Environment and planning permit for building

There are 2 types of environment and planning permits for building:

• an environment and planning permit for a technical building activity. For instance a building’s safety, sustainability, and use
• an environment and planning permit for an environment plan activity (spatial). For instance a building’s height, its features, function, and whether the activity is in line with the municipality’s environment plan

For both activities (technical and spatial), there are also situations where you do not need a permit to build. Those activities are permit-free.

• For a permit-free technical building activity, you may need to submit a notification in the Omgevingsloket.
• For a permit-free environment plan activity, you do not need to submit a notification in the Omgevingsloket.

Notification and quality assurance for consequence class 1 buildings

You do not need a permit for consequence class 1 buildings (gevolgklasse 1, in Dutch). But you do need to submit a notification. These are buildings where the impact, if something goes wrong, is limited. Such as houses or simple commercial buildings. For buildings in this class, you need to hire a quality assurance officer. A quality assurance officer is independent and checks whether you comply with all the rules. Without a quality assurance officer, you cannot submit a building report and you are not allowed to start building.

Check if you need an environment and planning permit and apply

Go to the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch) to check if you need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning). In the Omgevingsloket you can see which rules apply in your municipality, province, or regional water authority. You can then use the Omgevingsloket to apply online for an environment and planning permit or submit a notification.

Please note that rules from the General Municipal Bylaw (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV) may also be applicable.

Permit-free building activities

For some building activities (in Dutch) you do not need a permit. These activities are listed in the Decree on construction works in the living environment (Bbl). You do not need a permit, for example, to:

• add a roof dormer window to the back of your house
• install a solar panel on the roof
• put up a flagpole
• place a boundary partition, such as a fence

You must comply with the national rules. For example, you are not allowed to change the appearance of a building too much. And there are rules on the height of a fence or flagpole. These rules and the permit-free activities are determined by the Dutch government, not by the municipality. So the rules apply everywhere and for everyone.

Municipalities can also add permit-free building activities. So it depends on the municipality whether you need a permit for such activities or not. Rules from the General Municipal By-law (APV) may also apply. Or rules from other municipal regulations. You can find the local rules in the Omgevingsloket (in Dutch).