Yula.la News

How-to Guide to Obtain Construction Permits:

With recent revisions to land laws and foreign ownership, more opportunities have opened for construction possibilities for new urban development plans across Laos.  Whether you are considering building a home or a commercial site, it’s important to know the process for building your project. In Laos, it is required to get a construction permit before the project starts. In this short guide, we will teach you the necessary steps and policies to receive a construction permit for your next project. 

To clarify the definition of construction for permits, construction is the process for the implementation of all construction activities, the construction, and repair by commencing from the feasibility study, survey, construction design, building, and installation until the completion of the constructed items.

Construction is welcome in Laos and policies to have been put in place to encourage infrastructure development. The State encourages and supports domestic construction business operations that have access to capital. It supports the development of domestic labor skills and projects that make competition with foreign labor. Positive construction development is supported because it contributes to the overall socio-economic development of Laos economy.

 Principles on Construction’s Activities:

1. To ensure alignment with the national socio-economic development plans, master development plans of each sector, urban plan, construction project plan, technical norms, technical standard, and the unit price of the construction;
2. To ensure the quality, safety and does not create excess hazardous effects to the defined standard of living conditions for the population, infrastructure, natural panorama, environment or create an inconvenience to the persons living near to the construction site;
3. Promotes the development equally with the safeguard of cultural, historical, and natural heritage including the preservation of national uniqueness;
4. Ensures the sustainment and the highest advantage to the economy and society and also have facilities for disabled and elderly people;
5. The participation of domestic architects and engineers is important for all construction’s activities of foreign investors;
6. Shall have an assessment of impacts on social and natural environment such as the health of the population.

The construction’s activities should contain all of the 7 elements listed below:

1. A feasibility study of the construction project;
2. A survey, design of the construction project and the determination on the use of construction materials;
3. Construction permission; granted by respected the ministry and village  
4. Allotment of the construction project area;
5. Implementation of the construction project;
6. Supervision of the construction;
7. Protection and the use of constructed items.

Application information to submit (Lao nationals):

1)  Request letter;

2)  Copy of family book or resident certificate for the period of no longer than 3 months (or copy of ID card for foreign citizens);

3)  Copy of land title certificate of the proposed construction site;

4)  Neighbor consent memo for the proposed design and construction;

5)  Key architectural and structural plans, and in case of needs

6)  Environmental authorization certificate;

7)  Controlled Building and/or heritage management certificate.

 Where to go:

 The District Office of Public Works and Transport - for buildings with total functional areas of no more than 400 sqm and less than 10 m in height,

Provincial Department of Public Works and Transport – for building outside of the ranges stated above

12 Steps to obtain your construction permit:

1. Obtain a Soil Test from the State Enterprise

2. Obtain Neighbors Consent for Construction

3. Hire an external engineer to conduct a building inspection

4. Purchase the application forms for a building permit (above)

5. Request and obtain residence certificate from Village Chief

6.  Submit building permit application to the District Construction Division

7. Receive setting-out inspection from the Department of Urban Planning & Environment

8. Obtain a building permit from Vientiane Capital

9. Receive half completion inspection from the Department of Urban Planning & Environment

10.  Request and receive a final inspection from the Committee for Management of Construction

11.  Request and receive a connection to water and sewage services

12.  Obtain Building Usage Certificate

Ministry of Public Works and Transport has revised construction management regulations which are enacted in January 2019.

Downloaded the Construction Application online here:

https://www.mpwt.gov.la/lo/legislation-lo/agreement-lo/2013-09-23-07-18-42