Issuing a Building Permit

A building permit is an official authorisation issued by the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing through the Balady platform. It grants approval for building, construction and structural alterations on a specific site. The permit carries a set of information and details about the project to be carried out, such as the approved design, the structural drawings, the materials used, and the technical and construction specifications, among others.

A building permit is essential for every type of building, whether residential homes or commercial, industrial or government buildings. It ensures compliance with the approved technical and construction standards and makes monitoring and inspection easier for the authorities responsible. Getting a building permit is therefore an important step in the building process, and it helps to ensure the safety of the project and to protect public safety and security.

How do you get a building permit?

Application steps

• Go to the Balady website.
• Choose the permit type (construction permit or fencing permit).
• Identify the owner and the applicant.
• Select the survey decision on which you want to obtain the building or fencing permit.
• Fill in the required details so that they can be sent to the engineering office.
• Once the fees are paid, the permit is issued and can be printed.

Requirements (documents needed) for a building permit

• An up-to-date electronic title deed from the Ministry of Justice, or a housing contract or an investment contract.
• A survey decision (for building purposes).
• A contract with a design engineering office.
• A contract with a supervising engineering office and a building contractor, and insurance against latent defects in the building after the permit is issued.
• Payment of the service fee.

Conditions and government approvals for a building permit

• Insurance against latent defects, for buildings that require insurance.

What are the conditions for a building permit?

Getting a building permit requires you to meet a number of conditions and requirements, including:

1. An accredited certificate from the competent authorities stating that the site is fit to build on.
2. A copy of the owner's civil status card submitted with the application, which must also include the site details: its address and boundaries.
3. The application must include a copy of the title document and the receipt for the fees due.
4. The documents that prove ownership of the land.
5. The specific controls for high-rise buildings must be followed if the structure is taller than 12 floors.
6. A building permit must be issued, together with an operating licence for the facility, which is renewed periodically every 5 years.
7. A statement from an engineering office covering its inspection of the structural, mechanical and architectural considerations.
8. The building requirements audit form for the residential units to be inspected.
9. The employer's agreement to all the controls and conditions.
10. A lift study from an engineering office is required, and an engineer must be contracted to prepare the permit file.
11. A coordination certificate from the electricity company, with all the approved drawings attached.

How much does a building permit cost?

The fees for a building permit are not fixed. The cost varies from one building to another according to the area of the land or of the building to be constructed, the number of floors and so on. The Balady platform has an electronic calculator that shows you the amount of your building permit fees. You can open the fee calculator on the platform and enter your building's details to get an estimate of the fees you will be asked to pay.

What is the fine for not getting a building permit?

Fines for building without a building permit fall into two cases:

• If the building violates the building regulations and was erected without a building permit, the fine is 1,000-10,000, along with the supplementary penalties set out in Article 4/1, according to the type of violation.
• If the building was erected without a building permit but does not violate the building regulations, the fine is 3,000-5,000, a quarter of the cost of the unlicensed construction is collected, and the set building fee must be paid. A certificate must also be provided from an engineering office qualified by the ministry, confirming the safety of the structures erected.

Fines for building without a permit also extend to contractors: any contractor who takes part in erecting a building without a building permit is fined 10,000. If the violation is repeated, the work licence is withdrawn and the fine must still be paid.

How long is a building permit valid?

A building permit is valid for 3 years from its date of issue. It must be renewed if the building is not finished, and whenever the need arises. The property must be built within these three years; if the permit expires and the building has not been built, the permit must be renewed. Likewise, if construction runs past the permit's date, the permit must be renewed. So if the permit expires during the building works, it must be renewed, because the permit will be needed later for certain official transactions relating to the property and the building.

The Balady platform