How Long Does a Custom Home Take in Toronto? Design and Approval Timeline (2026 Guide)
If you are planning a custom home in Toronto, one of the first questions is simple: how long will the design and approvals take before we can start building? The City publishes official review times for some steps, especially the legislated review period for a complete building permit application. Those figures are theoretical. They are not the time it takes to get a permit approved. Design work, zoning review and any Committee of Adjustment hearing sit in front of that clock, and on the permit itself, comments typically arrive in more than one round.
This guide walks through Nestwood's real-world design-to-permit timeline for a custom home in Toronto — the actual time we see on our projects — and sets it beside the City of Toronto's published rules, fees and theoretical review periods, as of November 2026. The photos are from 170 St. Leonard's Avenue in Lawrence Park, a custom home where Nestwood provided the design and construction management for our client.
The short answer — the actual time on a typical Nestwood project:
About 6.5 months from signing to a building permit, if the design can proceed as-of-right (no minor variance hearing).
About 10 months if a Committee of Adjustment hearing is required.
These are the actual timeframes we see on our projects, not a guarantee. Lots with heritage, trees, ravines, complicated grading or incomplete drawings can take longer.
Nestwood's typical custom home timeline
Stage | Typical Nestwood time | What happens |
First design options | About 2 weeks after signing | Concept options so you can choose a direction |
Finalize the design | About 1.5 months | Floor plans, elevations and the design are settled |
Zoning review | About 1.5 months | City Zoning Applicable Law Certificate (ZAP) review |
Building permit drawings | About 1 month | Construction drawings and forms for the permit application |
City building permit review | About 2 months | Comments typically come in several rounds from different departments; the official 10 business days is each review response, not the approval |
Total, no hearing | About 6.5 months | Signing to permit, if the design meets zoning |
Committee of Adjustment hearing (if needed) | About 3–4 months of waiting for a hearing | Added when the zoning review shows minor variances are required |
Total, with a hearing | About 10 months | The building permit application is submitted after zoning review is complete and the zoning notice is in hand, and after any Committee decision is final |
If minor variances are needed, the extra time is mainly the wait for a public hearing. We submit the building permit application only after the zoning review is finished and the zoning notice has been issued — and, where a hearing was required, after that approval is final.
Official timelines vs. real-world timelines
The City of Toronto publishes official review times for some steps — for example, a legislated review period of 10 business days for a complete House Stream building permit application. Those published figures are theoretical. The 10 business days is the legislated review period for a complete House Stream application. It is not the approval time. In our experience, it is the time for each round of review response: the City typically replies within 10 business days, often with comments from more than one department — for example Urban Forestry (tree protection), Building and Engineering. Those comments usually come in several rounds, and each resubmission starts another review. That is why the actual time we see is about two months. An application filed without a ZAP has no official time frame at all.
The timeline in the table above is the actual time we see on our real custom-home projects, from signing through to a building permit. It already includes comments, revisions and scheduling. Because Nestwood takes projects through design, zoning and permits on the ground, we know how these approvals actually unfold — and we ask clients to plan using our real-world timeline, not the City's theoretical figures alone.
The City does not publish a theoretical turnaround for a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate. The 1.5 months in our table is the actual time we typically see for this stage.
For the Committee of Adjustment, the City's Participation Handbook gives a theoretical typical of 5 to 8 weeks from the date staff confirm the application is complete to the public hearing. The actual wait we see is often about 3 to 4 months, which can include time to assemble a complete application after the zoning review, busier districts, missing materials or a deferral. For planning, use our 3 to 4 months.
For the building permit itself, Toronto Building's legislated review period for a complete House Stream application is 10 business days. That clock starts only when the application is complete, including an issued Zoning Applicable Law Certificate. Applications without a ZAP are treated as incomplete, and there is no legislated time frame for those reviews. In our experience, the 10 business days is the time for each round of review response — the City replies within that period, often with comments — not the time to approve the permit. Comments typically come in multiple rounds from different departments, such as Urban Forestry (tree protection), Building and Engineering. That is why the actual time we see, from a complete application to a permit, is about 2 months.
Stage 1 and 2: design options, then a settled design
On a typical Nestwood custom home, we issue first design options about two weeks after signing, then spend about a month and a half settling the design with you: the floor plans, the elevations, and how the house sits on the lot.
This is the stage that most affects everything that follows. Setbacks, height, coverage and the way the house meets grade are easier to adjust on a sketch than after a zoning examiner has already listed variances. A design that already respects the zoning by-law can go from zoning review straight toward a building permit. A design that needs relief will need the Committee of Adjustment before that permit can be issued.
Stage 3: zoning review (Zoning Applicable Law Certificate)
Before you apply for a building permit in Toronto, the City expects a preliminary zoning and applicable-law review. That review is now called a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate, or ZAP. It is a detailed look at the proposed drawings to confirm whether the project complies with the zoning by-law and other applicable law, so that a later building permit application can be treated as complete.
