Obtain a Soil Test from the State Enterprise
Agency: State Enterprise
Soil test is obtained a part of the pre-construction and design phase and is often required by supervising engineers who conduct inspections during construction phase.
Time and cost: 11 days, LAK 18,451,948
Obtain Neighbors Consent for Construction
Agency: Village Chief Authority
Obtaining the consent of neighbors is mandatory in practice. A document reporting that consultations were made with neighbors is attached to the request for a building permit.
Time and cost: 5 days, no charge
Hire an external engineer to conduct building inspection
Agency: External Engineer
Any building of more than 1000 square meters requires an external engineer who is responsible for inspecting the process of construction. The Vientiane capital Ministry of Works and Transports will verify that the engineer undertook regular inspections when the final report is submitted at the end of the construction process.
Time and cost: 1 day, LAK 22,860,429
Purchase the application forms for a building permit
Agency: Vientiane Capital Department of Public Works and Transports
BuildCo can either download the application forms free of charge or may purchase the application forms for a small fee to apply for a building permit from the Vientiane Capital department of Public Works and Transports. The Vientiane Capital is divided into nine districts, which are further subdivided into 481 villages.The forms are a complete set of documents which also provide the list of requirements and the costs associated with the building permitting process.
Time and cost: 1 day, LAK 25,000
Request and obtain residence certificate from Village Chief
Agency: Village Chief
BuildCo must obtain 3 copies of a residence certificate certifying that the applicant (the company’s manager) has a permanent address. The certificates are should be stamped and signed by the Village Chief who checks the history of the land and location. Costs may vary by village and are at the discretion of the Village Chiefs.
Time and cost: 1 day, LAK 30,000
Submit building permit application to the District Construction Division
Agency: District Construction Division
BuildCo must submit the application for a building permit, along with the following documents: structural and architectural plans, electrical and sewer plans, a location plan certified by the Villeage Chird, a copy of the ownership certificate and 2 copies of the land title. When the applicant deposits all the required documentation at the one stop service window, all documents are checked for completeness. The documents are then bound into one file and reviewed by an engineer at the Ministry of Public Works. The engineer will sign and stamp the cover letter to indicate his approval if the submission meets all technical requirements.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive setting-out inspection from Department of Urban Planning & Environment
Agency: Vientiane Capital Department of Public Works and Transport
Within one week after the application has been submitted the Department of Urban Planning will visit the property and conduct an inspection to ensure that the boundaries are correct and measure the set-back. The Vientiane Capital Department of Public Works and Transport has developed checklists to aid the supervising engineer conducting the site inspection.
At the same time they will also verify if there are any environmental issues to be taken into account. If there are, the Ministry of the Environment would be asked to participate in the building permitting process and conduct an environmental assessment. In practice, environmental assessments are only conducted for much larger buildings than a warehouse.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain building permit from Vientiane Capital
Agency: Vieintiane Capital Department of Public Works and Transport
The approval process of buildings of less than 400 square meters are handled by the District Level while those above 400 square meters by the Vientiane Capital. The initial permit allows for the construction process to begin.
Time and cost: 30 days, LAK 3,251,500
Receive half completion inspection from Department of Urban Planning & Environment
Agency: Department of Urban Planning & Environment
The Urban Planning department conducts an inspection during construction when the process is about half way through. The external engineer is responsible for inspecting the construction during the entire process and must report to the authorities is there are any issues that need to be brought to their attention.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive final inspection from Committee for Management of Construction
Agency: Committee for Management of Construction
After construction is completed, the project owner or building owner must submit a request in writing to the Construction Management Committee (CMC) to inspect the construction according to the issued building permit. A report from the external engineer is submitted and assessed, whether there are issues reported or not. If the construction complies with construction regulations, the Housing and Urban Planning Department, in coordination with State Asset and Housing Department, officially issues a correct construction certificate.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive connection to water and sewage services
Agency: Water Supply Authority of Lao PDR (WASA)
To obtain a water and sewerage connection to the land where the building will be constructed, BuildCo must enclose the building permit or a correct construction certificate with the application.
Time and cost: 45 days, LAK 3,000,000
Obtain Building Usage Certificate
Agency: Housing and Urban Planning Department
Once the final inspection is conducted, a note is prepared by the Construction Management Committee of the Vientiane Capital or District Office. Approximately one or two weeks later the Building Usage Certificate, which allows the constructed building to be occupied, is issued. The document consists on a single page which is signed and stamped by the agency.
Time and cost: 7 days, no charge
