Obtain fire safety clearance
Agency: Fire Department
Approval from the Fire Department is a prerequisite for the building and land-use permit.
Time and cost: 14 days, MUR 250
Obtain building and land use permit
Agency: Local Authority (Municipality)
With the roll-out of the National Electronic Licensing System (NELS) the plan approvals from Central Water Authority, WasteWater Management Authority and Central Electricity Board are now eliminated. An application is made for Buiding and Land Use Permit to the local authority via NELS, and the system sends an application simultaneously to CEB, CWA and WMA for plan approvals.
Every application for a building and land-use permit must be in accordance with provisions of the Building Act, the Town and Country Planning Act, and the Planning and Development Act of 2004. The following documents are required in addition to the application:
- Copy of the title deed or copy of the lease and planning clearance from the Ministry of Housing and Lands if for state land
- Consent of owner and copy of the owner’s national identity card
- Copy of the national identity card of the applicant
- Three sets of plans, comprising site and location plans, layout, elevations, and sections
- Public notification by way of plate display and notice in two daily newspapers (for development within residential zones)
- Consent of neighbors (not required in this case because it is industrial). Consent is required if the distance between the new building and neighboring constructions is less than 1 meter for one-story buildings and 1.5 meters for two-story buildings.
- PER/environmental impact assessment (EIA) license for scheduled undertakings: The PER is for small projects, while the EIA is for larger ones with a potential environmental impact. Neither applies to the warehouse assessed in the Doing Business case study.
- All plans must be signed by the draughtsman for buildings of less than 250 sq. m. in floor area and must include the name and address. The total floor area is to be indicated on the site plan, while the floor area for each level is to be indicated on the corresponding floor plans
- For buildings of 150 sq. m. or more in floor area, all plans are to be signed by a registered professional architect, including the architect’s name, address, VAT registration number, and registration number with the Professional Architects Council. The total floor area is to be indicated on the site plan, while the floor area for each level is to be indicated on the corresponding floor plans. The application form can be obtained from the Planning Department of any local authority, Small Enterprises and Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA), the Board of Investment, or the Ministry of Local Government, or it can be downloaded from various Web sites, including the Web sites of the agencies mentioned above.
In accordance with the Local Government Act 2011, applications for the building and land-use permit that are in accordance with the act and guidelines should be reviewed within 14 working days of the date of receipt of the application. Upon approval of the Executive Committee, the building and land use permit is issued.
The costs associated with the application for the dual permit include an application fee of MUR 500, plus charges computed based on land area as follows:
- MUR 10.00 per sq. m. for areas of 250 sq. m. or less
- MUR 20.00 per sq. m. for areas ranging from 251 to 500 sq. m.
- MUR 50.00 per sq. m. for areas of more than 500 sq. m.
This procedure is processed at the same institution as the previous one, for that reason it cannot be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 21 days, MUR 66,955
Notify the Local Authority of commencement of work
Agency: Local Authority (Municipality)
On March 15, 2013, Mauritius implemented the Building Control Act 2012, gazetted on June 16, 2012 and implemented by Proclamation Nº10. According to Art. 17, a notification of commencement of work must be sent to the issuing permit authority. This procedure is processed at the same institution as the previous one, for that reason it cannot be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive random inspection by Local Authority
Agency: Local Authority (Municipality)
A random inspection is carried out without any notice at any time.
This procedure is processed at the same institution as the previous one, and can only be requested, upon construction is already started, for that reason it cannot be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive fire inspection
Agency: Government Fire Services
After completion of construction and before starting up business operations, BuildCo informs the Fire Department, which sends out inspectors and issues a fire certificate immediately after the inspection has been completed.
Time and cost: 1 day, MUR 100
Request and receive inspection for the compliance certificate from the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
At the end of construction, the principal agent of BuildCo (architect or structural engineer) will apply for the certificate of compliance at the Municipality. A clearance certificate signed by the principal agent must be submitted when applying for the certificate of compliance. The Municipality will then inspect the building although a representative of BuildCo does not need to be present. Since this procedure is processed in a different institution as the previous one, it can be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain compliance certificate from the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
The issuance of the certificate of compliance will ensure that the building is registered for tax purposes. The findings of this inspection are then sent to the Evaluation Office of the Ministry of Finance. This office assesses the municipal tax which can take another 10 days. This procedure can only be done once the certificate is given, for that reason it cannot be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 10 days, no charge
Receive inspection from the Central Water Authority (CWA)
Agency: Central Water Authority (CWA)
The application for a new water connection can now be submitted by email with all the required documents:
- ID card / passport
- Title deed
- A copy of the constitution of the corporate body or societé and the name of the directors/associés authorized to sign on behalf of the corporate body
- Site plan / location plan
- Front elevation drawing
- Existing water supply (if any)
- Water requirement (in m3 daily)
New applications are processed within one month.Since this procedure is processed in a different institution as the previous one, it can be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain water connection from the Central Water Authority (CWA)
Agency: Central Water Authority (CWA)
Reception of the water connection. This procedure is processed at the same institution as the previous one, for that reason it cannot be a simultaneous one.
Time and cost: 14 days, MUR 26,450
Apply for sewage connection with the WasteWater Management Authority (WMA)
Agency: WasteWater Management Authority (WMA)
BuildCo applies online for a sewage connection with the WasteWater Management Authority (WMA) on the WMA website: https://www.wmamauritius.mu/core-business/house-connection. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
- National identity card
- Recent CWA bill
- Title deed
- Building Permit
- Sewerage clearance (optional)
An acknowledgement receipt, bearing a reference number is issued upon application. This procedure can only be done after the water connection is granted.
Time and cost: 0.5 days, no charge
Receive inspection for project feasibility and awaits project design
Agency: WasteWater Management Authority (WMA)
The WasteWater Management Authority (WMA) has now outsourced survey, design and construction works to 5 private companies, one of which will conduct a survey of the lot to verify the feasibility of this project. Once the survey is completed, a report is made and the design process starts. Once this design is completed, the applicant will be notified as to when the installation will be completed.
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Obtain sewage connection from WasteWater Management Authority (WMA)
Agency: WasteWater Management Authority (WMA)
The sub-contracted company informs WasteWater Management Authority (WMA) of completion of works, and WMA subsequently commissions the connection and completes connection to public sewage system.
Time and cost: 18 days, no charge
