A building permit is required from the City to construct or alter an onsite sewage system with a capacity of 10,000 litres a day or less. The sewage system Permit Application will be reviewed to ensure compliance with Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code and associated applicable law such as the City of Kingston zoning bylaws, and Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority.

This Guide is intended as a reference document to assist you in submitting a Sewage System Permit Application, and to outline the process after the permit application has been submitted. Please note that failure to submit a complete permit application mayresult in delays in issuing the permit. If you have any questions about the Sewage System Permit Application process, please contact the building department at 613-546-4291 extension 3280.

It is an offence to construct or alter a sewage system without a permit. Any person who commences construction or alteration of a sewage system prior to the issuance of a Permit to Construct or Demolish shall, in addition to any other penalty imposed under the Act or Building Code, pay a non-refundable administrative surcharge fee as set out in Schedule "A" of the City of Kingston, Building By-law.

New, Alteration or Repair of a Sewage System for an Existing Building

1. Create an account and apply for a “Plumbing” permit through DASH, our online public permit application
2. Application Fee: Refer to building permit fee schedule
3. Submit a site evaluation that includes:
   1. Date evaluation completed
   2. Contact information of person completing the evaluation
   3. Depth to rock, and soil saturation
   4. Soil properties including soil permeability
   5. Soil conditions including the potential for flooding
4. Submit a current site plan indicating:
   1. Dimensions of property and lot size, legal description, existing rights-of way, or easements
   2. Location of all building(s) proposed or existing
   3. Location of the proposed sewage system including tank, filter bed, trenches or any other septic component with dimensions to buildings, property lines and any water body (lakes, ponds, streams, high water line)
   4. Location of well with dimensions to the proposed sewage system components
5. Upload the completed Sewage System Calculation Page for Class 3,4,5, Sewage Systems or Class 2 Sewage Systems as applicable.
6. Where applying for an alteration and/or addition to an existing building, the sewage system will be required to be evaluated for adequate performance and capacity and a completed Application for Review of Performance Level of Existing On-Site Sewage System is to be uploaded to your DASH record.

New, Addition or Alteration of a Sewage System in Conjunction with a Building Permit

1. A separate record for the sewage system is not required where an applicant has submitted an application for a new home, addition or alteration as the sewage system will be reviewed in conjunction with the building permit.
2. The applicant will upload to the new home, addition or alteration permit record all plans and specifications as noted in sentences 3 to 6 above.
3. Additional fees for septic review will be added as applicable.

Approximate Timeline

Based on the building category as set out in the Ontario Building Code the timeline for the first permit review will be ten business days.

Sewage Systems Adjacent to a Water Body

It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that a Permit is obtained from the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) prior to the issuance of a building permit for sewage systems within the CRCA jurisdiction. Please call 613-546-4228.

Required Inspections

The owner of a property on which the construction, addition or alteration of a sewage system will take place, or their contractor, must book inspections through the online DASH portal for the following inspections:

1. Evaluation of soil conditions, percolation test
2. Excavation
3. Prior to backfilling a sewage system 4. Final inspection