Building plan requirements

Building plans are a prerequisite for the following:

• Minor works: boundary walls, carports, swimming pools, internal alterations, any other building work of a minor nature
• Buildings: dwellings and second dwellings, blocks of flats, hospitals, hotels, churches, warehouses, office blocks, shops and shopping centres
• Industrial buildings, commercial buildings, sport and recreational buildings
• Permits: Demolition permits, permits for special events and temporary buildings.

View all building plan application documents.

Choose the right person to manage the building application

It is best to use someone who has practical experience with managing building and planning applications. The person you choose must have experience with the process and must know how to follow all the right steps in the project – from the initial planning stage to the completion of a building.

For more information on these steps, please see Overview of land use and planning applications for property owners.

Big developments can be managed by an architect who will oversee the building or construction team, and who may also consult with an engineer if a big commercial development, or by a builder or building company who then hires the architect and any other professional practitioners needed to manage the process in the right way, and according to the law.

This does not mean that you cannot manage your own build, but if you have not done so before, the risk of going over budget, not using the right materials and not getting the necessary approvals are high. Find out more here.

Use a registered practitioner

The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) is the regulatory body representing architects, senior technologists, technologists and draughts people. Anyone who wants to practice in any of these categories must register with SACAP.

Visit the SACAPSA’s website to find a registered person.

All builders of new dwelling units have to be registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council. Builders have to use the right materials, and these are regulated for health and safety reasons. Your bank won’t insure a house that does not have a certification from the NHBRC. Any registered builder should know to request inspections and handle the materials certification process.

Regulations and legislation

For all the land use, building and planning development regulations and legislation documents, please see our regulations and legislation section. For City of Cape Town land use, building, planning and development policies and guidelines, visit our document centre.

An overview

• The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act defines the overarching rules for all development and building, across the country.
• The Act is then applied through the South African National Building Standards 10400 (SANS 10400).
• Each municipality or local authority, in our case, the City of Cape Town, is then responsible for making sure that these standards are adhered to. Each municipality also controls all zoning rights – guided by our spatial development policies and spatial development framework.
• Our processes are controlled by municipal by-laws and guided by our City’s policies, for example the Development Management Scheme, part of the Municipal Planning By-Law, 2015 and the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2016.
• Our processes are also defined by environmental and heritage protection laws – if your building is older than 60 years, for example, the City cannot process your application without a Permit from Heritage Western Cape.

Demolition

Demolition may be required as part of your building plan application. In nearly all instances, you will need a permit from your local development management district office to carry out demolition work.

Asbestos demolition

Any demolition, construction work or alterations that involve asbestos or asbestos-containing materials must be approved by the National Department of Labour. You can find out more about the necessary procedure by following the link below.

Minor works

For the most part, you need to have an approved building plan to build and renovate. However, there are some types of structures and renovations that are considered ‘minor’ and therefore don't need approval.

You can consult our guide to minor works to ensure that you go through the official building plan approval process, if necessary.

If you are unsure of what you want done, we recommend either speaking to your local district planning office, or consulting with your architect or builder – they are trained to know the regulations around building.

Considering your site

Your architect, project manager or builder should take all the features of your site into account as he or she plans your building or renovations.

Here are some key elements that play a significant role in your plans and application:

Zoning
The use of land always needs to match what it is zoned for. In other words, the use of a building, whether a house or an office or park, or a plot/erf, whether empty or already in use, needs to comply with our zoning laws. See our land use and zoning page for further details.

Sometimes a site is already zoned for the right use – for example, you want to build a new office and your site is already zoned for business or commercial development and use. Sometimes you need to apply for permission to use a site for something other than what it is zoned for.

Protected land and buildings
Cape Town is a heritage-rich city. A number of our buildings are restricted heritage sites which means you are limited in how much you can change them. Similarly, much of our natural environment is protected from development – even some of our trees cannot be moved.

The National Heritage Resources Act requires a permit for any alterations to buildings older than 60 years. Also, some buildings have special heritage characteristics which may limit the type of alterations that you may make. Similarly, much of our natural environment is protected from development. See Your heritage site or building for further details.

Sustainability
Consider whether or not you want sustainable features, such as solar panels or a grey water system. See our Greener living section or our Greener business section for more information on the kinds of choices you could be making on your property. Your architect can also advise you about affordable, sustainable building materials and should follow the Resource efficiency criteria for development.

Neighbours
Every property owner should be considerate of their neighbours. As you embark on your planning application or building plan process, consider the people around you and be aware that there are strict laws that govern boundaries and even the type of material you can use to build a fence or wall. Read more about property problems and disputes.

Health and safety
All buildings need to comply with basic health and safety regulations, from fundamentals like correct ventilation systems in houses, to fire safety features in commercial buildings and warehouses. These are defined in national legislation and no plan applications are accepted if the regulations haven’t been taken into account on the plan.

Request original plans

You can request copies of your plans, even before you start any application processes. As a property owner, you can download and complete our plans request form in our document centre and submit online via DAMS.

You can also bring your form to one of the district planning offices and your application will be processed over the counter.

Document downloads

• 1. LUM03 - Conveyancer Certificate Form and Addendum

     26/02/2020, Application form - 923.2 KB

  2. LUM10 - Pre-submission Consultation Record Form

     15/01/2019, Application form - 1.1 MB

  3. Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2016

     30/06/2016, By-law amendment - 1.3 MB

  4. Municipal Planning By-law 2015

     28/02/2015, By-law - 4.2 MB