Is there a building permit fee discount for small model-design houses in Lebanon?
On this page
Short answer
Yes. Under Law 294/2022, a house built to an official model design gets 50% off permit and municipal fees[1]. The house is limited to 2 floors, 250 m² total, 150 m² per floor, 7.5 m high and cannot have a basement. The scheme works only in certain areas and only once per owner. The law runs for five years from 21 April 2022. Whether it has been extended beyond that is not confirmed, so ask the municipality before you plan around it.
Also asked as: “Law 294 of 2022 model design houses” · “Building permit fee discount for small houses in Lebanon” · “Model design house permit in Lebanon” · “50% off building permit fees in Lebanon”
Law 294/2022 is temporary. It runs for five years from 21 April 2022[1], which works out to about April 2027, and we could not confirm any extension. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026.
Key facts
- The law
- Law 294/2022, published 21 April 2022[1]
- Fee cut
- 50% off permit and municipal fees[1]
- Built-property tax
- 50% off for five years[1], with natural-stone walls, a red-tile roof or approved solar panels
- Size limits
- 2 floors, 250 m² total, 150 m² per floor, 7.5 m high[1]
- Basements
- no basements[1]
- How often
- once per owner[1]
- Permit validity
- two years, renewable once for two years[1]
- Law in force for
- five years from 21 April 2022[1]
What the discount covers
Law 294/2022 cuts the building permit fees and the municipal fees by half for buildings put up under it[1]. Whether it also cuts the garage fee is not confirmed. Don't count on that cut until the municipality confirms it in writing.
We found no published fee schedule and no worked example, so we can't tell you what half the fee comes to in dollars[2]. The Building Law does give you one figure to work from. Within one month of registering your permit application, the authority must give you a certified copy of the approved estimate of your plot's land value. Ask the municipality and your engineer for a written estimate of the fees before you commit. There is more on what a building permit costs.
You save again once the house is built. Built-property tax gets 50% off for five years[1] if one of three conditions is met: two thirds of the external walls are natural stone, at least two thirds of the roof is red tile, or solar panels are approved.
Which houses and plots qualify
The house must stay within 2 floors, 250 m² total, 150 m² per floor, 7.5 m high[1]. Basement floors are banned, whether buried or exposed. The fee cut is only for houses within these limits. A larger house needs an ordinary permit under the Building Law[2].
The plot must be in a non-regulated area, or in a regulated area that allows housing[1]. The law excludes these areas:
- governorate centres and main cities
- archaeological and tourist areas
- nature reserves
- landslide and flood zones
Unclassified areas that the master plan designates as agricultural stay under the Higher Council of Urban Planning's rules[1]. We found no published list of which villages fall into which category, and no source names the office that confirms a plot's zoning. The municipality and the General Directorate of Urban Planning (DGU) are the likely places to ask[3]. Kallas Law Firm advises checking the municipal master plan as well as the Land Registry record. See how to find the zoning for a plot.
You can use the scheme only once[1]. A plot that already has a building on it can still use the scheme, within the scheme's area and floor limits. For that you need a structural engineer's report confirming the existing building is sound, signed by an engineer registered with one of the two engineers' orders. For larger extensions, see adding a floor to a building.
Getting the designs and the permit
We could not find out where the official model designs are published or who hands them out. Ask the municipality where the plot lies, and a registered engineer, to show you the designs. Ask them to confirm in writing that your plot is eligible.
For an ordinary permit, a responsible engineer must sign the plans and register them with the Order of Engineers in Beirut or Tripoli. The permit is issued by the head of the municipality, or the governor or caimacam outside municipal areas[2]. We found no source saying how far Law 294 changes these steps. See what the Order of Engineers does in a permit.
Timing matters if you live abroad and plan to build during visits. An ordinary permit lasts six years, renewable once for two years[2]. A model-design permit lasts only two years, renewable once for two years[1].
How to use the model-design scheme, step by step
- Get a recent Land Registry extract for the plot. Requests go to the land registry office for the area where the plot lies[4,5]. According to Legalmondo (June 2025), anyone can request the certificate in person without showing a legal interest[5], so it does not have to be you or the seller who goes. Give the office the plot's governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[5,6] (section and block only where they apply). The extract (ifadeh aqariyeh) shows the owner, mortgages and restrictions[7,8]. Legalmondo puts the fee at USD 5; ask the office for the current amount. An OMT or online copy is for reference only, and a transaction needs the official extract from the registry[5,6,9,10]. Here is how to get a Land Registry extract. To see where the plot sits on the ground, read how to get a cadastral map or survey.
