Dealing with Construction Permits in
Moldova
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:
MDL 6,519,887
- City: Chisinau
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Request and obtain project according to city planning documentation from Design Institute of Moldova on Engineering and Research Works.
BuildCo hires a licensed design institute to prepare a complete, relevant set of city planning documents. It should obtain technical conditions from many agencies (the price is negotiable), then submit them to the design institute for incorporation into the design documents.
Agency: Design Institute of Moldova on Engineer and Research Works
|
1 day
|
MDL 1,500
|
| * 2 |
Request and obtain location clearance from Fire Authorities
BuildCo must receive approval from the Fire Department, which is then considered by the design institute in developing the city planning documentation. This procedure is the first in a series of initial procedures that could run in parallel.
Although Cabinet Decision No. 920, dated August 30, 2005, states that this process is free of charge, in practice, a cost is incurred.
Agency: Fire Authorities
|
7 days
|
MDL 250
|
| * 3 |
Request and obtain location clearance from Sanitary Authorities
BuildCo must receive approval from the sanitary authorities, which is then considered by the design institute in developing the city planning documentation. Officially, this procedure should take no more than 10 days. However, in practice, it takes on average 30 days.
The cost is not provided by any law or cabinet decision. In practice, the authorities charge internal fees.
The Law on Basic Principles for Entrepreneurial Activity, which took effect on July 11, 2007 officially eliminated this charge. The law states that all payments should be stated in a law.
Agency: Sanitary Authorities
|
30 days
|
MDL 500
|
| * 4 |
Request and obtain location clearance from Ecological Services
BuildCo must receive approval from the Ecological Services, which is then considered by the design institute in developing the city planning documentation. Although Cabinet Decision No. 920, dated August 30, 2005, stipulates a statutory time limit of 10 days, in practice, the process takes 14 days.
Agency: Ecological Services
|
14 days
|
MDL 500
|
| * 5 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for electricity connection from Union Fenosa
At this stage, BuildCo requests technical conditions. Due to a backlog at Union Fenosa caused by a massive number of small projects, the average time required to obtain the clearance is 30 days. Payment is made when concluding the agreement on electricity supply.
Agency: Union Fenosa
|
30 days
|
no charge
|
| * 6 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for electricity connection from street lighting service provider Lumteh (public lighting provider)
Lumteh sometimes imposes additional costs for designing a public utility lighting network in the nearby area. The costs of this procedure could amount to up to 30% of the total design costs of a project. This procedure applies to both private and public projects.
Agency: Lumteh
|
30 days
|
MDL 300
|
| * 7 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for water and industrial sewage from Apa Canal
After the application is submitted, it takes a week for it to be considered and another week for BuildCo to receive an answer. Technical conditions for water and sewerage are obtained at this stage.
Agency: Apa Canal
|
14 days
|
MDL 343
|
| * 8 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for sewage system from Exdrupo
A separate specification is obtained from Exdrupo (the urban roads and bridges management authority) on rainwater drainage.
Agency: Exdrupo
|
7 days
|
MDL 200
|
| * 9 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for telephone connection from MoldTelecom
This procedure takes 7–30 days depending on the district where the plot is located. The technical conditions are valid for a year. Since 2006, MoldTelecom has started installing wireless telephone service under CDMA 2000. Many companies opt for this because of the low cost and speed of obtaining service.
Agency: MoldTelecom
|
7 days
|
MDL 136
|
| * 10 |
Request and obtain technical conditions for heating services from Termokom
The Department of Verification and Expertise will not issue its approval of the project without obtaining the conditions from Termokom. This procedure is linked to fire safety regulations in effect during winter.
Agency: Termokom
|
14 days
|
MDL 832
|
| * 11 |
Request and obtain clearance from zoning and road construction division of Municipality (Directia General Cai de Transport si Comunicatii)
BuildCo must contact the State Road Inspectorate if the building is less than 10 meters from an existing road. This authority has discretionary power and often requires other documents in addition to the ones publicly listed.
