Do I need a permit for a container in Montreal?

On your private property (driveway, yard, lot), no. On the street, sidewalk or alley — the public domain — yes, a temporary occupancy permit is issued by your borough, with fees and lead times that vary by borough.

How much does the permit cost?

From under $100 to several hundred dollars depending on borough and duration: a daily rate ($40 to nearly $96 for a residential container) plus issuance and sometimes analysis fees. Use the estimator above for your borough and duration.

Can I avoid the permit?

Yes, by placing the container in your private driveway or yard: no permit is then required. That's the case for the vast majority of our residential deliveries.

Container street permit in Montreal: costs by borough

Data verified on 19 July 2026 · source: montreal.ca

A container placed on the public right-of-way in Montreal requires a temporary occupancy permit from your borough. The cost varies by more than two-to-one across the island — and the permit often exceeds the price of the rental itself. Here are the real numbers, borough by borough.

First, the good news: in a private driveway, no permit is required anywhere. If your container fits in the driveway or yard, there's nothing to apply for. The permit only concerns the street, sidewalk and alley.

Your borough

Pick your borough to see the fees, lead time and rules that apply.

Your borough

Days on site

Occupied surface

A 20-yard container takes up about 16 m²: the “up to 49 m²” rate applies to nearly every residential rental.

Minimum lead time: 10 business days
Maximum validity: 1 an
Daily rate (up to 49 m²): $71.75 · before tax

$71.75 × 10 days: $717.50
Issuance fee: $26.25
Analysis fee: $26.25
Subtotal · before tax: $770.00

Estimated total (tax incl.)

$885.31

Note: Demande à recevoir au minimum 10 jours ouvrables à l'avance. Prolonger un permis émis exige de repayer les frais d'analyse et de délivrance. Corridor piéton ou cycliste balisé d'au moins 1,5 m obligatoire si obstrué. Remboursement possible des frais pour un OBNL ou une coopérative d'habitation.

Apply on montreal.ca Notify the Agence de mobilité durable

A note on taxes

Tax treatment is not uniform. Plateau-Mont-Royal, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Lachine and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension publish figures EXCLUDING tax; the other boroughs include it. To compare like with like, every total below is normalized TAX-INCLUDED, and each borough's published basis is shown on its row.

All 19 boroughs, compared

Estimated totals for a residential container (up to 49 m²), tax included. Click a header to sort.

		Issuance + analysis		Published basis
Anjou	$40	$30	2 j	tax incl.
LaSalle	$41	$25	5 j	tax incl.
Pierrefonds-Roxboro	$49	$44	5 j	tax incl.
Saint-Laurent	$57	$60	5 j	tax incl.
L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève	$65	$108	2 j	tax incl.
Ville-Marie	$65	$55	10 j	tax incl.
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce	$67	$45	5 j	tax incl.
Saint-Léonard	$67	$80	10 j	tax incl.
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie	$73	$175	10 j	tax incl.
Le Sud-Ouest	$74	$54	10 j	tax incl.
Montréal-Nord	$75	$46	2 j	tax incl.
Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles	$76	$77	5 j	tax incl.
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension	$77	$142	2 j	before tax
Ahuntsic-Cartierville	$80	$48	5 j	tax incl.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal	$82	$53	10 j	before tax
Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve	$85	$90	2 j	before tax
Outremont	$96	$66	5 j	tax incl.
Lachine	—	$85	2 j	before tax
Verdun	—	—	2 j	tax incl.

What nobody tells you

Signage is on you

Every borough requires official no-parking panels, rented from a specialized company and installed ahead of time — plus a separate notice to the Agence de mobilité durable via its online form. In Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, only official rented panels are accepted, installed 12 to 14 hours before occupation.

Lead times run 2 to 10 business days

Plateau-Mont-Royal, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Ville-Marie, Le Sud-Ouest and Saint-Léonard require 10 business days. Next-day delivery on the street is simply impossible there.

Saint-Léonard: never on the sidewalk

Street or alley only, never the sidewalk. And the permit holder is responsible for snow clearing around the container.

Lachine: $2M insurance

Lachine requires proof of $2M liability insurance, and only processes the request once documents and payment are received.

Verdun: the contractor applies

When a contractor does the work, Verdun requires the contractor — not the client — to apply for the permit.

Parking meters: the hidden bill

Occupying metered spaces adds capping fees, removal fees and lost-revenue charges — often higher than the permit itself, especially in downtown Ville-Marie.

In the driveway: no permit

We repeat it because it's the honest answer: a container in your private driveway needs no permit, anywhere on the island. If it's possible at your place, it's the simplest and cheapest option.

FAQ

Do I need a permit for a container in Montreal?: On your private property (driveway, yard, lot), no. On the street, sidewalk or alley — the public domain — yes, a temporary occupancy permit is issued by your borough, with fees and lead times that vary by borough.
How much does the permit cost?: From under $100 to several hundred dollars depending on borough and duration: a daily rate ($40 to nearly $96 for a residential container) plus issuance and sometimes analysis fees. Use the estimator above for your borough and duration.
How far ahead should I apply?: From 2 to 10 business days depending on borough. Plateau, Rosemont, Ville-Marie, Le Sud-Ouest and Saint-Léonard require 10 business days. Plan for it before your desired delivery date.
Can I avoid the permit?: Yes, by placing the container in your private driveway or yard: no permit is then required. That's the case for the vast majority of our residential deliveries.

Driveway delivery? No permit.

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