Congratulations! You have legally acquired your land plot, demarcated it, and have possession of your technical file. Now, in order to begin your construction project, you will need to acquire a building permit. The following steps will guide you through the process of obtaining this permit.
What is a building permit ?
The building permit is an administrative document issued by the municipality. The building permit certifies that your project complies with the current urban planning and architectural rules. It is mandatory for any new construction or substantial modification of an existing construction.
Deadlines and validity of the building permit:
Generally, deadlines are assigned to the process of obtaining a building permit. In the case of Cameroon, Law No. 2004/003 of April 21, 2004 governing urban planning in Cameroon and Decree No. 2008/0739 of April 23, 2008 fixing the rules of land use and construction, stipulate that the instruction period for a building permit application is 45 days from the date of submission of the file, with the possibility of a suspension of the decision. If the permit is issued, it becomes invalid if the work is not started within two years of its issuance. Therefore, it is essential to respect these deadlines to maintain the validity of the building permit.
Steps to obtain a building permit:
Preliminary verification:
Before starting the process of applying for a building permit, you must ensure that you have the following elements:
A land certificate or a subdivision in the process of being processed.
An architect and/or a technical studies office for the design of the project.
The architectural and technical plans of the project.
Required Documents to obtain a building permit:
The constitution of the file varies from one country to another. In the case of Cameroon, to constitute your building permit application file, you will need to provide the following documents:
An application for a building permit addressed to your municipality.
A town-planning certificate
A certificate of ownership issued less than six (6) months or an act of the Minister of areas in lieu thereof,
A descriptive, quantitative, and estimated work estimate,
A site and location plan (technical file)
Execution plans (foundation plan, distribution plan, roof plan, facade plan, section plan, and structure plan);
A sanitation (Plan of septic tanks)
For constructions that are more than 10 meters high:
A geotechnical assessment (soil study report)
A structural analysis signed by an Engineer of the National Order
A safety notice for the structure.
Submission of the Application:
Once your application is ready, you must submit it along with all related documents to the services of your municipality. Generally, the file is provided in 4 copies, including 2 physical and 2 digital copies. Once your request is accepted, you will receive a favorable opinion and a receipt to be paid to the municipality’s services. Generally, the cost of the building permit represents approximately 1% of the total construction cost. It can be evaluated based on the built surface area in m2 and the level of standing of the construction. After payment, your building permit will be issued. This document authorizes you to start work in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.
Sanctions and risks of the lack of a building permit
The lack of a building permit can lead to various sanctions and risks. Here are some potential elements: Administrative sanctions: The amount of these sanctions may vary depending on the severity of the offense and local regulations. Work stoppage: Work can only resume after the regular issuance of the permit. Demolition: In some extreme cases, when construction carried out without a permit is considered illegal or dangerous, the demolition costs will then be borne by the owner.