Agency: Municipality (Directia General Cai de Transport si Comunicatii)
|
18 days
|
MDL 600
|
| * 12 |
Request and obtain expertise clearance from Fire Department
The Fire Department must approve the completed set of designs and drawings after the conditions have been assigned. The company must visit the Fire Department to obtain the expertise consultation rather than go through the Department of Verification and Expertise.
Agency: Fire Department
|
8 days
|
no charge
|
| * 13 |
Request and obtain expertise clearance from Health Department
The Health Department must approve the completed set of designs and drawings after the conditions have been assigned. The company must visit the Health Department to obtain the expertise consultation rather than go through the Department of Verification and Expertise.
Agency: Health Department
|
21 days
|
MDL 300
|
| * 14 |
Request and obtain expertise clearance from Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency will not issue any clearance unless the Health and Fire Departments have previously issue their clearances. By law, this takes 30 days.
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
|
30 days
|
MDL 250
|
| 15 |
Request and obtain City Planning Certificate
Under Government Resolution No. 360 (changes of 2006), to obtain the city planning certificate, the applicant must pay a fee for a standard form at the local municipality and submit it to the local registrar along with a confirmation of payment.
The local architectural authorities define the amount to be paid, based on the size of the plot declared by the applicant. In the case considered here, the cost is MDL 10 + MDL 0.01 per square meter, which is a total of MDL 23.
The City Planning certificate is filled out in accordance with all necessary requirements agreed upon with the chief architect of the city and district, and taking into consideration the following:
- The application is properly addressed to the relevant authority,
- The form is properly filled out.
- The information on the plot is sufficient and comprehensive.
If there are discrepancies or mistakes on the form, the application is returned to the applicant within 10 days from the registration date. The fees are not reimbursed. The time limit, as specified by Cabinet Decision No. 360, dated April 18, 1997, is 30 days. However, this takes on average 2 to 3 months. The certificate is valid for a period extending from 3 to 24 months, depending on the planning zones of the city. At the applicant’s request, it can be extended for another maximum term of 12 months.
It is expected that, as of the end of 2007, according to the draft Law on Authorizing Execution of Works in Construction, the certificate will be issued within 15 days at a cost of MDL 10 plus MDL 0.01 for each square meter.
Agency: General Direction on Architecture, Urbanism and Land Relations (Municipal Counsel )
|
45 days
|
MDL 23
|
| 16 |
Request and obtain expertise of project documents at the State Service for Verification and Expertise of Projects in Construction
The State Service for Verification and Expertise of Projects in Construction was reformed in September 2006, giving it responsibility for undertaking an internal verification of technical conditions with all the utilities authorities.
Agency: State Service for Verification and Expertise of Projects in Constructions
|
14 days
|
MDL 3,000
|
| 17 |
Request and obtain construction permit from the local City Planning Services Agency (Municipality)
The applicant, under Government Resolution on Construction Certificates and Permits No. 360 (changes of 2006), submits the following documents to the local authority:
- An application for issuance of the building permit.
- A standard form obtained for a fee at the local government (one copy if the permit is issued by Pimeria, the local district level).
- Documents requesting a permit (two copies), consisting of a city planning certificate, proof of land ownership, a construction permit (проекта для разрешения на строительство (ПРС)), a technical expertise consultation performed by the relevant authorities, a project of execution of works (проект организации выполнения работ (ПОР); this can be done internally), relevant clearances specified by the city planning certificate.
- Proof of payment; документ.
- A construction management plan (проект организации строительства (ПОС)) that contains all the works required by the project (within its limits and outside), including the areas that are occupied temporarily (all on a scale defined by a professional). This documentation is required for all types of projects. The construction management plan can be prepared by BuildCo. For small projects, it is combined with the situation layout; for large projects, it is submitted on a separate sheet. If a construction management plan is not submitted, a separate request/application is submitted to obtain a building permit.
The building permit is valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. If construction does not begin during that time, the permit ceases to be valid. The permit may be extended once, for another year at the most.
