Manal Awad, Egypt’s Minister of Local Development announced the simplification of the process of obtaining building permits in the country’s cities. The initiative aims to make life easier for citizens and reduce the time required to obtain permits. According to Minister Awad, permits will now be issued by local administrative authorities with the help of the technology centre and the planning department, without the need to involve specialised units or present a registered property contract. It will be sufficient to provide proof of ownership. Awad noted that the new measures will significantly reduce waiting times: obtaining a permit will now take 26 days without the need for an insurance document and up to 40 days with one. The reforms aim to stimulate urban development and increase private investment in housing, which will also lead to the creation of new jobs in the construction sector.

The procedure for obtaining a permit begins by submitting a request to the technology centre, where the citizen only has to submit a copy of his personal ID card and a sketch of the plot. This is reported by Daily News Egypt, a partner of TV BRICS. Next, a fee must be paid for a geodetic survey conducted by one of the authorised specialists. Upon successful completion of the survey, the administrative authority will verify the requirements and issue a statement on the suitability of the plot within 5 days. Then, the citizen applies directly for a building permit, including a contract with a certified engineer and the necessary drawings. Verification of this application takes 15 days.

Once all checks are completed, the citizen signs contracts with the contractor and the controlling engineer, after which the documents are submitted to the technology centre.

Issuance of the permit, which includes payment of all fees, takes another 2 days. As a result, the total time for obtaining a building permit is reduced to 26 or 40 days, depending on the availability of the insurance document.

Photo: Daily News Egypt