Shipping Containers Permit
A shipping container is a freight container used for transportation and storage of goods and does not have wheels or include a motor vehicle or transport trailer.
When a shipping container is no longer used for its original purpose (example shipping or storage of freight) and is permanently placed on private property for other uses, such as storage, it is then considered to be a building as defined in the Ontario Building Code. For shipping containers being used as a building or structure that is detached and has an area greater than 10 square metres (108 square feet) in size, or contains plumbing fixtures, a permit is required unless the below is applicable.
A shipping container placed on a property for the purposes of permanent storage is considered an accessory building and is subject to the provisions of the Zoning By-law for accessory buildings and uses. A permit would not be required for a shipping container being used as an accessory structure if the shipping container:
- is not more than 15 square metres (161 square feet),
- is not more than one storey in building height,
- is not attached to a building or any other structure,
- is used only for storage purposes ancillary to a principal building on the lot, and
- does not contain plumbing.