For a new house (and for additions, conversions and alterations to houses), the ZAP fee effective January 1, 2026 is $644.38, and it is non-refundable. If you later apply for a building permit with that certificate, using the City's declaration form, the ZAP fee is credited against the building permit fee. An application includes a maximum of three reviews.
The City asks for scaled, fully dimensioned and dated PDF drawings, including a site plan based on a current survey by a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor, floor plans, and the applicable elevations and cross-sections. You can apply online through Toronto Building Online Services.
What we could not verify on the City's pages: Toronto does not publish a theoretical number of weeks or months for ZAP review. The actual time we typically see for this stage is about 1.5 months, but a file that needs several rounds of comments, or that sits in a busy period, can take longer.
If the zoning review shows variances: Committee of Adjustment
If the ZAP (or zoning examiner's notice) lists items that do not comply — a setback that is a little tight, a height that is a little over, a coverage figure that exceeds the by-law — those items usually need a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment. The Committee is an independent tribunal that holds public hearings and decides these applications. The City strongly recommends including a zoning review with the application, so the list of variances is complete and accurate. Errors in that list cause delays.
To approve a minor variance, the Committee must be satisfied that all four Planning Act tests are met: the proposal maintains the general intent and purpose of the Official Plan and of the Zoning By-law, it is appropriate for the development of the land and/or building, and the variance is minor.
Official process points, from the City:
Once a complete application is accepted, a public hearing date is scheduled. A public notice sign must be posted on the property, visible from the street, for 10 days before a minor-variance hearing. The City mails a Notice of Public Hearing to owners within 60 metres at least 10 days before the hearing; by Council direction, staff try to mail that notice 20 days in advance.
The Committee usually announces its decision at the hearing. Staff send a formal Notice of Decision (the City's process page says this is within 10 days of the decision).
For a minor variance, the window to appeal to the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB) is 20 days from the decision date (the public hearing). For a consent (severance), the 20 days run from the day staff mail the Notice of Decision. If no appeal is filed, the decision becomes final and legally binding. Under current provincial rules, neighbours generally cannot appeal directly; the right of appeal is limited to the applicant, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and specified persons or public bodies.
The City's handbook gives a theoretical typical of 5 to 8 weeks from a complete application to the hearing.
The actual time we plan for: about 3 to 4 months of waiting for a hearing, plus the 20-day appeal period before the approval is final. We do not submit the building permit application until zoning review is complete, the zoning notice is in hand, and — if a hearing was required — the Committee decision is final.
2026 Committee of Adjustment fees (City planning application fees, effective January 1, 2026):
Additions and alterations to existing dwellings with 3 units or less: $2,228.98
Residential dwellings with 3 units or less (the fee that typically applies to a new house): $5,011.08
All other residential, commercial, industrial or institutional uses: $6,485.59
"After the fact" variances are double the regular fee
Stage 4: preparing building permit drawings
On a typical Nestwood project, preparing the building permit drawings takes about one month after the design is settled and the zoning path is clear. Toronto's New House application guide lists the drawings and forms the City expects, all in PDF, drawn to scale, fully dimensioned, signed and dated. They include:
A site plan referenced to a current survey, with setbacks, zoning provisions (lot area, gross floor area, coverage, height) and parking, driveways and landscape
A lot grading plan that meets the City's Lot Grading Criteria for Infill Housing, so the work does not create new ponding on the lot or on neighbours' lots
Floor plans for each level, including smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and plumbing fixtures
A roof plan, and truss or engineered-floor drawings where those systems are used
Elevations, including overall building height, exterior finishes, and unprotected openings
Sections and construction details for assemblies, footings, stairs and guards
Required forms typically include the Application to Construct or Demolish, an energy-efficiency design summary for a Part 9 house, designer information (Schedule 1, unless the drawings are by an architect or professional engineer), a tree declaration, a municipal road-damage form, and a lot-grading letter of undertaking. If an engineer has sealed drawings, the City also requires an Assumption of Responsibility for Engineering Content form.
Stage 5: City building permit review
Toronto Building reviews complete applications in streams. A new detached, semi-detached or row house with not more than two dwelling units (and ancillary buildings such as garden or laneway suites) goes in the House Stream. The City's legislated review period for a complete House Stream application is 10 business days.
The same official pages also list the other legislated review periods for complete applications:
Small Building Stream (Part 9 buildings other than houses): 15 business days
Large buildings (Part 3): 20 business days
Complex buildings: 30 business days
A building permit application is complete only when the form is filled and signed by the owner or authorized agent, it includes the plans and specifications, an issued Zoning Applicable Law Certificate is included, the applicable law listed on that certificate has been satisfied, and the fees are paid. Without a ZAP, the application is incomplete and has no review time frame.
