Many citizens seeking to construct or complete their residential and commercial buildings are eager to know the building conditions and the number of floors permitted in 2025. This comes after the Ministry of Local Development, with the approval of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, announced the cancellation of the new building and planning requirements previously applied in the governorates, returning instead to the Unified Building Law No. 119 of 2008.
Concrete measures have been taken to simplify the process of obtaining building permits and reduce procedures, with the required steps being cut down from 15 to just 8. This makes the process more efficient and saves citizens time and effort.
The authority responsible for issuing permits is the technological center and the planning and organization department in local units. Permits are now issued directly without needing university approvals or a registered ownership contract—ownership documents are sufficient. These offices also provide land surveying services for specific fees.
The time frame for issuing permits varies depending on the case:
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26 working days for cases that do not require an insurance document.
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40 working days for cases that require an insurance document.
According to the new building law, the number of permitted floors and building heights depends on the street width:
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If the street width is 6 meters or more: construction is allowed up to a ground floor and 3 repeated floors, with a maximum height of 13 meters.
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If the street width is 8 meters or more: the maximum building height equals twice the street width.
For residential buildings overlooking streets wider than 10 meters, the ground and first floors may be used for commercial or administrative purposes.
The Ministry of Housing, through the New Urban Communities Authority, has launched an online service for building permits at the beginning of this year. Citizens can now apply, upload engineering drawings, attach required documents, and pay fees directly through the official website of the Authority (https://www.newcities.gov.eg).
These adjustments aim to simplify procedures, shorten the time needed to issue permits, and ensure compliance with engineering and urban planning standards. The government also seeks to provide a safe investment environment for citizens and developers.
Steps to Obtain a Building Permit
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Issue a site suitability certificate for construction by submitting a request to the technological center with a copy of the ID card and a site sketch.
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Conduct a land survey within 15 days, and issue the certificate within 5 days after verifying compliance with conditions (total: 20 days).
For the actual building permit application, submit the following:
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Authorization for a certified engineer.
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Engineering drawings.
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Proof of ownership.
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Insurance document, if required.
The file is reviewed within 14 days before contracting with a supervising engineer and a certified contractor. Fees are set and must be paid within 10 days, and the permit is delivered within 48 hours.
Total permit issuance duration:
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26 days without an insurance document.
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40 days with an insurance document.
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