Equivalency assessments for building officials
Learn about how to apply for an equivalency assessment to practise as a building official in Ontario.
Overview
To practise in Ontario, the Building Code Act, 1992 requires building officials to be qualified and registered with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
This means that individuals must:
- Obtain a Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) through the Qualification and Registration Tracking System (QuARTS)
- Pass Building Code examinations
- Register with the ministry through QuARTS
- Pay the annual registration fee
The ministry provides equivalency assessments to help Ontario municipalities recruit knowledgeable building officials from outside the province, while protecting public health and safety in the construction of new buildings. These assessments determine if an applicant’s knowledge of the Building Code Act and Ontario’s Building Code is at least equivalent to what would be evaluated by the ministry’s technical exams.
The ministry retains the authority to update this policy document as necessary and to end the equivalency assessment program at any time.
At this time, only building officials from Manitoba can submit applications for equivalency assessments.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Successful completion of at least one Building Code course and/or exam offered by a post-secondary educational institution or an association representing building officials in Manitoba, that is related to their intended scope of practice in Ontario.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience performing building permit/plans review and/or conducting inspections in Manitoba.
Application process
Submit a request
Applicants may submit a request for an equivalency assessment to the ministry by either:
- sending an email, with the subject line “Request for Equivalency Assessment” to OBC.Qualifications@ontario.ca
sending a letter by mail with “Request for Equivalency Assessment” on the envelope to:
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Building and Development Branch
12th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2J3
Each application must indicate which of the following Ontario qualifications the applicant is seeking an equivalency assessment for:
- House
- Small Buildings
- Large Buildings
- Complex Buildings
- Plumbing-house
- Plumbing-all buildings
- HVAC-house
- Building Services
- Building Structural
- Onsite Sewage Systems
- Fire Protection
- Detection, Lighting and Power
Applications must also include the following information:
- contact information for the applicant (including name, phone number, email address, mailing address)
- Building Code training courses and/or exams that have been completed relevant to the qualifications being sought (for example, certificates, transcripts, membership, registration/license documents)
- evidence of work experience relevant to the qualifications being sought, including positions occupied, duties performed and length of service (for example, resume, letters of reference from past and current employers, contact details of past and current employers)
- any other information considered relevant to support the ministry’s equivalency assessment process
By applying for an equivalency assessment, the applicant provides the ministry with consent to contact individuals and organizations listed within the application to help clarify and verify the accuracy of the information provided.
Deadline to submit
Applicants may apply for an equivalency assessment until December 31, 2026. There is no application fee.
Ministry review
Ministry staff will review each application and follow up with applicants to confirm if they are eligible for an assessment or whether any additional information is required before an assessment can commence.
The ministry will endeavour to complete each equivalency assessment within 30 working days of confirming an applicant’s eligibility, in accordance with its own internal service standard. This assessment period could be extended if any of the supporting documents required have not been submitted.
Assessment process
The assessment process will involve reviewing the information submitted and comparing it with the required level of knowledge gained by successfully challenging the ministry’s technical exams. The ministry will use its study guides for Building Code examinations and other materials to provide a threshold for its knowledge requirements.
The assessment will include input from the ministry’s subject matter experts. With the applicant’s consent, ministry staff may also seek input from experts outside of the ministry to support its recommendations. The ministry will contact the applicant for consent prior to seeking input from outside experts.
On receiving a recommendation, the Director of the Building and Development Branch of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing will notify the applicant of their decision in writing. The decision will be final and may not be appealed.
Conditions to practise in Ontario
If an equivalency is granted, the applicant must comply with the following qualification and registration requirements before they may practise in Ontario:
- pass one of 2 administrative/legal Building Code examinations:
- Powers and Duties of CBO (to practise as a Chief Building Official (CBO), CBO-Sewage, or CBO-Plumbing)
- General Legal/Process or Powers and Duties of CBO (to practise as an Inspector or Supervisor/Manager)
- register with the ministry through the Qualification and Registration Tracking System (QuARTS).
- pay the registration fee for building officials
- renew registration on an annual basis to maintain the ability to practise
- comply with the conditions of registration set out in Section 3.1., Division C, of the Building Code in the same way as any individual who has successfully challenged the ministry’s technical exams
The technical qualifications granted by the equivalency assessment will appear on the applicant’s QuARTS profile and on the QuARTS public search registry. Equivalency assessments do not expire and will continue to be recognized in accordance the ministry’s qualification and registration program.