Are you building a house (cottage, camp, bunkie, duplex, triplex, any building that has sleeping quarters) in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg? Construction in the Municipality is governed by the Nova Scotia Building Code Act and Regulations. The Nova Scotia Building Code Act & Regulations set out the activities that require a building permit, the requirements that must be met in order to issue a building permit, the inspections that are required for the project, and the requirements that must be met in order to issue an occupancy permit. Construction must meet the National Building Code of Canada (2015). All dwelling units, regardless of size, require a building permit.
In order to apply for a building permit for a dwelling unit(s) the following documents are required:
- Our completed pdf application (642 KB) that clearly indicates the property, the use of the proposed structure, the size of the construction and value of construction.
- A location plan (hand drawn sketch) that clearly shows the road, property lines, any structures that are currently on the property, and the proposed location of the building you wish to build – please indicate the distance from all four sides of the building to all the previous items (property lines, road, other structures).
- A valid septic permit (or certificate of installation) issued by Nova Scotia Environment (if you are connecting to an existing septic system a letter from a Qualified Person indicating that the system is acceptable for your intended use).
- If you are building within 328ft (100m) of any provincial road you require a Working Within the Right of Way permit for the construction of a building within the right of way issued by the provincial Department of Transportation. IF you are building further than 328ft from a provincial road you can fill out our NSTIR Exemption Form.
- Building plans and structural details – all applications for new dwellings or additions must include a labelled floor plan (showing window & door sizes), a cross section, and four elevations (showing windows & doors)
- Please note that any residential construction on a structural slab or screwpiles MUST be designed by an engineer licensed to practice in Nova Scotia and the stamped engineered drawing along with the Form 4 from the engineer as well as the Form 1 from the property owner. All dwelling units must have a foundation protected from frost. Engineering may be required for other aspects of construction.
Plans reviews will ONLY be conducted with a valid building permit application, inspections are ONLY conducted with a valid building permit*
The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg DOES NOT operate any central water supply.
If you have any questions regarding requirements that would apply to your specific project please contact our Building Permit Department at 902-541-1325 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.