Obtain location plan from City Council – Ministry of Lands
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
BuildCo must write a letter to the City Council and the Ministry of Lands requesting a block plan, indicating the location of the land, street, ward, city, and region. If the plots are in an unplanned area, it may take more than 90 days, since the City Council will need to re-survey the plot and produce the location plan.
Time and cost: 7 days, TZS 5,000
Obtain certified copy of the land rent receipts from the Tanzania Revenue Authority
Agency: Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA)
This procedure is done through the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TAR), acting on behalf of The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
Time and cost: 7 days, no charge
Submit project brief and obtain EIA certificate
Agency: National Environment Management Council (NEMC)
In accordance with section VI of the Environmental Management Act (2004), Buildco must submit copies of the project brief, the location plan, engage an independent expert to prepare EIA/EMP to be submitted to NEMC to obtain the approval.
Time and cost: 30 days, TZS 70,000
Obtain project clearance from the Fire Department
Agency: Municipal Council – Ministry of Home affairs
One of the requirements to obtain a building permit is to have a clearance from the Fire Department, which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This clearance will attest that the correct fire fighting tools will be used.
Time and cost: 21 days, TZS 600,000
Request planning consent from the City Council
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
Once the preliminary drawings are completed BuildCo applies for a planning consent at the Municipal Council.
Time and cost: 20 days, no charge
Request and obtain building permit
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
The documents required for obtaining a building permit are the following:
- Architectural/engineering drawings and calculations, including site layout and location plans, elevations, sections of the building including storm water drainage, fire protection, driveways and parking. All drawings should be signed by a registered professional architect and all the detailed structural, electrical, plumbing and engineering installations by a registered professional engineer.
- Title deed showing ownership of land
- Receipts of payments of land rents and other statutory fees, and changes of land use if any
Four copies of the documents must be submitted to the City Council for planning approvals. The City Council distributes three copies of the files to the Health Department, Fire Department, and Planning Department, and retains a copy for itself. Each of these entities must approve the project. To speed up the approval process, BuildCo should follow up with each of these departments directly. After these departments grant their approval, the city engineer approves the plans, and then the City Council must approve the application. By law the City Council meets every 3 months, however, to avoid any back log, the City Council is now meeting on a monthly basis.
The cost of the building permit is TZS 1,200,000 for the first 929.01 sq. m. and TZS 60,000 for every additional 92.90 sq. m.
Time and cost: 38 days, TZS 1,439,991
Receive pre-construction inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
BuildCo must notify the City Council 7 days before beginning construction, and within those 7 days City Council officers should perform the inspection. The municipal team of experts such as structural engineer, drainage engineer, architect, quantity surveyor, town planner and fire engineer visit the site and conduct a general inspection.
Following the devastating collapse of a 10-storey building, the regional directorate of Dar es Salam has undertaken several ad hoc measures to ensure safety of its citizens, which has led to increased requirements for notification of commencement of construction works. Now companies have to submit a formal letter explaining the parameters and specifics of projects. However, it led to a backlog and delays by 2-3 weeks of inspections that have to approve the site before works begin.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Register project with the Architects Registration Board
Agency: Architects Registration Board
It is required by law under S.5 (1) (d) and S.34 (5) of the Act. No 4 of 2010 that Architectural and Quantity Surveying firms register with the Board their construction projects within 30 days after securing the project and that the signboard has a valid Board’s logo issued by the Board.
The following documents are required to be submitted which are as follows:
- Consultancy Agreement between architect/Quantity Surveyor and Client
- Approved Building Permit
- Approved Drawings from Municipal Council
- Summary Page of Bills of Quantity signed and stamped by the quantity surveyor
Time and cost: 7 days, no charge
Notify the City Council of commencement of work
Agency: City Council
BuildCo must first notify the City Council of the commencement of work. This is also needed to register the project with the Engineers Registration Board and the Contractors Registration Board
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Register project with the Engineers Registration Board
Agency: Engineers Registration Board
The engineer who designed the structural plans must register the project with the Engineers Registration Board. The following documents must be provided:
- Consultancy Agreement
- Structural Drawings
- Building Permit
Time and cost: 7 days, TZS 1,000,000
Register project with Contractors’ Registration Board
Agency: Contractor Registration Board
BuildCo must register the project with the Contractors Registration Board in order to obtain the sticker which will be fixed on the Board on the construction site. BuildCo will have to provide a copy of the building permit and the approved plans. Registration can only be done once the building permit has been approved and the project has also been registered with all relevant agencies.
Time and cost: 7 days, TZS 100,000
Request and receive excavation inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive foundations inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
BuildCo must provide transport to City Council officers to and from the site.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive concrete inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
If the supervising consultants on site are registered engineers, architects or quantity surveyors, and they have good record of performance, sometimes they are left to supervise the construction and check the quality and standards without the City Council conducting an inspection, especially if the Council has a shortage of technical staff.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive slabs inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive roof inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Apply for occupancy permit from the City Council
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
BuildCo must submit an application to request an Occupancy Certificate along with the approved plans; the practical completion certificate issued by the consultants and copies of all stage approval from the Municipal Council during construction. There will be a site visit from the Municipal building inspectors for building and fire safety.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Request and receive inspection from the Fire Department once construction is completed
Agency: Fire Department
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain approval of the building from the Fire Department upon completion
Agency: Fire Department
After receiving the inspection from the Fire Department, BuildCo receives a certificate from the Fire Department. This certificate is necessary in order to obtain an occupancy permit from City Council.
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Receive inspection from the Health Department
Agency: Health Department
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain approval of the building from the health department upon completion
Agency: Health Department
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Receive final inspection from the City Council officers
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain water and sewage connection from DawasCo
Agency: DawasCo
Time and cost: 30 days, TZS 3,000,000
Obtain occupancy permit
Agency: City Council (Ministry of Lands)
The following documents must be submitted:
- Building Permit
- Drawings approved by the municipal council
- Stage Approvals of Municipal Council
- Practical Completion Certificate approved by the consultants
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
