3.1 Permits
3.1.1 Requirement of Permit
No building or structure regulated by this Code shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished without first obtaining a separate permit for each such work from the Building Official.
Exceptions:
The following works are exempted from the requirement of a permit unless they do not otherwise violate any provisions of this Code, for the said work or any other adjacent property, regarding general building requirements, structural stability and fire safety requirements of this Code:
i) Opening or closing of a window or a door or a ventilator;
ii) Providing internal doors;
iii) Providing partitions;
iv) Providing false ceiling;
v) Gardening;
vi) Painting;
vii) Retiling and reroofing;
viii) Plastering and patch work;
ix) Reflooring;
x) Construction of sunshades on one’s own land;
xi) Re-erection of portion of buildings damaged by earthquake or cyclone or other natural calamities, to the extent and specification as existed prior to such damage; and
xii) Solid boundary walls less than 1.5 m and open boundary wall less than 2.75 m in height.
3.1.2 Permits Obtained Prior to Adoption of Code
If permit for a building or structure or a work regulated by this Code is obtained before adoption of this Code and the building or structure or work for which the permit is obtained is not completed within three years from the date of issuance of such permit, the said permit shall be deemed to have lapsed and fresh permit shall be necessary to proceed further with the work in accordance with the provisions of this Code.
3.2 Application for permit
3.2.1 Application
Any person who intends to undertake any work on a building or structure or land regulated by this Code shall first file an application therefor in writing on a form furnished by the Building Official for that purpose (see Appendix A). Such applications shall be accompanied by plans and statements in seven copies as required by the provisions of this section.
3.2.2 Operation and Maintenance of Utility Services
The Government may undertake works for operation, maintenance, development or execution of any of the following utility services without requiring to obtain permit from the Building Official:
i) Railways;
ii) National highways;
iii) National waterways;
iv) National gas grid;
v) National power grid;
vi) Major ports;
vii) Airways and aerodromes;
viii) Posts and telegraphs;
ix) Telecommunications;
x) Radio, TV and other similar broadcasting services; and
xi) Any other service which the Government may, by notification, declare to be a service for the purpose of this section if the Government is of the opinion that the operation, maintenance, development or execution of such service is essential to the community.
Buildings constructed in connection with these services shall conform with the specifications of this Code.
3.2.3.1 General
Application for permit of any work under the provisions of this Code shall be accompanied by a key plan, a site plan, a building plan, services plans, specifications and certificate of supervision as specified in this section. The drawings shall have any of the sizes specified in Table 2.3.1. All plans and drawings shall be signed by an architect or planner or engineer which shall be considered as equivalent to certifying that the plan on which the signature appears conforms to all the requirements of this Code.
Table 2.3.1 — Sizes of Drawing Sheet
3.2.3.2 Key Plan
A key plan of the site shall be submitted along with the application which shall:
i) have a scale of 1:10,000 or larger; and
ii) show the boundaries of the site with respect to neighbouring landmarks.
3.2.3.3 Site Plan
The site plan to be submitted with the application shall have a scale of not less than 1:500 for a site of up to 1 ha and not less than 1:1000 for a site greater than 1 ha. The site plan shall contain the following information:
i) A north arrow and a scale factor or scale bar;
ii) The boundaries of the site and the neighbouring streets along with their dimensions and names;
iii) All existing buildings, structures or service lines on, above, below or surrounding the site;
iv) The position of the proposed building and of all other buildings on the site with respect to the boundaries of the site and of any subdivision thereof if applicable, and all adjacent buildings (with number of storeys and height) and premises within a distance of 12 m of the site;
v) The means of access from the street to the building which the applicant intends to construct and to all other buildings upon the site;
vi) Space to be left open around the building; and
vii) Any physical features, such as wells, drains etc.
3.2.3.4 Application for Development Works
Applications for permit for a development work shall be accompanied by a subdivision or layout plan drawn on a scale of 1:500 or greater and containing the following information:
i) A north arrow and a scale factor or scale bar;
ii) The location of all proposed and existing roads and their dimensions;
iii) Dimensions of the plots, the building lines and setbacks;
iv) The location of utility services like drains, sewers, electric lines and gas lines;
v) The identification number, size, dimensions and use of all the plots in a tabular form;
vi) Information in a summary form indicating the total area of the site, area utilized under roads, open spaces for parks, playgrounds, recreation spaces, schools, shopping centres, community centres and other public places; and
vii) The means of access to each subdivision of the site.