The permit is issued either directly to the applicant or sent via regular mail within 30 days from the date it is registered internally. This time line is not respected in practice, however, and often averages 45 days.
The building permit is signed in the following order by:
1. The chairperson/secretary of the local region, chief architect for investment.
2. The secretary, chief architect of the municipality for investment.
3. The secretary, responsible people of the prefecture.
The signed permit must be registered internally at the State Inspectorate of Construction. The company also receives the technical passport along with the building permit.
The cost is MDL 6,000, according to a formula established by the Government Resolution on City Planning Certificate and Construction Permit No. 1245, dated October 30, 2006.
Agency: City Planning Services Agency (Municipality)
|
45 days
|
MDL 6,000
|
| 18 |
Notify construction authorities about the beginning of construction
At least 5 days before starting construction \, the company must notify the authority (the State Inspectorate of Construction) in writing. The written notification is submitted in person and must be also filed with the State Inspectorate of Construction no less than 30 days prior to the start of construction. If construction begins without prior written notification, certain sanctions would be applied against the company.
The construction period begins the day the permit is issued. Relevant authorities and ministries may require the company to provide valid proof of the legality of the start of construction work.
Agency: Construction Authorities and State Inspectorate
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 19 |
Receive inspection on foundation works by State Construction Inspectorate (1)
Agency: State Construction Inspectorate
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 20 |
Receive inspection on structure works by State Construction Inspectorate (2)
Agency: State Construction Inspectorate
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 21 |
Receive inspection on roof works by State Construction Inspectorate (3)
Agency: State Construction Inspectorate
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 22 |
Request and connect to water and sewage services
BuildCo requests a connection from the utilities. BuildCo must extend the pipelines to the connection points (10 meters). The inspector visits the site, approves the connection by sealing it, and opens the water shafts.
Agency: Apa Canal
|
22 days
|
MDL 1,056
|
| * 23 |
Request and connect to phone services
Telephone service installation could take as long as 6 months if the company wants an E1 connection, which consists of 32 lines. This delay happens because the incumbent operator. Small companies in remote areas, where MoldTelecom has no wires, would actually have to pay the cost of installing a minimum of 10 lines, even if they need only one.
Agency: MoldTelecom
|
30 days
|
MDL 900
|
| 24 |
Receive final inspection by State Construction Inspectorate and sign the Act of completion of construction
Agency: State Construction Inspectorate
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 25 |
Request and obtain the Act of completion of construction works by Working Commission
After the completion of construction, the company convenes the Working Commission, consisting of representatives from the water and sewage authority, the sanitary services, power services, and fire safety. The final approval is made by the chair of commission, according to Cabinet Decision No. 285, dated May 23, 1996; the investor’s representative; and the local authority’s representative (in the case of the municipality of Chisinau, the representative of the LPA is the chair of the commission).
According to the same cabinet decision, the commission is to be created within 15 days. However, that time limit is not respected in practice.
Agency: Working Commission (water and sewage authority, sanitary services, power services, and fire safety)
|
30 days
|
no charge
|
| 26 |
Request and receive the Act of completion of construction works by State Commission
The main authority in charge of issuing the occupancy permit is the Ministry of Construction; the chief architect has the definitive word on the decision. The other authorities that must sign the occupancy permit are the sanitary services, the Bureau of Technical Inventory (BTI), and the fire safety services, among others .
As a rule, the commission does not meet. Instead, the company must request the signatures on an individual basis. The agencies that issue technical conditions must also give their approval. According to Cabinet Decision No. 285, final approval is completed within 15 days of the guaranteed term provided in the contract, which could be 5 days or 60. On average, it takes 60 days to obtain the occupancy permit.
Agency: Ministry of Construction and other agencies
|
60 days
|
MDL 330
|
| 27 |
Register the building at Bureau of Technical Inventory (BTI)
Seals are put on six copies of the blueprints; the company is given one copy.
Agency: Bureau of Technical Inventory (BTI)
|
18 days
|
MDL 250
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.