Should I get a structural engineer to inspect a flat before I buy it in Lebanon?
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Short answer
Yes, it is worth paying a structural engineer before you sign, especially in an older, extended or war-damaged building. We found no rule requiring a buyer's inspection and no published fee, so ask for a written quote. Under Lebanese law the owner must keep a building stable and sound, and once you buy, that owner is you[1].
Also asked as: “Should I get a structural engineer to inspect a flat in Lebanon before I buy?” · “Structural survey before buying an apartment in Lebanon” · “How much does a structural engineer cost in Lebanon?” · “How do I know a building is safe before I buy?”
Al Jazeera reported that residents of a Tripoli building had called the municipal call centre after they heard creaking, and that it collapsed on 8 February 2026 before engineers had inspected it[2]. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026.
Key facts
- Who must keep a building sound
- The owner, under Law 646/2004 Art. 18(8)[1]
- If stability is impaired
- Temporary shoring under an engineer's supervision, and notice to the municipality[1]
- If it threatens to collapse and the owner does nothing
- Demolition within 15 days to 2 months (1 day if extremely urgent)[1]
- Cost of a pre-purchase inspection
- Not published. Ask for a written quote
- Engineers' orders
- Beirut and Tripoli. Building plans are registered there[1], and structural engineers register with one of the two[3]
- Concrete lifespan
- 50 to 80 years[2], in the view of one engineer quoted by Al Jazeera (February 2026)
- Beirut buildings flagged
- about 160 buildings (Beirut)[4], in a file sent to the Cabinet, as LBCI reported in July 2026. The list is not public
Why a structural check matters in Lebanon
In February 2026 Al Jazeera reported that hundreds of Tripoli buildings were at risk of collapse. The reported causes were ageing infrastructure, unregulated construction, the 2019 crisis, the 2023 earthquake and a heavy rain season[2]. Local officials also said many older buildings had irregular floors added to them, which made them weaker. One engineer quoted in the same report said concrete lasts 50 to 80 years and that water seeping into it damages the steel inside. That figure is his own estimate, and no official standard sets it. We found no national survey of buildings at risk, so these reports describe Tripoli only.
The law also puts the risk on you once you own the flat. Law 646/2004 makes the owner responsible for keeping the building maintained, stable and sound. When needed, or when the municipality asks on technical advice, the owner must have one or more engineers inspect it and write a detailed report[1]. If stability is impaired, the owner must shore the building up under an engineer's supervision and notify the municipality, or the governor or caimacam, before permanent strengthening works.
If a building threatens to collapse and the owner does not act, Art. 18(10) of the same law requires it to be demolished within 15 days to 2 months (1 day if extremely urgent)[1], and the municipality may evacuate the occupants. We did not check how municipalities apply this in practice. Buy without a check and you take on all of these duties without knowing the building's condition. For warning signs to watch for while you live in a building, see how to tell if a building is at risk of collapse.
What official checks exist, and their limits
A report to the municipality does not guarantee that anyone inspects the building. The Tripoli building that collapsed had been reported, but nothing in the report suggested the inspection was urgent[2].
In Beirut, LBCI reported in July 2026 that the Cabinet had tasked the Higher Relief Commission (الهيئة العليا للإغاثة), working with engineering offices and the Order of Engineers, with surveying structurally damaged buildings. The survey decides which residents of buildings classed as dangerous get temporary housing allowances[4]. The Beirut Governorate had sent the Cabinet a file of about 160 buildings (Beirut). That list is not public, so ask the governorate or the municipality whether the building you want is on it. For the Beirut buildings damaged on "Black Wednesday", the engineering firm Khatib & Alami found they can be reinforced and need not be demolished. That finding covers those buildings only. If the flat you want was hit in the war, read buying a war-damaged flat as well.
The Land Registry extract will not tell you about the structure. A building violation goes onto the property's Land Registry folio only when the municipality or the technical administration asks for it[1], so a clean extract does not prove the building matches its permit plans. The engineer can check that on site. See checking for building violations before you buy.
Cost, scope and choosing an engineer: what we could not confirm
We found no source on how pre-purchase inspections usually work in Lebanon. The sources do not say what they cost, what a report covers, or whether the Order of Engineers offers or lists such inspections. The Order's website was unreachable when we checked. Do not accept a fee or a scope you have not had in writing.
The law already asks for a similar report in one case. To use the model-design regime on a plot that already has a building, the plot's owner needs a structural engineer's report[3] from an engineer registered with one of the two engineers' orders, confirming the building is sound. That rule is for plot owners adding floors and says nothing about buyers' inspections. It does tell you what to ask for: a structural engineer registered with an Order. Ask the Order to confirm the registration, and find the engineer yourself rather than taking one the seller or broker suggests.
How to get a flat checked before you buy
- Get the Land Registry extract first. The official certificate is requested in person at the land registry office for the area where the flat lies[5,6]. Give the property's governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[6,7] (section and block only where they apply). You can also request a copy through an OMT agent with the same details plus a mobile number and email address. The extract shows the owner, mortgages and restrictions[8,9]. Here is how to get an extract and what it costs, and whether an OMT or Whish copy is official. Give the engineer the same plot and section numbers so they inspect the right unit.
- Find a registered structural engineer yourself. Contact the Order of Engineers in Beirut or Tripoli, where building plans are registered[1] and structural engineers are members[3]. Ask for structural engineers who inspect existing buildings, and confirm that the one you choose is a registered member.