3.2.3.5 Building Plan
The building plans accompanying the application shall have a scale of not less than 1:100 and shall contain the following information:
i) A north arrow and a scale factor or a scale bar;
ii) Floor plans of all floors together with the covered area clearly indicating the size and spacing of all framing members and sizes of rooms and the position of staircases, ramps and lift wells;
iii) Use or occupancy of all parts of the buildings;
iv) Location of all utility services;
v) Sections showing clearly the sizes of the footing, thickness of basement wall, wall construction, size and spacing of the framing members, floor slabs and roof slabs with their materials, height of the rooms and parapets, drainage and slope of the roof and terrace (if any), and details of the staircase.
vi) Street dimensions and elevations; and
vii) All projected portions of the building.
3.2.3.6 Building Plans for Multi-storeyed and Other Special Buildings
Applications for any work under the provisions of this Code involving buildings higher than 20 m and other buildings like educational, assembly, institutional, industrial or hazardous and mixed occupancies with any of the aforesaid occupancies having an area of more than 500 m² shall be accompanied with the following information as may be applicable in addition to those specified in Sec 3.2.3.5:
i) Accessibility of fire appliances and vehicles with details of vehicular turning circle and clear motorable passage around the building;
ii) Location and dimensions of alternate stairway along with any approach thereof;
iii) Location and details of lift enclosures;
iv) Location and dimensions of fire escape;
v) Smoke stop lobby or door;
vi) Refuse chutes, refuse chamber and service duct;
vii) Vehicular parking spaces and vehicle movement and parking plan;
viii) Refuse area;
ix) Details of building services like air-conditioning, mechanical ventilation system, electrical services, boiler and gas pipes;
x) Details of exits;
xi) Location of generator, transformer and switch gear room;
xii) Smoke exhaust system;
xiii) Fire alarm system;
xiv) Location of centralised control, connecting all fire alarm systems, built-in fire protection arrangement and public address system etc.;
xv) Location and dimensions of static water storage tank and pump room along with fire service inlets for mobile pump and water storage tank;
xvi) Location and details of fixed fire protection installations such as sprinklers, wet risers, hose reels, drenchers, CO2 installations etc.; and
xvii) Location of first aid arrangements.
3.2.3.7 Plans of Services
The plans showing utilities to the buildings such as gas, water, electricity, drainage and sewage disposal system shall include all details of such systems within the building and their interface with the street network of the concerned agency.
3.2.3.8 Specifications
Specification of the materials to be used in the building or structure shall be specified in sufficient detail to enable the Building Official to check conformity of such specifications with the provisions of this Code.
3.2.3.9 Supervision of Work
The application shall be accompanied by a certificate of supervision in the form as prescribed in Appendix B by an engineer, architect, planner or supervisor of relevant field.
The applicant shall provide any other information required by the Building Official to determine conformity with the provisions of this Code.
3.2.4 Preparation and Signing of Plans
All plans shall be prepared under the guidance of an engineer, architect or planner as may be applicable who shall put his or her signature with date on the title block of the plans along with his name, address and degree. The plans shall also contain the signature, name and address of the owner.
Application and the accompanying plans for any work or development under the provision of this Code on any site adjoining any Government land or property shall be prepared and submitted in sufficient numbers to enable the Building Official to forward one set each to the appropriate Government agency or agencies for report before permission is granted. The concerned Government agency shall report to the Building Official whether or not they have any objection to the proposed work within two weeks from the date of receipt of the application and plans. If no such report is received within two weeks by the Building Official the concerned Government agency shall be deemed to have no objection to the execution of the proposed work. In case any government agency have any objection to a proposed work, such objection shall be stated with definite reasons.
3.2.6 Fees
All applications shall be accompanied by fees as specified by the Building Official from time to time without which the application shall be deemed to be incomplete.
3.2.7 Duration of Permit
Works for which permit has been obtained under the provisions of this Code shall be valid for a duration of 5 years. For projects of exceptionally large magnitude the Building Official may extend the duration of such permit. On expiry of a permit, the owner shall obtain a fresh permit which may be granted by the Building Official on satisfaction of the provisions of the version of the Code in force at that time.
