Hiring a Designer for Building Permit Drawings

Most designs for Building Permits not completed by the owner require a designer registered and/or qualified under Division C, Part 3, Section 3.2 of the Ontario Building Code. A designer is anyone who is responsible for the design, which may also include preparing the drawings for submission.

Check with the Building Division to find out if your project requires a qualified designer:
Building Division
Call 905-546-2720
Email [email protected]

Before hiring a designer, you should get three or more quotes.

How To

Verify and Find Qualified Designer

Verify Qualifications

Find Qualified Designer or Registered Firm

Qualification with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

The Building Code Act requires that a range of individuals and firms responsible for design activities regulated under the Act be qualified in their appropriate area of design and, when required, registered with the Province. Individuals and, in some instances, their firms must file with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to obtain a Building Code Identification Number (BCIN).

The Ministry's Qualification and Registration Tracking System (QuARTS) public registry allows the public to access a registry of building practitioners and organizations (firms and municipalities) in order to verify their qualification information under the Building Code.

QuARTS Public Search Registry

For certain projects, such as most industrial/commercial/institutional construction, a qualified or registered designer is not sufficient and the drawings must be stamped by an architect, professional engineer or both. Refer to Division C, Section 1.2 of the Building Code for specific requirements, or contact the Building Division at 905-546-2720. The seals and signatures of architects and professional engineers are required to be original on at least one set of drawings.

There are several resources available to find a qualified designer or registered firm, including local online classified listings and internet searches. These search terms may help you in finding a qualified designer or registered firm:

BCIN drafting services
BCIN qualified designer
BCIN house designer
House designer Ontario
Registered and qualified designer
Registered and qualified designer BCIN
Registered design firm
Registered drafting services
Registered drafting services Hamilton

Note: Ensure all designers are qualified in the area(s) of design that fits your project, and registered where required, with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing – QuARTS (Qualification and Registration Tracking System).

Qualified Designers and Registered Firms

In addition to the internet search, these Associations and Organizations have listings or contact information for local designers:

Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario (AATO)
- Listings: aato.ca/general-listings
Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO)
Ontario Association of Architects (OAA)
- Listings (through the Grand Valley Society of Architects): oaa.on.ca/society/grand-valley
Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO)
- Listings: www.peo.on.ca/index.php
Ontario Association of Certiﬁed Engineering Technicians and Technologists

Note: Architects licensed through the OAA and professional engineers licensed through the PEO typically do not need to also file with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, however, all other designers are required to.

The City of Hamilton does not specifically endorse any individual designer or organization. This list has been assembled for general information purposes only.

Date modified

July 18, 2022