Dealing with Construction Permits in
Hong Kong SAR, China
Listed below is detailed summary of the procedures, time and costs to build a warehouse —including obtaining necessary licenses and permits, completing required notifications and inspections and obtaining utility connections.
The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.
-
Building a warehouse
-
Estimated Warehouse Value:
HKD 8,881,500
- City: Hong Kong
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Obtain building plans approval
BuildCo should submit the following documents for approval:
- Building plans (Forms BA5, BD24).
- General building plans.
- Spread footing plans.
- Hoarding plans.
- Site formation plans.
- Fire service installation plan (Form FSI/314).
- Drainage plan
In December 2008 a One Stop Centre was established for Warehouse Construction Permits under the administration of the Efficiency Unit (EU) for receiving all relevant building license applications to 6 government departments and 2 private utilities (i.e. telephone line and electricity supply) and coordinating their joint inspections for two-storey warehouse projects.
Property developers can use Form OSC-1 to submit to the One Stop Centre in one-go all applications relating to building plans approval and consent for commencement of building works from Buildings Department, technical audit of water supply connection works by Water Supplies Department, and road excavation permit from both the Police and Highways Department. This new arrangement can simplify the submission process by combining the following 6 procedures:
- Obtain building plans approval HKD 30,240
- Apply and pay for technical audit of water supply connection works HKD 4,470
- Apply and pay for technical audit of drainage serivces HKD 4,340
- Apply, pay and receive road excavation work permission from Highways Department HKD 1,924
- Notify and obtain approval from traffic police
- Obtain building consent from Buildings Department
Total cost: HKD 40,974
Agency: Buildings Department
|
45 days
|
HKD 40,974
|
| 2 |
Request and receive inspection of foundation strata
At the approval stage for building foundation plans, the Buildings Department normally imposes some requirements and conditions for the construction of the foundation to ensure that the approved plans and the required standards are complied with. Upon the completion of the foundation, Form BA 14 and as-built foundation records must be submitted to notify the Buildings Department that the foundation work has been completed. The form must be approved by the Buildings Department before the next stage of construction can begin. The construction site is inspected within 7 days of the notification.
Agency: Buildings Department
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 3 |
Notify Drainage Services Department of construction completion and receive transfer inspection and issuance of water supply certificate
With the establishment of the One Stop Centre, the following 8 procedures as stated in the Report have been replaced by only 2 new procedures (i.e. (i) Submit notification of project completion and relevant applications to One Stop Centre and (ii) Receive joint and final inspection of relevant licensing authorities coordinated by One Stop Centre) –
- Apply and pay for technical audit of Drainage Services Department
- Notify Water Supplies Department of construction completion and receive transfer inspection and issuance of water supply certificate
- Notify Drainage Services Department of construction completion and receive transfer inspection
- Obtain certificate of completion of buildings works
- Obtain certificate of compliance from Lands Department
- Obtain fire certificate for fire service installation
- Request electricity connection
- Request telephone line
The process to receive relevant final inspections can be also coordinated at this stage. Applicants should complete Part 2 of checklist OSC-2. The One Stop Centre will contact the relevant departments and the applicants for the arrangement of joint inspections.
Agency: Hong Kong Drainage Services Department
|
21 days
|
HKD 3,440
|
| * 4 |
Notify Water Services Department of construction completion and receive transfer inspection
See comments in Procedure 3.
Agency: Hong Kong Water Supplies Department (WSD)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 5 |
Request and obtain water connection
Agency: Hong Kong Water Supplies Department (WSD)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 6 |
Request and obtain telephone line
Agency: PCCW Limited
|
1 day
|
HKD 475
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.