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Building/Development Permits

Effective March 31, 2020, both the Building Codes Act and corresponding Regulations reflect the administration and enforcement requirements of a new Building Permit Process. The process to apply for a Building Permit in PEI is updated to comply with the following codes:

To review updated provincial building regulations, refer to Building Code Act Regulations - Plain Language Version.

Which permit(s) do I need?

In almost all instances both a Development Permit AND a Building Permit will be required before construction can begin on a project.

  • Development Permit – specifies land use and how a structure is situated on a given parcel of land. This permit will issued in accordance with the provincial Planning Act.

  • Building Permit – ensures that a structure is designed and constructed in compliance with construction codes, e.g. the National Building Code. This permit will be issued in accordance with the provincial Building Codes Act.

For general information on the building permit process or to book an inspection please call 1-800-370-3977 or email: buildingpermits@gov.pe.ca(link sends e-mail)

Book a one-on-one meeting with staff virtually or in-person in Charlottetown, O’Leary, Summerside, or Montague to help answer your questions and assist with your Development and Building Application submissions.

Who can I contact for more information?

You can book an Appointment with a Permit Coordinator by:

Where do I get the permits? 

A permit may be issued by a municipality or by the provincial government, depending on the location of the property.

  • Municipalities of Charlottetown, Stratford and Summerside issue their own Development and Building Permits. Contact their respective municipal offices for more information.

  • Municipalities with an official plan and land-use bylaws issue their own Development Permits so you must apply directly to the municipality for the Development Permit. However, you must apply to the Land Division of the provincial government for a Building Permit for these jurisdictions. 

  • If your property is located outside a municipality, or within a municipality without an official plan and land-use bylaws, you must apply to the Land Division for both a Development Permit Application and Building Permit Application. 

For municipal contact details refer to the Municipal Directory.

To determine if a PEI municipality has an official plan, view the Municipal Boundaries Map.

Development Permit Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find information regarding setbacks? 

Setbacks are the minimum distance a building structure or sewage disposal system must be set back from adjacent property boundaries, a roadway, body of water, or other protected areas. To determine minimum setback requirements, please refer to the Development/Sewage Disposal Systems Setbacks Guide.

How do I find out if a permit has been approved?

To find the status of municipal or provincial Development Permits or other planning decisions such as a subdivision approval or zoning bylaw amendment, search PEI Planning Decisions. 

If you made an application for a permit, you can search for your Permit Status using your Property ID (PID) and the date you made full payment for the permit.

Can I appeal a permit once it is approved or denied?

Once a decision has been made on a Development Permit, interested parties have 21 days from the date of issue to appeal to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC)(link is external).

Please note that this appeal process does not apply to Building Permits.

To determine your right to appeal, please review Section 28 of the PEI Planning Act.

Safety Considerations

Are you building near overhead or underground power lines?

Building and Development permits are issued for the safety of all Islanders. It is important that all builders stay away from power lines and know the hazards.

J. Elmer Blanchard Building, 31 Gordon Drive
PO Box 2000, Charlottetown, PE C1A 6B8

Phone: (902)-368-5280

Email: landsdivision@gov.pe.ca(link sends e-mail)

Lands Division, Access PEI

41 Wood Islands Rd, Montague, PE C0A 1R0

Phone: (902)-361-1273

Email: landsdivision@gov.pe.ca(link sends e-mail)

Lands Division, Access PEI

120 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside, PE C1N 5L2

Phone: (902)-432-2802

Email: landsdivision@gov.pe.ca(link sends e-mail)

Lands Division Access PEI 45 East Dr, O'Leary, PE C0B 1V0

Phone: (902)-726-1408

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The Prince Edward Island Planning Act contains the overall framework, authority, powers and processes according to which a municipality provides land use planning services. Under the Planning Act, and before a municipality takes on responsibility for land use planning, it develops an official plan and land use bylaw that are approved by the provincial government.

 

The official plan creates the vision for the use of the land in the municipality. It directs the use of land in the future based on considerations such as the physical, social, environmental and economic effects of past, existing and projected land use and development trends.

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Select any of the following titles to access a PDF copy of documents pertaining to a Draft of The Rural Municipality of Malpeque Bay Proposed Official Plan.

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If you require a Development or Building Permit please contact Access PEI as above for their assistance.  The Plan below has not been adopted to date.  All permits for the municipality are issued by the Provincial Government.

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