How wide must a bedroom doorway be in an Ontario house?

A bedroom doorway is designed for at least a 760 mm by 1 980 mm door under the 2024 Ontario Building Code. That figure comes from Table 9.5.5.1., which lists rooms "not otherwise listed" in a dwelling unit; a bedroom falls into that category.

A few doorways in a house have different minimums. A door leading to stairs that serve a floor with finished space, and a door to a utility room, each require 810 mm wide by 1 980 mm high. A bathroom or walk-in closet door may be as narrow as 610 mm at the same 1 980 mm height.

One permit point worth knowing: replacing a door in the same size opening is on the City of Ottawa's exempt list. Enlarging or relocating a doorway is on its permit list. If the rough opening is staying the same and you are only swapping the door and frame, it is on the exempt list (except for designated heritage buildings and those in a Heritage District Overlay), though the work still has to meet the Code. If the opening is being widened or moved, confirm with the City before work starts.

If the wall being opened for a wider doorway is load-bearing, the new opening needs a lintel designed to carry the load to the adjacent studs. A qualified, registered designer with a BCIN, an engineer or an architect can size that lintel; if you own the house, you may also take design responsibility yourself, though the City will tell you what it will accept with the permit application.