- Ask which zone the plot is in. Put the question to the municipality or the DGU. No source we found confirms which of the two answers it[3]. Ask whether the plot is non-regulated or in a regulated area that allows housing, and whether it falls in an excluded area such as a tourist area, a nature reserve or a flood zone[1]. Get the answer in writing.
- Confirm the law still applies on your filing date. The law runs for five years from 21 April 2022[1]. Ask the municipality whether it still applies on the day you file and whether it has been extended.
- File the application and ask for the land-value estimate. The application goes to the head of the municipality, or to the governor or caimacam outside municipal areas[2]. The authority must give you a certified copy of the approved land-value estimate within one month of registering the application. For an ordinary permit, the technical administration must decide within 2 months on an executed road, 6 months otherwise. We found no source saying whether Law 294 changes this. Check that the fee bill shows the 50% cut on permit and municipal fees[1], pay only against an official receipt, and keep every receipt.
- Plan the build within the permit's life. The permit is valid for two years, renewable once for two years[1]. If you won't be in Lebanon often, agree a building schedule with your engineer before you file.
It depends on
- Where the plot is. The scheme does not cover governorate centres, main cities, tourist and archaeological areas, nature reserves, or landslide and flood zones[1]. Ask the municipality or the DGU which category the plot falls into. No source confirms which office answers, so get the reply in writing[3].
- Whether you have used the scheme before. It can be used once per owner[1]. We found nothing on how this works when a plot has several co-owners or heirs, so ask a lawyer.
- An existing building on the plot. You need a structural engineer's report[1] confirming the building is sound, signed by an engineer registered with one of the two engineers' orders.
- The finishes you choose. The built-property tax cut applies only with natural-stone walls, a red-tile roof or approved solar panels[1]. Ask your engineer which option fits your budget.
- Your filing date. The law is temporary, and no extension is confirmed[1]. Ask the municipality before you pay for plans.
Common questions
Can I build a basement under a model-design house in Lebanon?
No. Law 294/2022 bans basement floors under the model-design scheme, whether buried or exposed[1].
How long is a model-design building permit valid?
Does a model-design house also pay less built-property tax?
It can. Law 294/2022 gives 50% off for five years[1] on built-property tax if two thirds of the external walls are natural stone, at least two thirds of the roof is red tile, or solar panels are approved.
Can I use the model-design scheme on a plot that already has a building?
Yes, within the scheme's limits on area and floors. You need a report from a structural engineer, registered with one of the two engineers' orders, confirming the existing building is sound[1].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Law 294 of 14/4/2022: temporary reduction of fees for some building permits built to model designs
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Center (DGU copy of Law 294/2022) · 14 Apr 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Law 646 of 16/12/2004 (Building Law), amending Legislative Decree 148 of 16/09/1983
Lebanese Republic, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Directorate General of Urban Planning (DGU) · 16 Dec 2004 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Definition of Real Property and Types of Ownership in Lebanese Law (Part One of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property)
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Inheritance in Lebanon: Probate, Estate Declaration and Inheritance Tax (2026)
Kallas Law Firm · 27 Jun 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.The Land Registry in Lebanese Law — Part Six of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 8.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 9.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How much does a building permit cost in Lebanon?We found no published price list: fees rest on a certified estimate of the plot's land value. Other costs, the model-design discount and how to get a quote.
- What are the steps to get a building permit from the municipality in Lebanon?You need a prior permit, signed by a responsible engineer and issued by the municipality. The steps, deadlines, documents and what is not published.
- How do I find the zoning and building ratios for a plot in Lebanon?No office is published for it: get the plot's extract, then have an engineer check the master plan and exploitation factors. Steps and what to ask.
- What should I check before buying land in Lebanon?Get an official Land Registry extract for the exact plot first, then check shares, land type, survey status, zoning and fees. Steps for buyers abroad.
- Can I add a floor or extend my building in Lebanon, and what permit do I need?Yes, with a prior building permit, within your plot's planning limits. Who issues it, the engineer's role, shared roofs, the model-design route and risks.
- What does the Order of Engineers do in a building permit in Lebanon, and why do I need an engineer?No permit without an engineer: Law 646/2004 requires plans signed by an engineer and registered with the Order. What the Order does, step by step.
- Can I build a house or a farm room on agricultural land in Lebanon?Any building needs a permit first, and no published rule says what agricultural zones allow. Who decides, the model-house route and plot checks.
- How do I get a land registry extract in Lebanon and what does it cost?Ask in person at the land registry office for the property's area; one law firm says USD 5. The numbers you need, OMT and online copies, and what to check.
