What Counts as a "Structural" Change for Permit Purposes

A structural change is one that affects a building's ability to carry and transfer load — removing or altering a load-bearing wall, cutting into a beam or joist, changing a roof or floor structure. These changes require a permit and, typically, review by a qualified professional, because getting them wrong doesn't just risk a fine, it risks the building itself.

The tricky part is that load-bearing walls aren't always visually obvious — an interior partition wall can be quietly carrying floor or roof load above it, especially in older homes where the original structural design isn't documented. Before removing any interior wall, confirming whether it's load-bearing, rather than assuming based on how it looks, is the step that actually protects you.