Restaurant & Tenant Improvement Permit Requirements in Ontario
Restaurant and tenant improvement permits in Ontario require a building permit for the construction work, health unit approval for food service, and often separate plumbing and mechanical permits for grease interceptors, kitchen exhaust, and make-up air systems.
Opening a restaurant, café, or any food service tenant space in Ontario involves more regulatory layers than a standard commercial fit-out. This guide covers what's actually required, beyond the basic building permit, to legally open your doors.
Building Permit Requirements for Restaurants
A restaurant fit-out requires a building permit under the Ontario Building Code, with permit drawings prepared by a BCIN-qualified designer covering occupancy classification, barrier-free access, fire separation, and plumbing and mechanical layouts specific to food service.
Restaurants are classified as Group A, Division 2 occupancy under the Ontario Building Code, which carries specific requirements for exits, fire separation, and occupant load calculations that differ from retail or office tenant improvements.
Health Unit Approval
Every food service establishment in Ontario needs approval from its regional public health authority — Peel, York, Toronto, or the applicable region — covering kitchen layout, handwashing stations, food storage, and surface finishes before you can open.
Health unit review typically happens in parallel with your building permit application, not after it. We coordinate both processes together so neither one holds up your opening date.
Grease Interceptors and Kitchen Mechanical Systems
Commercial kitchens producing grease-laden waste water need a grease interceptor sized and located according to local sewer-use by-laws, along with a kitchen exhaust hood and make-up air system sized to your cooking equipment.
Grease interceptor sizing depends on your kitchen's projected flow and the type of cooking equipment — a full-service restaurant kitchen needs a larger interceptor than a café with a simple espresso and panini setup. Getting this sizing wrong means either an expensive oversized install or a failed inspection and a costly retrofit.
Occupancy Classification and Occupant Load
Your restaurant's occupant load — the maximum number of people legally allowed inside — determines how many exits you need, how wide they must be, and what fire separation and sprinkler requirements apply.
Occupant load is calculated from your floor area and the Ontario Building Code's occupancy density tables, and it directly affects your washroom count requirements and barrier-free design obligations.
Permit Costs for Restaurant Fit-Outs
| Approval | Typical Cost / Timeline |
|---|---|
| Building permit drawings | $5,500–$12,000+ |
| Municipal building permit fee | $1,500–$5,000+ |
| Health unit review | Typically included in municipal process; 2–6 weeks |
| Plumbing permit (grease interceptor) | $300–$800 |
Figures are typical GTA ranges; confirm current fees with your municipality and health authority.
Franchise and Multi-Location Restaurant Builds
Franchise restaurant operators building multiple locations benefit from a design-build contractor who handles permit drawings, health unit coordination, and construction under one contract across every unit.
If you're opening a franchise or QSR location, see our dedicated franchise & QSR fit-out page for the full lease-to-launch process.
Get Your Restaurant Permit Started
Sandhu Design Build handles restaurant and tenant improvement permits across the GTA — from permit drawings through health unit coordination and construction. Contact us at (365) 727-7755 for a free consultation.