The Egyptian government has announced new regulations for building permits, aimed at simplifying the process and reducing bureaucracy. The new regulations, which came into effect after the cancellation of previous building and planning requirements, allow for the construction of buildings with fewer restrictions. The changes aim to ease the burden on individuals looking to build and reduce the time required to obtain a permit.
The Ministry of Local Development has issued a circular to governors, outlining the new procedures for obtaining building permits in cities. The process has been reduced from 15 steps to 8, and the permit will be issued by the relevant administrative authority, represented by the technological center and the planning and organization department. Applicants will no longer need to provide a notarized contract or a stamped deed, and can simply submit a document proving ownership.
The new regulations outline the required procedures for obtaining a building permit. First, applicants must submit a request to the technological center, accompanied by a copy of their national ID card and a site plan. A survey will be conducted after payment of the required fees, and a site validity statement will be issued within 5 days. The total time required to obtain a site validity statement is 20 days.
To obtain a building permit, applicants must submit a request accompanied by a contract with a certified engineer, a power of attorney, and engineering drawings. The permit will be reviewed by the technological center and the relevant department within 14 days. Applicants must then contract with a supervisory engineer and a contractor, and submit their contracts to the technological center.
The new building code allows for the construction of buildings with a maximum height of 13 meters in streets with a width of 6 meters or more. In streets with a width of 8 meters or more, the building height can be twice the width of the street. The code also allows for commercial and administrative activities on the ground and first floors of residential buildings located on streets with a width of 10 meters or more.
The Ministry of Housing has launched an electronic service for receiving building permit requests in new cities, allowing citizens and investors to submit requests and pay fees online. The service aims to simplify procedures and provide services more efficiently.
The new regulations are expected to reduce the time required to obtain a building permit to 26 working days in cases where no insurance document is required, and 40 days in cases where an insurance document is required. The changes are aimed at stimulating construction and economic growth.
Key points
- The Egyptian government has simplified the building permit process, reducing the number of steps required from 15 to 8.
- The new regulations allow for the construction of buildings with fewer restrictions, including a maximum height of 13 meters in streets with a width of 6 meters or more.
- The Ministry of Housing has launched an electronic service for receiving building permit requests in new cities, allowing citizens and investors to submit requests and pay fees online.
