A building permit is a license issued by the Division of Public Works of the Local Municipality. It legally authorizes the owner or his/her agent to begin construction according to the plan submitted. It provides building officials with the means to enforce the requirements of the Building Control Act and other applicable standards to ensure strict compliance.
By law, it is necessary to obtain authorization from the local administration for any construction, alteration, and demolition of buildings. You need to obtain this to make sure that you meet building safety standards and zoning requirements for the general safety of the public.
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Zoning is a system of developing a city or district plan in which restrictions apply in various geographic areas (zones) to certain uses and development, such as residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, parks, schools and other purposes. To avoid problems in the future, it is necessary to check the zoning regulations of the specific area as several zoning restrictions may apply. They may include some or all the following depending on the district:
You need to get a building permit on the following instances:
1. Constructing a new building
2. Altering an existing building by changing the structure of the building such as size, shape, proportion, weight support and the materials used for construction
3. Destructing or relocating a building
4. Changing the usage of a building
5. Modifying or using the parking, u-turn, car entrance and/or exit for another purpose
The consideration for the approval of a building permit application for a 2-storey residential building takes a maximum of 20 days. This excludes the length of time to amend the building plan.
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On the other hand, it takes 33 days for a large commercial building. This excludes the period needed to amend the building plan.
Commencing any construction work without the proper permit is illegal. Therefore, it is punishable by Law with fine or imprisonment.
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If the construction work violates or fails to comply with the Building Control Act requirements or is not by the approved building plan, the Local Municipality shall have the power to either order a demolition or to issue a stop-work order. Â If they issue a stop-work order, the license holder, within reasonable time, shall have to correct and re-submit the building plan for approval.
A foreigner can have a building permit on his/her name. Although foreigners cannot own land in Thailand, they are not prohibited from owning the structure on it.
Building Permits are valid for 1 year from the issuance date and is subject to yearly renewals for 3 years.
