Dealing with Construction Permits in
Latvia
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.
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Building a warehouse
-
Estimated Warehouse Value:
LVL 715,330
- City: Riga
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Request architectural planning conditions
The receipt of architectural-planning conditions from the Municipal Building Board is a prerequisite for the commencement of building activities, such as architectural design. The architectural-planning conditions contain the main requirements for the intended building and lists agencies and institutions from which additional technical requirements must be obtained. The request form for the architectural-planning conditions must contain a brief description of the intended project. Effective November 14, 2006, the Riga City Council adopted new regulations regarding the municipality's paid services. The cost associated with obtaining a building permit is between LVL 13.46 and LVL106.20; the time frame is 30 working days.
Agency: Municipal Building Board
|
45 days
|
LVL 60
|
| 2 |
Obtain technical requirements from the Latvian environment agency
Beginning January 2008 the technical requirements from the Latvia Environment Agency are issued free of charge.
Agency: Latvian Environment Agency
|
28 days
|
no charge
|
| * 3 |
Obtain technical requirements from public health agency
In January 2008 fees for obtaining technical requirements from the public health agency have been reduced from LVL 20 to LVL 13.
Agency: Public Health Agency
|
28 days
|
LVL 13
|
| * 4 |
Obtain technical requirements from electricity provider
Agency: Latvenergo
|
28 days
|
no charge
|
| * 5 |
Obtain technical requirements from water supply and sewerage company
Agency: Riga Water Company (Rīgas Ūdens)
|
28 days
|
no charge
|
| * 6 |
Obtain technical requirements from telephone company
Agency: Latvia Telecom
|
28 days
|
no charge
|
| 7 |
Obtain design clearance from the various agencies that issue technical requirements
Design clearances are organized in a unified session with the engineering council and completed in one session if the project meets the council’s requirements. The project design clearances are necessary only if required in the architectural planning conditions. In most cases, however, they are required.
Agency: Engineering Council
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| * 8 |
Obtain design clearance from public health agency
The unified session does not take place in practice. The applicant must obtain approval from each agency separately.
Agency: Public Health Agency
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| * 9 |
Obtain design clearance from electricity provider
The unified session does not take place in practice. The applicant must obtain approval from each agency separately.
Agency: Latvenergo
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| * 10 |
Obtain design clearance from water and sewage company
The unified session does not take place in practice. The applicant must obtain approval from each agency separately.
Agency: Riga Water Company (Rīgas Ūdens)
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| * 11 |
Obtain design clearance from telephone company
The unified session does not take place in practice. The applicant must obtain approval from each agency separately.
Agency: Latvia Telecom
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| * 12 |
Obtain design clearance from fire safety and rescue services
The unified session does not take place in practice. The applicant must obtain approval from each agency separately.
Agency: Fire Safety and Rescue Services
|
7 days
|
no charge
|
| 13 |
Obtain final approval of the design
The final approval of the design is granted by the Municipal Building Board after clearance with all relevant agencies and a general inspection to verify compliance with laws and regulations. Approval of the design does not release the architect from liability. The approved design is valid for 2 years. If upon expiration the building permit has not been received, the design must be re-cleared and re-approved.
A public body in Latvia must deliver a decision within a maximum of 90 days in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Law. In case of repeated approval (after making the necessary corrections indicated by the building authority), the cost of the procedure is LVL 59.
Agency: Municipal Building Board
|
30 days
|
no charge
|
| 14 |
Obtain building permit
The building permit is issued by the Municipal Building Board. Effective November 14, 2006, the Riga City Council adopted new regulations regarding the municipality's paid services. The cost associated with obtaining a building permit is between LVL 800 and LVL1,200.
Agency: Municipal Building Board
|
14 days
|
LVL 1,000
|
| 15 |
Obtain water and sewerage connection
According to the Construction Regulations, a written application should be submitted to the relevant water and sewerage company (in Riga, the company is Riga Water Ltd.). The documents confirming the ownership should be attached, as well as the topographical plan on a scale of 1:500 with the drawn-in underground communications.
Agency: Riga Water Company (Rīgas Ūdens)
|
20 days
|
LVL 26
|
| * 16 |
Request telephone line connection
The telephone line connection is not a prerequisite for the final handover of the building; therefore, it may be obtained at any time during or after construction. The indicated cost does not include the cost of building the new telephone line utilities, which depend on the circumstances and may occasionally be partly financed by the client.
Agency: Latvia Telecom
|
10 days
|
LVL 35
|
| * 17 |
Receive inspection by the public health agency
It takes about 10 working days until the inspector comes to the site.
Agency: Public Health Agency
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 18 |
Receive inspection by environment agency
It takes about 10 working days until the inspector comes to the site.
Agency: Environment Agency
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 19 |
Receive inspection by fire safety and rescue department
It takes about 10 working days until the inspector comes to the site.
Agency: Fire Safety and Rescue Department
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 20 |
Receive on-site inspection by the state acceptance commission and issuance of final handover certificate
Use of the building may begin only after the final handover. The State Handover Commission is formed by the representatives of the State Building Inspection, the Municipality Building Board, the architect of the project, and owner of the project.
Agency: State Acceptance Commission
|
5 days
|
no charge
|
| 21 |
Obtain measurements from special state institution
Before placing the newly built or renovated building into operation, a special state institution takes the measurements of the building and draws the plans of each floor. This is done within 27 days (in cases with very complicated buildings, this could take longer), and the costs are calculated according to the technical parameters of the building.
Agency: Special State Institution
|
27 days
|
LVL 45
|
| * 22 |
Receive inspection from special commission
After the measurements are obtained, a special commission approves the construction.
Agency: Special Commission
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 23 |
Register the building into the land book
After the approval of the building by a special commission, the building can be registered in the land book. If the owner of the building is the same as the owner of the land, the building is registered in the same file as the land and it is deemed an undivided property. If the owners are different for the building, a separate and independent file is opened and the building is considered a separate object of ownership only while the lease is in force. After that, the building is either removed or becomes the property of the land owner. The cost to complete the procedure is LVL 15 for the registration into the land book and LVL 3 for the issuance of the land book certificate.
|
20 days
|
LVL 18
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.