Dealing with Construction Permits in
Vanuatu
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:
VUV 91,042,000
- City: Port Vila
| No. |
Procedure |
Time to Complete |
Associated Costs |
| 1 |
Request building permit and pay application fee
BuildCo must submit the plans and specifications along with a copy of the lease title (as urban land in Vanuatu belongs to the government). During this process, the approval from 6 departments will be needed:
• Public works department
• Land department
• Geology & Mines department
• Fire department
• Physical planning department – located in the Municipality
Documents from this agencies:
- Floor plan
- Elevation plan
- Cross section plan
- Detail plan of ring beam and roof structure – details of next floor must also be provided since this building has one ground floor and 1 level.
- Services layout plan (electricity, plumbing lines, power point)
- Septic Tank Plan
- Site plan
- Location plan
- Copy of survey plan
- Copy of front page of lease document
The application fee is a fixed fee of VUV 8,000
Agency: Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
|
1 day
|
VUV 8,000
|
| 2 |
Visit the Public works department
This is the office that would verify the safety of the building. Plans are checked by architects
Agency: Public works department
|
5 days
|
no charge
|
| * 3 |
Visit the Department of Land, Survey & Registry
This office will check that the land leases fees are paid and that the correct lease type and location are accurate
Agency: Department of Land, Survey & Registry
|
3 days
|
no charge
|
| * 4 |
Visit the Geology and Mines Department
This office checks whether the soil is suitable for construction based solely on the location of the future building.
Agency: Geology and Mines Department
|
2 days
|
no charge
|
| * 5 |
Visit the Fire Department
This is to check the safety requirements of the building
Agency: Fire Department
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
| * 6 |
Visit the Physical Planning department
This is the office that would verify the safety of the building. Plans are checked by architects
Agency: Physical Planning department
|
2 days
|
no charge
|
| 7 |
Pay building permit fee and obtain building permit
Payment for the construction permit itself is made when the town council has approved the permit. The Town council will meet only if there are more than 10 applications for approval.
The fee for a construction permit is 650 VT/M2 for residential properties and 700 VT/M2 for commercial or industrial constructions. The total value of the building permit for the warehouse being built would be VUV 700 x 1,300.6 sq.m = 910.420,00
Agency: Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
|
30 days
|
VUV 910,420
|
| * 8 |
Request and obtain connection to telephone services from Telecom Vanuatu Ltd.
An application form is completed to request a land line and it will take about 3 weeks to obtain the line. Telecom will visit the site before pulling the cable.
|
21 days
|
VUV 9,000
|
| * 9 |
Request and obtain connection to water services from UNELCO
Agency: UNELCO Vanuatu Ltd.
|
7 days
|
VUV 25,000
|
| 10 |
Request certificate of completion from Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
UNELCO is the sole provider of water and electricity and all requests for connection must be made in person.
Agency: Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
|
1 day
|
VUV 13,000
|
| 11 |
Receive inspection from Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
The Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality would issue a certificate of completion upon performing an inspection. A VUV 13,000 fee has to be paid for the occupancy permit.
Agency: Town Planning Unit, Port Vila Municipality
|
1 day
|
no charge
|
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.