex Drawings Contain elements that are standard on most drawing submissions, such as roadway cross-sections and approved pipe materials. Are typically the continuation of adjoining existing developments. |
100 Days |
|
Complex Drawings Contain elements that are not typical in most drawing submissions, such as stormwater management facilities, lift stations, arterial roadways or creek crossings. May require additional input from specialists or experts. |
100 Days |