3.2.8 Deviation from Approved Plan
Deviations from the approved plans may be permitted provided such deviation is notified to the Building Official before undertaking the related work and approval is obtained for the deviation. The revised plan showing the deviations shall be submitted and the procedure specified for the original plan heretofore shall apply to all such amended plans.
Exception:
The works specified in Sec 3.1.1 as exceptions shall be exempted from the requirements of obtaining permits from the Building Official unless they do not otherwise violate any provisions of this Code regarding general building requirements, structural stability and fire safety requirements of this Code.
3.2.9 Cancellation of Permit
The Building Official shall have the authority to cancel any permit issued previously under the provisions of this Code if there is any false statement or any misrepresentation of any material fact in the application on the basis of which the permit was issued, or there is any deviation from the approved plans without any prior approval of the Building Official.
3.2.10 Granting or Refusal of Permit
3.2.10.1 General
The Building Official may either grant or refuse permit to an applicant for carrying out the intended work (see Appendix C).
3.2.10.2 Multi-storeyed and Other Special Buildings
In case of applications for works related to buildings as specified in Sec 3.2.3.6, all relevant drawings and other information shall be subject to scrutiny of the fire authority and their approval shall be necessary for approval of the plan by the Building Official.
3.2.10.3 Time Limit
The Building Official shall notify the applicant within 60 days from the date of receipt of an application and all other information required by him of either approval or refusal of the permit for any work. If the Building Official does not notify the applicant of such approval or refusal within this specified period, the plans shall be deemed to have been approved provided the fact is brought to the notice of the Building Official. Such approval shall not be interpreted to authorize any person to do anything in contravention of or against the terms of lease or titles of the land or against any other regulations, bylaws or ordinance operating on the site of the work or any of the provisions of this Code.
3.2.10.4 Reason for Refusal and Remedy Thereof
Refusal of permit shall be accompanied with reason and the Building Official shall quote the relevant sections of this Code which the plans contravene. The applicant may correct or remove such reasons and reapply for permit with any fee that may be required. The Building Official shall scrutinise the resubmitted plan and if there be no further objections the plan shall be approved and permit issued.
3.3 Responsibilities and duties of the owner
3.3.1 General
The owner of a building or structure regulated by the provisions of this Code shall be responsible for carrying out the work in conformity with the provisions of this Code. Granting of permission for any work or approval of plans or inspection by the Building Official or any of his deputies shall not relieve the owner from such responsibility.
3.3.2 Right of Entry
The owner shall allow the Building Official to enter the site for the purpose of enforcing the Code as required by the provision of Sec 2.2.6 and for the purpose of inspection as provided in Sec 3.4 below.
3.3.3 Permit from Other Agencies
The owner shall obtain permit as may be applicable from other concerned agencies relating to building, zoning, grades, sewers, water mains, plumbing, signs, blasting, street occupancy, gas, electricity, highways and all other permits required in connection with the proposed work.
3.3.4 Notice of Completion
The owner shall notify the Building Official in the form prescribed in Appendix D of the completion of the work for which permit was granted. The Building Official may or may not cause an inspection of the completed work for verification of its conformity with the approved plan and design and certify accordingly on the form. The work shall not be accepted as complete without such certification from the Building Official.
3.3.5 Documents at Site
The owner shall preserve at the site a copy of all permits issued and all drawings approved by the Building Official. Results of tests carried out for determination of conformity of the work with the provisions of this Code shall also be preserved and made available for inspection during execution of the work.
3.4 Inspection
All works relating to a building or structure regulated by the provisions of this Code for which permits are required shall be subject to inspection by the Building Official. An engineer, architect, planner or a supervisor shall supervise the work and certify conformity of the work with the provisions of the Code. Such certificates shall be preserved at the site and produced before the Building Official during any inspection.
3.5 Unsafe buildings
3.5.1 General
All buildings considered to constitute danger to public safety or property shall be declared unsafe and shall be repaired or demolished as directed by the Building Official.
3.5.2 Examination
The Building Official shall examine or cause examination of every building reported to pose threat to safety or be damaged by wear and tear or accident and shall make a written record of such examinations.
3.5.3 Notification
If a building is found to be unsafe the Building Official shall notify the owner of the building and specify the defects thereof. The notice shall require the owner within a stated time either to complete the required repair or improvement or demolish and remove the building or portion thereof.
