Building Plan Approval in Uganda

Part of our guide to Construction Companies in Uganda

Building plan approval in Uganda is the process of submitting your drawings to the building committee (KCCA in Kampala, or the local council elsewhere), having them checked against the building and planning rules, and receiving a building permit. In practice it takes a complete document file, drawings signed by registered professionals, and a few weeks of review. This guide is the step-by-step part: what to prepare, how the review works and what to do if the plans come back with comments.

For the law, the types of approval and the occupation permit, read building permits in Uganda. Requirements and fees differ between authorities, so confirm them with yours.

Who prepares and submits the plans

Usually your architect. They prepare the drawings, sign and stamp them, compile the file and answer the authority’s queries. For a storeyed or larger building, a structural engineer designs and signs the structure. Agree in writing who submits, who pays the fees and who deals with revisions, before the work starts.

The document checklist

Based on the National Building Review Board’s guidance on applying for a permit, a complete file usually contains:

• the application form, with your name and physical and postal address;
• a copy of the land title or other proof of ownership; if you are not the owner, the owner’s name, their title and a statement of your legal relationship with them;
• a letter of introduction from the LC1 of the area where you will build;
• architectural drawings (site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections to scale) bearing the architect’s name, registration number, signature and stamp, with a copy of their practising certificate;
• structural drawings and calculations for storeyed or larger buildings, signed by a registered engineer;
• the survey plan or a site location plan, and the drainage and services layout;
• any special reports, such as an environmental assessment for larger projects;
• evidence that the fees are paid.

The steps

1. Design. Your architect and engineer finish the drawings to the planning rules for the plot: use, setbacks, height and plot coverage.
2. Local letter. Get the letter of introduction from the LC1 of the area.
3. Submit. The file goes to KCCA in Kampala, or to the city, municipal, town or district building committee elsewhere. Many authorities now take applications online through the Building Industry Management System (BIMS); ask yours.
4. Review. The committee checks the plans and may inspect the site. The NBRB says a decision on a complete application is due within thirty days.
5. Comments or approval. If something is missing or does not comply, the committee says why. Your architect revises and resubmits. When the plans comply, you receive the building permit.
6. Build. Start within twelve months, keep the approved set on site and expect inspections during construction.

Why approvals get delayed or refused

• missing documents, unsigned drawings or no professional stamp;
• plots in restricted areas, such as wetlands, road reserves or lakeshores;
• drawings that break setback, height or plot coverage rules for the area;
• a use the land is not planned for, such as a shop on a residential plot;
• no structural design for a storeyed building;
• a site on filled or unstable ground;
• unpaid fees.

If you disagree with a refusal, you can appeal to the NBRB within thirty days. See building permits in Uganda.

After approval

Build to the approved drawings. If you want to change the layout, height or use of the building, speak to your architect and the authority first, because the change needs a revised approval. When the building is finished, apply for the occupation permit. See where approval fits in the building process and our house construction service.

Frequently asked questions