That 10-day period is the legislated review time for a complete application. It is not the time it takes to get the permit approved. In our experience, it is the time for each round of review response: once the City has the drawings, it typically replies within 10 business days, often with comments. Those comments usually come in more than one round, and from more than one department — for example Urban Forestry (tree protection), Building and Engineering. After each round, revised drawings go back in, and another 10-business-day response period starts. That is why the actual time we see, from a complete application to a permit, is about two months. The City also charges for additional or revised information submitted after a permit has already been reviewed: the greater of $214.79 per permit or $92.79 per hour (fees effective January 1, 2026).
Building permit fees for a new house, effective January 1, 2026, are calculated mainly as a service index of $18.56 per square metre of proposed work, plus $56.33 for each new residential unit, with a minimum fee of $214.79. Unfinished basements in new houses are not included in that floor area. The ZAP fee is credited if you submit the certificate with the permit application. No permit is issued until the applicable fees are paid.
Ontario's citizen guide to building permits makes the same basic point as the City: for a complete house application, the municipality must issue the permit or refuse it and give the reasons within the Code timeframe (10 days for a house). That is the official, theoretical clock, and it still assumes a complete application. In practice, a response within that period is often a comment letter rather than a permit, and several rounds from different departments are typical before the permit is issued.
Tips that help avoid delays
Do the zoning review first. A ZAP is what makes a later building permit application complete, and it is credited toward the permit fee. Applying for a permit without one leaves the file with no legislated review clock.
Settle the design against the zoning. Height, setbacks, coverage and grade are cheaper to adjust before the examiner writes a notice than after.
Submit complete, dimensioned PDF drawings. Missing survey information, incomplete zoning charts, or drawings that do not match the ZAP are common reasons a file stalls.
Include the grading plan and the tree declaration. Infill lots are often delayed by drainage comments or by tree-protection requirements, not only by the architectural drawings.
If a hearing looks likely, plan for it early. Use the zoning notice to build an accurate variance list. Talk with neighbours before the notice goes out. And budget our actual 3 to 4 months, not only the City's theoretical 5-to-8-week figure once the application is already complete.
Wait for the zoning notice — and for any Committee decision to become final — before filing the building permit. That is the sequence we follow, and it matches the City's complete-application rules.
Do not start construction before the permit is issued. The City adds a substantial surcharge for work that begins too early.
FAQ
How long does it take to get a building permit for a custom home in Toronto?
On a typical Nestwood project, plan about 6.5 months from signing to permit if the design meets zoning, and about 10 months if a Committee of Adjustment hearing is required. Those are the actual times we see. The City's legislated review period for a complete House Stream application is 10 business days, but that is not the time to get a permit approved — in our experience, it is the time for each review-response round, and it does not include design, zoning review or a hearing. Plan using our real-world timeline.
What is a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate?
It is Toronto Building's preliminary review of your drawings for zoning and other applicable law. For a new house, the 2026 fee is $644.38, the application includes up to three reviews, and the fee is credited toward the building permit if you use the certificate when you apply. The City does not publish a theoretical review time for a ZAP.
Do I always need to go to the Committee of Adjustment?
No. If the design complies with the zoning by-law, you can go from the zoning review to building permit drawings and then to the permit application. A hearing is needed when the zoning review lists variances. After a decision, allow the 20-day appeal period to run before the approval is final.
Why is Nestwood's permit-review time about two months, not 10 business days?
The 10 business days is the legislated review period for a complete House Stream application. It is not the approval time. In our experience, it is the time for each round of review response: the City typically replies within 10 business days, often with comments from more than one department — for example Urban Forestry (tree protection), Building and Engineering. Those comments usually come in several rounds, and each resubmission starts another review. That is why the actual time we see is about two months. An application filed without a ZAP has no official time frame at all.
When do you submit the building permit application?
After the zoning review is complete and the zoning notice has been issued. If a minor variance was required, we wait until the Committee of Adjustment decision is final as well.
Planning a custom home in Toronto?
Every lot is different: zoning, trees, heritage, grade and servicing can all change the timeline. Nestwood offers a free feasibility study. We will review your property, a realistic design approach, a timeline and a preliminary construction estimate. Nestwood is a design-build team for custom-home owners in the GTA: we provide the design and the construction management, from zoning review and permit drawings to managing your build on site.
📩 Email info@nestwood.ca with your address to get started.
Sources
City of Toronto – Toronto Building Customer Service Standards
City of Toronto – Building Permit Fees (effective January 1, 2026)
City of Toronto – About the Committee of Adjustment & Rules of Procedure
City of Toronto – Committee of Adjustment Participation Handbook (2025 edition, posted 2026)
City of Toronto – Filing an Appeal to the Toronto Local Appeal Body
City of Toronto – Planning Application Fees (effective January 1, 2026)
Government of Ontario – Building permits (Citizen's Guide to Land Use Planning)
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