Dealing with Construction Permits in
Mozambique
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
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Estimated Warehouse Value:
MZN 10,232,998
- City: Maputo
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Request and obtain the right to the use and enjoyment of the land
The company must obtain the right to the use and enjoyment of the land from the Municipal Council of Maputo City, Department of Construction and Urbanization (DCU), because all land is state owned. The priceto obtain the approval may vary depending on the location of the plot. BuildCo’s land plot is obtained properly and does not require preliminary consultation with District’s administrator. It also does not need the location sketch assuming that was obtained before.
Procedures 1 and 2 are done simultaneously. It takes at least 120 days to obtain a preliminary document that allows the builder to request the building permit. The right to use of the land must be requested before beginning construction. Even if the company had this title in the past, it would still need to make sure that the stated use of the land in the title is compatible with the new use.
Agency: Municipal Council of Maputo City
|
45 days
|
MZN 300
|
| * 2 |
Request and obtain topographic plan
The company should obtain the topographic plan from the Municipal Council of Maputo City, Department of Construction and Urbanization (DCU). Additional documents to be submitted to the DCU: a) Plan; b) Architectural project of the building and c) Term of Responsibility of the author of the architectural project.
Fee is MZN 225:MZN 150 is paid to the DCU and MZN 75 is paid to the Water Sanitation Department. However, in practice companies end up paying MZN 325.
Agency: Municipal Council of Maputo City – Department of Construction and Urbanization, and Cadastre Department
|
120 days
|
MZN 325
|
| 3 |
Request and obtain building permit from Department of Construction and Urbanization
The company should submit an application to the municipal council with the full detailed plan attached. The cost is MZN 5 to MZN 10 per square meter. In the present case, the total cost would be MZN 5 x 1,300.6 = MZN 6,503. There is a time limit of a month, and silence is construed to mean consent. In practice, investors do not make use of the "silence-is-consent" rule because they are afraid their investment would be demolished if they start construction without a license. In 2008 the Municipality of Maputo started an internal reorganization process which caused a backlog and increased the time from 45 to 90 days.
The Building Permit may be used to apply for water, light, sewage, and telephone connections.
The validity of the building permit has been extended to 2 years instead of 1 year.
Agency: Municipal Council of Maputo City – Department of Construction and Urbanization (Departamento de Urbanização e Construção).
|
60 days
|
MZN 6,503
|
| 4 |
Receive inspection from Municipality - I
Inspections may during construction. According to law, two to three inspections should be carried out by the municipality and by the labor inspectorate. However, in practice, these inspections rarely occur. When they are undertaken, these inspections are announced by the inspector, who informs BuildCo of the inspection date. Normally, an inspection is carried out when the concrete is poured. BuildCo must keep a construction book, where all the important information about the construction is entered. The inspectors use this book to check the actual state of the construction, as well as its conformity with the submitted project.
Agency: Municipality
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 5 |
Receive inspection from Municipality - II
Agency: Municipality
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 6 |
Request water and sewage connection
Obtaining the connection is immediate because the utility provider is already informed and has approved the project.
Agency: Water Department
|
1 day
|
MZN 4,700
|
| * 7 |
Receive inspection and obtain approval of plumbing plan from water department
The company must supply the (layout) drawings. The typical waiting time is about 4 weeks.
Agency: Water Department
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 8 |
Connect to water and sewage services
Agency: Water Department
|
43 days
|
no charge
|
| * 9 |
Request and obtain phone connection
Obtaining the connection is immediate because the utility provider is already informed and has approved the project. The cost is 10 per meter of cable.
Agency: Telecommunications Mozambique (TDM)
|
2 days
|
MZN 2,580
|
| 10 |
Request final inspection
The applicant can request a final inspection only when the construction is fully terminated. The final inspection must take place within 30 days. Under the new initiative of streamlining the process of building control and fighting corruption the Municipality of Maputo requires the request for final inspection be made at the its main office of Department of Construction and Urbanization. Rationale behind this step is that before companies would request from their respective district office of Department of Construction and Urbanization and could possible have established personal ties. That might have been used to wield their favorable decision. The new rule of visiting the Municipality led to increase of time for the inspection by 5 days.
Agency: Municipal Council of Maputo City – Department of Construction and Urbanization (Departamento de Urbanização e Construção)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 11 |
Receive final inspection
The final inspection is carried out by the fire department, the health department, the water department, and other appropriate agencies. This inspection is coordinated by the municipal authority, and its cost is included in the value of the occupancy permit.
Agency: Municipality and other departments (fire, health, and water, etc.)
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| 12 |
Request and obtain occupancy permit
In order to obtain the occupancy permit, it is necessary to request a certificate of improvements, pay all relevant taxes, and attach the building permit.
Agency: Municipal Council of Maputo City – Department of Construction and Urbanization (Departamento de Urbanização e Construção).
|
95 days
|
MZN 2,000
|
| 13 |
Register the new building at the property registration
It is necessary to register the building for real property tax purposes. For this the certificate of occupancy must be obtained and presented for registration at Conservatoria do Registro.
According to the Ministerial Diploma n.º 19/98, 4 March, Table of Fees of Property Registry, article 3, paragraph 1, the cost is MZN 200. However, to this cost must be added other fees that the Property Registry charge, for example, issue of a certificate.
Agency: Property Registry (Conservatória do Registo Predial)
|
45 days
|
MZN 410
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.