- Agree the scope and fee in writing. Ask exactly what they will look at: the structure, the roof, any added floors, cracks and water damage. Ask whether they will compare the building with its permit plans, and what the written report will contain. Get the fee and the delivery date in the same message.
- Arrange access and someone on site. The engineer needs the seller's permission to enter the flat, the roof and the common parts. If you are abroad, ask for photos with the report, or have someone you trust attend who has no stake in the sale.
- Ask the municipality about the building. Ask whether the building has been reported, inspected, or put on any list of unsafe buildings. In Tripoli, Al Jazeera reported in February 2026 that the municipal call centre had received reports on about 650 buildings and that evacuation warnings had been issued for 114[2], so ask whether this building is among them. In Beirut, also ask the governorate. To check the permits, see how to check a building permit and occupancy permit.
- Read the report before you pay anything. A promise of sale is optional, and ownership passes only when the notarial sale deed is registered at the Land Registry[9]. Commission the report before you sign any promise or pay a deposit. If it finds a problem, have a lawyer write the repairs or a price change into the contract before you commit.
It depends on
- The building's age. One engineer quoted by Al Jazeera put concrete's lifespan at 50 to 80 years[2], which is only a rough guide. Ask your engineer what the building's age means for this structure.
- Added floors or other changes. Irregular added floors weakened older Tripoli buildings, according to local officials[2]. Ask the engineer to compare what is built with the permit plans, and ask the municipality about violations.
- War damage. In July 2026 LBCI reported that the Higher Relief Commission had been tasked with surveying structurally damaged buildings in Beirut[4]. Its progress is not published. Ask the commission or the Beirut municipality whether the building has been assessed and what the assessment found.
- Where the flat is. As of October 2026 the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the South and Nabatiyeh governorates[10] and to named areas of Beirut's southern suburbs, such as Haret Hraik, Burj Al Barajneh and Chiyah, with Route 51 to the airport excluded. It also advises against all travel to the part of Beqaa east of the Masnaa-Rachaiya Road and against all but essential travel to a southern part of Beqaa, and against all but essential travel to the part of Mount Lebanon south of a road through Moukhtara and Maaser El Chouf. Travel insurance could be invalidated if you go against that advice. Check the exact boundaries on the FCDO's Lebanon travel advice page, your own government's advice and your insurer's terms before you travel to an inspection.
- Plans to add floors. Law 294/2022 lets the plot's owner add floors under the model-design regime, within its limits of at most 2 floors and 250 m² in total, with a structural engineer's report[3] confirming the building is sound. The law is in force for five years from 21 April 2022, so ask the municipality or the Directorate General of Urban Planning (DGU) whether it has been extended. The rule speaks of the plot's owner, so if you are buying one flat in a shared building, ask a lawyer whether it can apply to you at all.
Common questions
Is a structural inspection required by law before buying a flat in Lebanon?
We found no rule requiring a buyer to commission one. The law does require the owner to keep the building stable and sound, and to commission engineers' reports when needed or when the municipality asks[1].
How much does a structural engineer charge for a pre-purchase inspection in Lebanon?
No fee scale was published in any source we read. Ask a structural engineer registered with the Order of Engineers for a written quote that states the scope of the inspection and the delivery date.
Can the municipality tell me if a building is unsafe?
You can ask, but a report to the municipality does not guarantee an inspection: Al Jazeera reported that a Tripoli building reported after residents heard creaking collapsed on 8 February 2026 before engineers checked it[2]. In Beirut, the governorate sent the Cabinet a file of about 160 buildings (Beirut)[4], and you can ask whether a building is on it.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.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
- 2.Deadly tower collapse has locals in Lebanon's Tripoli asking: Are we next?
Al Jazeera · 20 Feb 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.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
- 4.From war damage to safety risks: Beirut’s fragile buildings remain in limbo after ‘Black Wednesday’
LBCI · 25 Jul 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Inheritance in Lebanon: Probate, Estate Declaration and Inheritance Tax (2026)
Kallas Law Firm · 27 Jun 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.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
- 9.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 10.Lebanon travel advice (UK FCDO foreign travel advice)
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK) · 10 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I know whether a building in Lebanon is at risk of collapse?We found no public danger list: check the papers, ask the municipality and hire a structural engineer. Owners' legal duties and what Tripoli showed.
- How do I check that a building has a valid building permit and occupancy permit before I buy or rent?Get copies from the seller, then check them at the municipality, on the Land Registry extract and with an engineer. What each permit proves.
- How can I find out if a property has building violations or unpaid fines before I buy it?Get an official Land Registry extract, ask the municipality for its clearance, and have an engineer check the permit. What each shows and what it misses.
- Can I buy a war-damaged flat or house in Lebanon, and what should I check first?It depends on location: a draft law would bar sales in occupied southern towns. Check the extract, the building and aid rights first.
- What checks should I do before buying or renting property in Lebanon?Get an official Land Registry extract before you pay, then check the seller, any power of attorney, permits and violations. Steps for buyers and tenants.
- Are buildings in Lebanon built to resist earthquakes, and when did a seismic code start?No confirmed start date for a seismic code: its text was not found. What Law 646/2004 requires, why older buildings are at risk, and how to check.
- Is ten-year building insurance mandatory in Lebanon, and who is liable for defects?Law 646/2004 sets ten-year collapse insurance for audited buildings, but its decree is unconfirmed. What the law says, who is responsible, what to check.
