What Is Schedule 1 in an Ontario Building Permit? The Designer's Declaration of Responsibility — Explained
Schedule 1 is a form prescribed under the Ontario Building Code Act that a registered designer must complete, sign, and submit with a building permit application when the design work requires a BCIN-registered designer. For HVAC and mechanical system designs, Schedule 1 is the designer's formal declaration that they take professional responsibility for the accuracy and OBC compliance of the design documents they have stamped.
Schedule 1 is not a drawing. It is not part of the heat loss report or the mechanical drawings. It is a separate form — and its absence is one of the most consistent causes of permit applications being returned as incomplete across all Ontario municipalities. This guide explains what Schedule 1 is, what it must contain, how it differs from the BCIN stamp on design documents, and why it is required in addition to — not instead of — the BCIN stamp on the drawings. It is included as standard in every complete permit package we produce.
Schedule 1 is a form prescribed under Division C of the Ontario Building Code. It is used by registered designers to declare that they have prepared, or taken responsibility for, the design documents submitted with a building permit application. When a BCIN-registered designer stamps an HVAC design, the BCIN stamp on the documents establishes the designer's credentials. Schedule 1 is the separate declaration that establishes their professional accountability — a formal statement that the designer takes responsibility for the design's compliance with the OBC.
The OBC requires Schedule 1 to be submitted as a separate document from the design drawings. This distinction is important and often missed: it is not sufficient to have the designer's signature on the drawings or on the cover page of the heat loss report. Schedule 1 is a separate prescribed form — its own document — that must be submitted alongside the drawings and report as a distinct component of the permit application.
The most common Schedule 1 rejection cause is not missing the form entirely — it is submitting a permit package where the designer's signature appears on the drawings but the separate Schedule 1 form is absent. Many homeowners and even some contractors assume the designer's signature on the mechanical drawings or the heat loss report cover page satisfies the Schedule 1 requirement. It does not. Schedule 1 is a separate prescribed form — if it is not in the package as a distinct document, the application is returned as incomplete. See our permit rejection guide for the full list of rejection causes.
Schedule 1 is a prescribed form — its structure is defined by the OBC and cannot be modified. The form must contain all required fields, completed accurately, with an original signature from the registered designer. The required fields are:
Designer's Name
The full legal name of the BCIN-registered individual taking responsibility for the design — not a company name, not a trading name. The individual's name as it appears in the BCIN registry.
BCIN Registration Number
The designer's BCIN registration number — the unique identifier from the provincial registry. Must match the active registration at the time of signing. Verifiable at ontario.ca.
Qualification Identification Number
The specific qualification category identifier — for HVAC design this relates to the HVAC-House or HVAC-General qualification. Distinct from the BCIN registration number.
Description of Design Work
A description of the design documents being declared — e.g. "HVAC design for new residential dwelling at [address] including heat loss calculation, mechanical drawings, and MVDS."
Original Signature
An original, wet signature or a legally valid digital signature from the BCIN-registered designer. A photocopy of a signature is not acceptable. The signature must be original on the submitted form.
Date of Signing
The date on which the designer signed the declaration. Must be current — a Schedule 1 signed significantly before submission may be questioned. Best practice is to sign at or near the time of permit submission.
These are two separate OBC requirements that both must be met. The BCIN stamp on each page of the design documents establishes that the documents were produced by a qualified registered designer — it is a marking requirement on the drawings and reports. Schedule 1 is a separate declaration form that establishes professional accountability for the design — it is a separate document submitted alongside the drawings. Having one does not substitute for the other. A permit application with BCIN-stamped drawings but no separate Schedule 1 form is incomplete. A permit application with a Schedule 1 form but unstamped drawings is also incomplete. Both requirements must be met simultaneously. See our HVAC signing authority guide and our BCIN guide.
What is Schedule 1 in an Ontario building permit application?
Schedule 1 is a prescribed form under the Ontario Building Code that a BCIN-registered designer must complete and sign when submitting design documents for a building permit. It is the designer's formal declaration of professional responsibility for the OBC compliance of the design documents. It is separate from — and in addition to — the BCIN stamp on the design drawings. Both are required. Missing either returns the application before any technical review.
Is Schedule 1 the same as the BCIN stamp on my drawings?
No — they are two separate requirements. The BCIN stamp on each page of the design documents establishes the designer's credentials on the documents. Schedule 1 is a separate prescribed form — not a drawing — that serves as the designer's formal declaration of professional responsibility for the design. Both must be present in the permit application. Having only one is not sufficient.
Who completes Schedule 1?
The BCIN-registered designer who produced and stamped the design documents — the same person whose BCIN registration number appears on the drawings. In our case, our BCIN-registered designer in the HVAC-House qualification completes and signs Schedule 1 as a standard part of every permit package. It is included automatically — clients do not need to request it separately.
Can the homeowner or contractor complete Schedule 1?
No — Schedule 1 must be completed and signed by the BCIN-registered designer who prepared the design documents. A homeowner or contractor who does not hold an active BCIN registration in the applicable category cannot complete Schedule 1 for HVAC design documents. Only the registered designer can sign the declaration.
Is Schedule 1 required for every Ontario building permit?
Schedule 1 is required whenever a BCIN-registered designer is involved in preparing design documents for a permit application — which includes all HVAC design for new homes and major mechanical system permits. For permit work that does not require a BCIN-registered designer (such as simple structural work done by the homeowner), Schedule 1 may not apply. For all residential HVAC design submitted with a building permit, Schedule 1 is required. See our HVAC permit requirements guide.
Every package we produce includes Schedule 1. Signed by our BCIN-registered designer, submitted as a separate document alongside the drawings. Never missing. Always included.
Get Free Quote →Every permit package we produce includes Schedule 1 as a standard component — signed by our BCIN-registered designer, submitted as a separate document, never omitted. Upload your floor plans and we'll produce the complete BCIN-stamped permit package — CSA F280 heat loss, mechanical drawings, MVDS, and Schedule 1 — in 48 hours. For the complete HVAC design service, see our HVAC design and mechanical drawings service.
- CSA F280 heat loss at your local design temperature
- Mechanical drawings — BCIN-stamped every page
- MVDS — HRV/ERV design per CAN/CSA-F326
- Schedule 1 — signed, separate form, never missing
- Flat-rate pricing · Firm quote 24h · Delivered 48h