Planning by-law

The City of Cape Town Municipal Planning By-law, 2015 (MPBL) came into operation on 1 July 2015. This by-law replaces the Land Use Planning Ordinance, No. 15 of 1985. All land use and planning applications are made in terms of the By-law, as of 1 July 2015

About the planning by-law

The Municipal Planning By-law gives effect to the municipal planning function allocated to municipalities in terms of Part B of Schedule 4 of the Constitution. It also gives effect to certain requirements set in the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and the Western Cape Land Use Planning Act (LUPA) – both of which came into operation on 1 July 2015.

Council-approved Municipal Planning By-law and amendments:

Read or download the Municipal Planning By-law 2015.
Read or download the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2016.
Read or download the Municipal Planning Second Amendment By-law 2016.
Read or download the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2017.
Read or download the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law, 2019.
Read or download the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2022.

City of Cape Town Municipal Planning Amendment By-law, 2025

The City of Cape Town Municipal Planning Amendment By-law, 2025 was approved by Council on 26 June 2025. See proclamation for details of effective rollout.

Read or download the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2025.

2025 Consolidated Municipal Planning By-law document (available soon)

Read or download the 2025 Consolidated Municipal Planning By-law document containing all amendments.

Additional information on the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law, 2025

Read or download additional information on the Municipal Planning Amendment By-law, 2025.

Prescriptions and determinations

The following prescriptions and determinations have been made by the City Manager in terms of the City of Cape Town Municipal Planning By-Law:

Development Management Scheme (DMS)

The City of Cape Town's Development Management Scheme (DMS) is a schedule to the Municipal Planning By-Law and specifies the City’s zoning regulations. It is titled, Schedule 3 and begins at page 76.

The following overlays form part of the DMS:

City of Cape Town Overlay Zones Designation Notice
Designated Overlays (English)
Designated Overlays (Afrikaans)
Exemption From Heritage Protection of Overlay Zones
Designation of Bo-kaap to have a Heritage Protection Overlay Zoning

Municipal Planning Tribunal

The Municipal Planning Tribunal decides all designated categories of land use and development applications in Cape Town. It consists of 25 members, 9 of which are not City officials. External members are appointed for five years.

Document downloads

1. 2015 Circular 3: Operational Guideline 1: Assessing MSDF Consistency and Deviating from its Provisions in Site-specific Circumstances Notice
  30/06/2015, Notice - 2.6 MB
2. Categories of Contraventions Exempt From Sections 130(2) and (3) of the MPBL Guidelines
  05/02/2024, Guideline,Regulation - 2.2 MB
3. Consolidated Municipal Planning Amendment By-law (2025)
  30/09/2025, By-law amendment - 1.7 MB
4. Heritage Protection Overlay Zoning in Bo-Kaap Designation Notice
  12/04/2019, Notice - 356.3 KB
5. Illegal Stormwater Connections Notice - Hout Bay
  14/12/2020, Notice - 115.7 KB
6. Implementation of the Municipal Planning By-law 2015: Prescriptions and Determinations Guideline
  15/06/2018, Guideline - 327.8 KB
7. Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2019 Guideline
  13/12/2019, Guideline - 1.3 MB
8. Municipal Planning By-law 2015
  01/03/2015, By-law - 4.2 MB
9. Municipal Planning By-law and the Municipal Planning Tribunal Questions and Answers
  09/07/2026, FAQs - 198.3 KB
10. Municipal Planning Designated Overlays Map (Afrikaans)
  01/11/2012, Map - 13.7 MB
11. Municipal Planning Designated Overlays Map (English)
  01/11/2012, Map - 13.7 MB
12. Overlay Zones Designation Notice
  22/06/2015, Notice - 318 KB
13. Pre-application Consultation Requirements Guideline:
  15/01/2025, Guideline,Regulation - 443.3 KB
14. Pre-application Consultation Requirements Guideline: 6 September 2021
  06/09/2021, Guideline,Regulation - 241.4 KB
15. The New Heritage Protection Overlay Zone Information Notice
  01/10/2016, Notice - 374 KB

Document downloads

1. EESPCircular3-2015_MSDF_Consistency_sitespecific_deviation30June2015
  
  27/08/2026 - 2.5 MB
2. Municipal Planning By-law and the Municipal Planning Tribunal Questions and Answers
  
  09/07/2026, FAQs - 193.6 KB
3. Consolidated Municipal Planning Amendment By-law (2025)
  
  30/09/2025, By-law amendment - 1.6 MB
4. Pre-application Consultation Requirements Guideline:
  
  15/01/2025, Guideline,Regulation - 432.9 KB
5. Categories of Contraventions Exempt From Sections 130(2) and (3) of the MPBL Guidelines
  
  05/02/2024, Guideline,Regulation - 2.1 MB
6. Pre-application Consultation Requirements Guideline: 6 September 2021
  
  06/09/2021, Guideline,Regulation - 235.8 KB
7. Illegal Stormwater Connections Notice - Hout Bay
  
  14/12/2020, Notice - 113 KB
8. Municipal Planning Amendment By-law 2019 Guideline
  
  13/12/2019, Guideline - 1.2 MB
9. Heritage Protection Overlay Zoning in Bo-Kaap Designation Notice
  
  12/04/2019, Notice - 348 KB
10. Implementation of the Municipal Planning By-law 2015: Prescriptions and Determinations Guideline
  
  15/06/2018, Guideline - 320.1 KB
11. The New Heritage Protection Overlay Zone Information Notice
  
  01/10/2016, Notice - 365.2 KB
12. Overlay Zones Designation Notice
  
  22/06/2015, Notice - 310.6 KB
13. Municipal Planning By-law 2015
  
  01/03/2015, By-law - 4 MB
14. Municipal Planning Designated Overlays Map (Afrikaans)
  
  01/11/2012, Map - 13.1 MB
15. Municipal Planning Designated Overlays Map (English)
  
  01/11/2012, Map - 13.1 MB

Would you like to print this page?!