3.5.4 Disregard of Notice
In case the owner fails, neglects or refuses to carry out the repair or improvement of the unsafe building or portion thereof as specified in the notice, the Building Official shall cause the danger to be removed either by demolition or repair of the building or portion thereof or otherwise, the cost of which shall be borne by the owner.
3.5.5 Cases of Emergency
If the Building Official considers that an unsafe building or structure constitutes imminent danger to human life or health or public property, the Building Official shall at once or with a notice as may be possible promptly cause such building or structure or portion thereof to be rendered safe or removed. In such cases the decision of the Building Official shall be final and binding, and he or any of his assigned deputies may at once enter such structure or land on which it stands or the abutting land or structure, with such assistance from and at such cost to the owner as may be deemed necessary. The Building Official may also get the adjacent structures vacated and protect the public by an appropriate fence or such other means as may be necessary.
3.5.6 Cost Involvement
The cost incurred in carrying out the activities of the Building Official under Sec 3.5.4 and 3.5.5 above shall be realized from the owner of the building or structure or the premises concerned.
3.6 Demolition of buildings
If a building or structure is to be demolished, the owner shall notify all agencies providing utility services to the building. Such agencies shall remove all their appurtenances and equipment and dismantle all service connections to ensure a safe condition. The Building Official shall not grant any permit for demolition of a building until a release is obtained from the utility services stating that all service connections have been removed in the proper manner.
3.7 Validity of the provisions of this Code
3.7.1 Partial Invalidity
In case any provision of this Code is held to be illegal or void, this shall have no effect on the validity of any other provision of the Code nor on the same provision in different cases nor on the Code as a whole, and they shall remain effective.
3.7.2 Invalidity on Existing Buildings
If any provision of this Code is held to be illegal or void by the Authority as applied to an existing building or structure, validity of that provision or any other provision of the Code in its application to buildings hereafter erected shall not be affected.
3.8 Architectural and environmental control
3.8.1
Besides enforcing the provisions of this Code for normal buildings and structures, the Building Official shall, for special structures such as those listed in Sec 3.8.2 below, also examine the aesthetics and environmental issues vis-a-vis the existing structures and the characteristics of the area, and exercise architectural and environmental control in accordance with the provisions of this section.
3.8.2
Special structures for which architectural and environmental control shall be exercised by the Building Official shall include:
a) major public building complexes,
b) buildings in the vicinity of monuments and major sculptures,
c) buildings and structures near existing structures identified to be architecturally valuable (see Sec 1.16 of Part 3),
d) buildings and structures near historic buildings or in an area of historical or archaeological significance,
e) buildings near any structure that represents the special characteristics of an area,
f) any proposed building or structure that represents the special characteristics or forms part of a larger master plan of an area, and
g) any development that may have an effect on or mar the environment or characteristics of an area.
3.8.3
The Authority shall, for the purpose of exercising the architectural and environmental control and for identifying existing structures having architectural value, appoint a standing committee comprising noted experts from the fields of Architecture, Planning, Engineering, History, Art, Literature or any other discipline which may be deemed relevant. The committee shall examine the aesthetic quality of the proposed building, structure or development and the effect it may have on the characteristics and environment of the area in order to ensure aesthetic continuance of the new structure with the existing ones and aesthetic blending of the new structure with the surroundings. The committee may require additional drawings and information to those specified in Sec 3.2.3 for a detailed study of the proposed work. The committee, for the purpose of arriving at their decision, may at their discretion depending on the magnitude of the project and the impact it may have on public life, hear the architect of the proposed work who may wish to explain the various features of the project, note comments of other experts in the relevant disciplines, or in exceptional circumstances, institute a public hearing to assess public reaction to the project.
3.8.4
The committee may approve the proposed work, recommend changes in the scheme, or disapprove the scheme, for reasons of aesthetics and environmental control.
3.8.5
The Building Official shall not issue permit for undertaking the proposed work until obtaining a report from the standing committee stating that the intended work is acceptable in respect of its effect on the environment, landscape, architectural characteristics, historical feature or any other aesthetic quality of the locality, area or landscape concerned.
See also Sec 1.5 of Part 1 and Sec 1.16 of Part 3.
See Appendices A-D for the forms referenced throughout this chapter: first application (Appendix A), certificate of supervision (Appendix B), sanction or refusal of permit (Appendix C), and completion certificate (Appendix D).Last modified on August 29, 2026
