Building Types | Fourplex
The Toronto Fourplex: Four Units, the City-Wide Maximum
Four units is the maximum permitted as-of-right anywhere in Toronto. Council adopted the multiplex by-law on May 10, 2023, permitting up to four units in residential Neighbourhoods zones city-wide. The City's own framing is that those four units fit roughly the same envelope as a detached house — no rezoning, no public meeting, and no parking required.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Four units is the city-wide ceiling — the as-of-right maximum everywhere.
- ✓Permitted in residential Neighbourhoods zones since the May 2023 by-law.
- ✓Fits roughly the same envelope as a detached house; FSI does not apply.
- ✓No rezoning, no public meeting, no parking for a compliant build.
Four Units, Roughly a House-Sized Envelope
The fourplex is the flagship form of Toronto's reforms because it is the most a lot can hold without leaving the as-of-right stream. The City's multiplex study permits up to four units within an envelope close to what a detached house on the same lot would occupy.
That envelope still has rules. The height overlay caps the building, the lot-coverage regulations still apply, and the setbacks are shared with other residential building types in the zone. The maximum FSI does not apply to a multiplex, which is why four units can fit without the floor-area constraint a house would otherwise carry. A design inside all of that goes to a building permit; one that exceeds it needs a minor variance.
Where the Fourplex Sits on the Ladder
| Type | Units | Where allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Duplex | 2 | City-wide, as-of-right |
| Triplex | 3 | City-wide, as-of-right (also the Bill 23 floor) |
| Fourplex | 4 | City-wide, as-of-right (2023 multiplex by-law) |
| Sixplex | 5–6 | Nine wards as-of-right; opt-in elsewhere |
| Laneway suite | +1 ancillary | City-wide, on lots abutting a public lane |
| Garden suite | +1 ancillary | City-wide, on lots without a lane |
Four units is the as-of-right ceiling everywhere; five or six are only permitted in nine wards.
No Parking Minimum
Since February 3, 2022, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes require no parking spaces in Toronto. For a fourplex this matters more than for a duplex: four parking pads would have eaten the rear yard and pushed the building footprint. Removing the minimum is a large part of why four units fit a house-sized envelope at all.
Best For
- ✓ Getting the most units a lot can hold without leaving the as-of-right stream.
- ✓ Residential Neighbourhoods lots where four units fit the height, coverage, and setback envelope.
- ✓ Owners who want a building permit with no rezoning, no public meeting, and no parking.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ Five or six units are assumed on a lot outside the nine sixplex wards.
- ✕ The design exceeds the envelope and the Committee of Adjustment variance timeline was not planned.
- ✕ A Heritage Conservation District adds review that was not scoped.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The residential zone and Neighbourhoods designation for the parcel.
- → Whether the four-unit design fits the as-of-right envelope or needs a variance.
- → Whether the ward permits more than four units, if a fifth or sixth is wanted.
Where to Go Next
Frequently Asked Questions
How many units can a fourplex have in Toronto, and where?
Do I need a rezoning or public meeting for a fourplex?
Does a fourplex need parking in Toronto?
Does a fourplex really fit the same envelope as a house?
When does a fourplex need a Committee of Adjustment variance?
When did the four-unit by-law take effect?
Official Sources Referenced
Screen Your Toronto Lot for a Multiplex
Enter any Toronto address to check the residential zone, how many units the multiplex rules allow, and whether your ward permits a sixplex.