• Available: until funding runs out
• Max grant: up to $25,000 (one time only)

Grants are provided to eligible homeowners on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will no longer be accepted after the funding has run out.
 


 
 
Residents > Planning & Building > Second Units
Second Units

Second Units

Second Units

What is a Second Unit?

 

A second unit (commonly known as a basement apartment or accessory dwelling unit) is a self-contained living unit (containing cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities) within a detached, semi-detached house or townhouse.

 

All second units must comply with the Ontario Building Code, Ontario Fire Code and the Mississauga Zoning By-law.

Building Permit

All second units created after July 14, 1994 require a building permit.

 

You can check the building permit history of a property online at www.mississauga.ca/propertyinformation

Registration

All second units must be registered as per the Second Units Registration By-Law 114-16.

 

Click here for a list of second units in the City of Mississauga that have been registered.

 

Please note: The registry list is updated the first week of every month

 

Property Owners that have a second unit are required to complete an "Application to Register a Second Unit" and submit it to the Planning and Building Customer Services Centre on 3rd Floor, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There is no fee to register a second unit. However, there may be other fees associated with second units such as building permit fees and fire inspection fees as part of the required steps in the registration process. (Note: Not including any required design drawings and renovation costs.)

Homeowners who previously obtained a second unit license will be automatically registered.

 

If you have a second unit and your property does not appear on the registration list, you will need to register the second unit via one of the streams below;

Process Streams

UNIT EXISTING BEFORE 1994

Second Units built on or before July 14, 1994

Complete the application form (link below) and the affidavit form (link below), signed and sealed by a lawyer.

Bring both documents to the planning and building customer service centre during normal business hours.

We will take the application and affidavit. We will validate the information and forward the documents to the fire prevention and life safety.

They will contact you to arrange for an inspection.

Telephone:  905-896-5908
Email us:  fire.prevention@mississauga.ca

300 City Centre Dr., 2nd floor
Counter hours - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You will require a current Electrical Safety Certificate.

Once inspection has been completed, Fire and Emergency Services will issue the following;

  1. A clearance letter allowing the second unit to be registered, or

  2. A Fire Inspection Order outlining the work required to make the second unit compliant. A building permit may be needed to undertake this work. If a building permit is required, sign-off by the Building Inspector is needed prior to registration. If a permit is required, please see information under New Second Units.

UNIT EXISTING AFTER 1994

Second Units built after July 14, 1994

Homeowners with second units built after July 14, 1994 will need to provide the following prior to registration.

Required documents

  1. Proof of ownership (Tax Bill, Title of Property, or Tax Assessment Notice)

  2. A Building Permit Notice signed off by all inspectors.

If you did not obtain a building permit, please see "new second unit".

 

If you no longer have a copy of your permit, or are unclear of all necessary requirements, please visit the Planning and Building Customer Services Centre Counter on the 3rd Floor, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to speak to a Permit Technician.

 

You can check the building permit history of a property online at www.mississauga.ca/propertyinformation

NEW  SECOND UNIT

New Second Units

Homeowners planning to construct a new second unit are required to complete the building permit process.

Please note that you must provide a digital copy of architectural and HVAC drawings that show the proposed second unit in compliance with the Ontario Building Code and Zoning By-law before proceeding to the next steps. We strongly recommend that you obtain the services of a design professional (architect, engineer, qualified designer) for these drawings.

 

Next Steps:

 

1. Apply for a building permit: create an ePlans account at www.mississauga.ca/eplans and submit a Building Permit Application (BPA)request. (Average time to building permit issuance is 9 weeks)

 

Once a building permit has been issued and all necessary inspections have been completed, the second unit will be registered it will be added to the registry list. A copy of the second unit registration certificate will be mailed to the registration applicant.

 

Building Permit information/requirements are available at

 

For those that already have a complete building permit for a new second unit, please complete the registration application form and submit it at the Planning and Building Customer Services Centre on 3rd Floor, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga during regular business hours to be added to the Second Unit Registry.

 
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