Pergola in the canton of Thurgau: building permit required?
Building permit required
Short answer: pergolas are not on the exhaustive list in § 99 PBG, so they require a permit, usually in the simplified procedure.
Basis: § 98/99 PBG. Planning and Building Act (PBG). As of October 2026. Applies within the building zone and outside core zones and protected areas. Municipalities can be stricter.
What specifically applies in the canton of Thurgau
A classic pergola is a structure open on all sides with no fixed roof. As soon as a fixed or closable roof is added (louvres, glass, panels), it usually counts legally as a patio cover, and therefore as a building.
Permit-free in the canton of Thurgau: tool sheds up to 9 m² footprint and 2.2 m total height, terrain changes up to 0.7 m in height and 200 m² in area, and retaining walls within narrow limits are permit-free (§ 99 PBG).
Procedure: § 99 PBG exhaustively lists the permit-free structures. For minor projects, there is the simplified procedure.
Submission: cantonal building application form to the municipality; digitally via eBau Thurgau if the municipality offers it.
Note the official municipal instructions in the canton of Thurgau and our document checklist.
Our fixed price for a pergola in the canton of Thurgau
- Preliminary check CHF 149, written assessment with the procedure, documents and fee range of your municipality. Credited towards the application.
- Building application CHF 690, complete dossier, submission, queries and deadlines until the decision. Excl. municipal fees.
- Retrospective building application CHF 990, if a pergola is already in place and the municipality requires an application.
Frequently asked questions
Does a pergola require a permit in the canton of Thurgau?
Building permit required. Pergolas are not on the exhaustive list in § 99 PBG; they require a permit, usually in the simplified procedure. Basis: § 98/99 PBG.
Which procedure applies in the canton of Thurgau?
§ 99 PBG lists permit-free structures exhaustively. For minor projects there is the simplified procedure.
Who may submit the application in the canton of Thurgau?
No formal professional qualification is required. You give us a power of attorney; the client and the landowner sign the application.
What does a building application for a pergola cost in the canton of Thurgau?
Our fixed price is CHF 690 for the dossier including submission and follow-up questions. Official fees and any agreed additional services are extra; the official tariff depends on the location.
Municipalities in the canton of Thurgau
Pergola in other cantons
Pergola in the canton of Thurgau: we submit the application.
Assessment in 2 working days, dossier in 5. Enquire without obligation.