Town of Westlock

The scope of work being done will determine what permits you require. For application information, see section below: How to apply.

When is a Development Permit required?

A Development Permit is required when:

• Your proposed accessory building is more than 10.0m² (107.6 ft²) in area; or
• Your proposed accessory building does not meet the Land Use Bylaw rules (height, setbacks, lot coverage, etc.); or
• You intend to demolish any existing building.

When is a Building Permit required?

A Building Permit is required when:

• Your proposed accessory building is more than 10.0m² (107.6 ft²) in area; or
• You intend to demolish any existing building.

You can apply for your Development and Building Permits concurrently.

What other permits/approvals are required?

Other permits (below) may be required if the proposed accessory building involves specific considerations:

• Electrical Permit: Required for installing or modifying electrical systems, including moving lights or outlets.
   
• Gas Permit: Required for installing, modifying or adding to any gas system.
   
• Plumbing Permit: Required for installing or modifying plumbing systems or any plumbing equipment.
   

Do it yourself

As a homeowner, you are able to obtain homeowner's permits for plumbing, electrical, gas and mechanical work. To apply for any of these homeowner's permits:

• You must be doing the work yourself
• You must own and reside in the home
• You must be capable of performing the work in accordance with the Safety Codes Act
• It must be a single-family dwelling (not a condo building, etc.)

Risks when a permit is not obtained

If you, as a homeowner or contractor, do not have permits for work that has been started or completed, there could be consequences if you do not take action to correct the situation, such as:

• Enforcement action issued by the Town or a Safety Codes Officer.
• A fine for building without a permit.
• Having to undo work that has been completed.
• Future legal and financial issues when selling your property or making an insurance claim.
• Having to do more work than was originally planned and budgeted, to fix deficiencies.
• Potential liability to you, the homeowner, in the event of an accident.

NOTE: As a homeowner, you are responsible for paying any penalties, even if you hired a contractor who assured you that permits were not required. For more info, visit Hiring contractors.

What if I am not the property owner?

If you are not the owner of the property, then you must get the owner's consent to apply for any permits. See below: How to apply.

Accessory building requirements:

• The footprint of all accessory buildings as well as your house on your property may not exceed the prescribed total lot area for your Land Use District.
• The maximum height allowed is 4.6m (15.1 ft).
• Accessory buildings must be set back 1.0m from a side property line or rear property line, 6.0m from the front property line and 3.0m from a flanking front (corner side) property line.
• Accessory buildings must have a separation distance of 1.5m (4.9ft) from any other accessory building or your house.
• The maximum eave projection allowed is 0.6m (2.0 ft).

Download or view the Detached Garage Setbacks PDF.

Foundations/slabs of accessory buildings:

• Accessory buildings with an area of over 55 m² (592 ft²) require a foundation designed by a professional engineer

General building information:

• When building a garage or shed, drainage should be considered and any drainage systems installed cannot direct water onto a Lane or neighbouring property.
• Exterior walls must be properly finished to complement the principal building (house).

Sheds and other small accessory buildings:

The following applies to accessory buildings which are 10.0m² (107.6 sq ft) or less in area, such as small sheds:

• Typically, neither Development Permits nor Building Permits are required.
• If on an interior lot, a 1.0m setback is required to the rear and side property lines
• If on a corner lot, must be setback a minimum of 3.0m from the corner side yard
• Must be entirely within your property, including eaves.
• Must be located a minimum of 1.5m (4.9ft) from other accessory buildings.

Submit an application for each permit, along with other relevant documents, to Planning & Development Services (contact info below).

1. Determine which applications you need.

(See What permits do I need, above). You can then download checklists and forms (below) and complete them.

NOTE: Development and Building Permits must be applied for and approved prior to safety codes permit applications.  We recommend applying for Development and Building Permits concurrently.

Development & Building Permits & Checklists

Residential Accessory Building Application Package

Safety Codes Permits

Electrical Permit Application

Gas Permit Application

2. Have drawings ready:

• Site Plan – dimensioned with distances to property lines and other buildings labelled
• Drawings – Elevation drawing with overall height labelled
• Floor joist and roof truss, Engineered Foundation drawings (if applicable)

3. Apply with all the required documentation. 

Application methods:

In-Person or by Mail to:

Planning & Development Services
Town of Westlock
10003-106 Street
Westlock, AB  T7P 2K3

 Email to: planning@westlock.ca 

Payment methods:
After your application is received and processed, you will be notified by email or phone of the application fee(s). See our Fee Schedule for our current permit fees.

Online:

• Credit card (Visa or MasterCard)
• E-transfer to finance@westlock.ca (please include "Permit" in the Notes field)

In-person:

• Debit
• Cash
• Cheque
• Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard or Amex)

Mail payment:

Cheque

What if I am not the property owner?

If you are not the owner of the property, then you must get the owner's consent to apply for any permits.  The Town accepts the following forms of owner authorization:

• Signature on Development Permit application
• Letter of consent from Property Owner

How long will it take to obtain my permits?

Timelines vary based on the type of application as well as our current application volumes.  Give yourself as much time as possible to complete the permit process prior to your preferred construction start date in case of any complications or revisions required.   

When planning your construction project, it is important to learn where and what underground and overhead utilities are located on your property. Locates are done free of charge but require a couple of days notice to obtain. 

• Alberta One-Call  1-800-242-3447

Inspections for all building and safety codes permits are performed by the Town’s Safety Codes contractor, Superior Safety Codes.

Inspections can be booked by phoning Superior Safety Codes at 780 489 4777.

When phoning please have your permit number handy.

Below are sample drawings for Development Permits and Building Permits for residential accessory buildings.

Download or view the Sample Garage Elevations PDF.

Download or view the Sample Site Plan PDF.