BuildRules/Newmarket/Basement apartment / secondary suite

Newmarket project guide

Do you need a permit for an additional residential unit in Newmarket?

Check Newmarket additional-residential-unit requirements for zoning, building permits, inspections, parking and registration.

2 min readLast verified Oct 2, 2026
The short answerConditional

Yes. A new ARU needs the correct building permits and inspections, and Newmarket also requires ARU registration.

Confirm first that an ARU is allowed in the zone. The Town then expects the applicable permit process, inspections and registration steps.

Check this for your address See the preparation checklist
BUILDRULES / NEWMARKET

Share Newmarket guidance

Send the answer with its source and review date. No property address is included.

Newmarket / Basement apartment / secondary suite

Yes. A new ARU needs the correct building permits and inspections, and Newmarket also requires ARU registration.

Town of Newmarket · BuildRules reviewed 2026-10-02

Know what matters

Know what applies to your project.

Check the conditions below before you finalize the scope. Every answer connects to an official source.

ARU zoningConfirm the unit is allowed firstConditional

Newmarket tells owners to confirm that an ARU is allowed in the property’s zone before building.

Source · Town of Newmarket

Additional Residential Unit · ARU zoning, building permits, inspections and registration

Verified Oct 2, 2026Open official source
Building permitRequired for a new ARUConditional

New ARUs must go through the appropriate building-permit process and inspections.

Source · Town of Newmarket

Additional Residential Unit · ARU zoning, building permits, inspections and registration

Verified Oct 2, 2026Open official source
RegistrationRequired after the applicable approvalsConditional

Newmarket requires residences with ARUs to be registered with the Town.

Source · Town of Newmarket

Additional Residential Unit · ARU zoning, building permits, inspections and registration

Verified Oct 2, 2026Open official source

Make a start

Your preparation checklist

Your preparation progress

0 of 5 ready

Your progress is saved in this browser. Come back whenever you’re ready.

Preparation checklist · Reviewed 2026-10-02

Open the focused permit checklist

Plan ahead

Fees and timing

TimelineConfirm the current municipal review timeline after a complete application is accepted.
FeesConfirm the current Newmarket fee schedule for the exact permit class before filing.

From reading to doing

Your next steps.

  1. Confirm zoning eligibility
  2. Plan the unit and parking
  3. Obtain the required building permit
  4. Complete inspections
  5. Register the ARU with the Town
Choose the right permit path

Only finishing the basement for personal use?

A finishes-only basement renovation can follow a different permit route from a second suite or ARU in Newmarket.

See Newmarket basement-renovation rules

Trace the evidence

Official sources behind this guide.

These are the source documents linked in the rules above. Check the municipal authority for current requirements before submitting a project.

  • Town of Newmarket

    Additional Residential Unit · ARU zoning, building permits, inspections and registration

    Source verified Oct 2, 2026

A little more clarity

Common questions.

Do you need a permit for an additional residential unit in Newmarket?

Yes. A new ARU needs the correct building permits and inspections, and Newmarket also requires ARU registration.

What should I prepare for additional residential unit in Newmarket?

Start with ARU permit application materials; Site and floor plans; Required construction details; Parking information; Registration documents after final approvals. Confirm the final submission requirements with Newmarket for the actual scope.

What should I do before starting this project in Newmarket?

Confirm zoning eligibility. Plan the unit and parking. Obtain the required building permit. Complete inspections. Register the ARU with the Town.

Know the approval terms

A second unit can meet one rule and still need another approval.

Building permits, zoning and applicable law are separate parts of the approval path.

Building permit

A municipal approval required before certain construction, alteration, demolition or change-of-use work can proceed. The permit review checks the proposed work against the Ontario Building Code, local zoning and other applicable law.

Zoning by-law

A municipal rule set that controls how land and buildings may be used and developed, including matters such as permitted uses, setbacks, height, lot coverage and other site-specific standards.

Applicable law

Requirements outside the Ontario Building Code that must be satisfied before a building permit can be issued when the Building Code identifies them as applicable law.

Same project, different city

See how this rule changes across Ontario.

Compare the source-reviewed answer for this project across every municipality BuildRules currently covers.

Compare basement apartment / secondary suite rules by city

When you need a hand

Choose your next step.

Keep preparing on your own, get a research brief, or ask for professional help.

BuildRules / Preparation briefFree report

Before your first contractor quote

Bring the right questions to the conversation.

Collect the published local guidance, documents to prepare and unresolved property questions in one brief you can send or print.

01 Permit and local-rule guidance02 Documents to prepare03 Questions still to verify
Prepare my free project brief

Email required to receive the brief. Newsletter optional. This is guidance, not municipal approval.

Professional help

Bring the right people into your project.

Need drawings, engineering or a quote? Tell us what you need and we’ll save your request with the project context.

Request project help

A little help with the next step

Move your basement apartment / secondary suite forward.

Tell us what kind of help you need. We’ll save the request with your project and municipality so a relevant provider can respond if a match is available.

A provider match is not guaranteed. Municipal approval stays with the City.

A provider match is not guaranteed. Municipal approval stays with the City.

Keep exploring

Your next useful question.

A connected project guide or a practical next step, picked for this topic.

All project guides
Related project in this city

Do you need a permit to finish a basement in Newmarket?

Yes. Newmarket lists finishing a basement as work that requires a building permit.

2 min read