How much does it cost to settle a building violation under Law 139/2019, and can I pay in instalments?
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Short answer
It depends on what a legal permit would cost. Under the 2019 text, a building that meets the rules but had no permit is settled for twice the permit fees (four times if late)[1,2], and when "late" starts is unclear. Yes, you can pay in three instalments of 40%, 30% and 30%[1] if you ask within six months of notification and skip the early-payment discount. Parts are marked amended by Law 10/2022[2,3].
Also asked as: “How much is the Law 139 building violation fine?” · “Can I pay a building violation settlement in instalments?” · “Cost of legalising a building built without a permit in Lebanon” · “Law 139/2019 settlement fees”
The fee and discount articles of Law 139/2019 are marked as amended by Law 10/2022, in force from 15 November 2022[2,3], and we could not read the amended wording. Treat every figure here as the 2019 text and have the municipality or a lawyer confirm it. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026.
Key facts
- Inside a road or public setback
- A fine of four times the permit fees plus 1.5 of the notional land value[1], and demolition stays possible
- Paying early
- 40% off if paid within 3 months[1] of notification, on the fines
- Instalments
- three instalments of 40%, 30% and 30%[1], requested within six months of notification
- Unpaid sums
- A privileged debt on the real folio, with interest of 12% a year[1]
What the settlement price is based on
Law 139/2019 covers violations built from 13 September 1971 to 31 December 2018[1,2], built by owners on private property only. Most of its prices are multiples of the fees a legal building permit would cost for the same works; the setback fine also adds a share of the land value[1]. A building that meets the building rules but went up without a permit is settled for twice the permit fees (four times if late).
What counts as "late" is not settled. The law's text gives two years to file in Articles 3 and 5(1), but Article 5(2) quadruples the fees after one year. Those articles are also marked as amended by Law 10/2022, whose wording we could not read[1,2]. More in whether the Law 139 deadline is still open.
Permit fees depend on the certified value of the land and on municipal rates. We found no published fee schedule and no worked example, in dollars or pounds[1,2]. For a permit application, the Building Law makes the authority hand over a certified copy of the approved land-value estimate within one month of registering the application[4]. No source says the same rule applies to a Law 139 file, but the fees rest on that estimate, so ask the municipality for it in writing. See what a building permit costs.
When it costs more, or cannot be settled
If the building sits inside a road setback, an approved road plan not yet carried out, or a public-property setback, the fine is four times the permit fees plus 1.5 of the notional land value[1]. Paying does not protect the building there, because the administration keeps the right to demolish. Have a lawyer read the exact wording of the land-value part in the law before you rely on any figure.
Law 139 says violations committed after 1 January 2019 are outside the scheme and are to be demolished by operation of law[2]. Under the Building Law, work started without a permit that conforms to the rules gets a permit with a fine of twice all the fees due[4] on the part already built. How these two rules fit together for one building is a question for a lawyer. See legalising a building built without a permit.
Paying early, in instalments, or not at all
| Route | What you pay | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Early payment | Fines cut by 40%[1] | File and pay within 3 months of notification[1] |
| Instalments | 40% at once, 30% after one year, 30% at the end of the second year[1] | Ask within six months of notification; the first 40% is paid within the same six months[1] |
| Paying late | 1% a month added on sums still unpaid[1] | After 6 months[1] |
| Not paying | A privileged debt on the real folio, with interest of 12% a year[1] | Once the technical statement fixes the amount[1] |
You cannot use both routes. Instalments are only for owners who did not take the early-payment discount[1]. If you miss an instalment, the rest falls due with 12% interest. The balance stays a privileged debt on the folio and must be paid before the property can be subdivided.
Article 9, which sets the discount, the monthly surcharge and the 12% interest on unpaid sums, is marked as amended by Law 10/2022, so these figures may have changed[1]. Whether Law 10/2022 also changed the instalment rule was not checked. You may also hear of the 85% penalty cut in that same budget law: according to ALDIC's summary, Art. 107 excluded construction violations, and its deadline passed on 30 March 2023[5].
Why a buyer or seller should check this
Violations are entered on the property's real folio until settled or removed, with the fees and fines as a privileged debt. The entry comes off only on a written letter from the administration that asked for it[1]. According to Kallas Law Firm, any charge on the folio carries over to the buyer unless it is cleared before the purchase[6].
A clean extract does not prove there is no violation. Under the Building Law, a violation goes on the folio when the municipality or the technical administration asks for it, not automatically[4]. The municipality also gives no clearance until the fines and fees are paid and the violation is settled. More in how to find violations before buying.
How to find out what you owe and settle it
- Get an official Land Registry extract. Ask at the Land Registry office for the area where the property lies[7,8]. Give the governorate, district, real estate zone and property number, plus the section and block where they apply[8,9]. According to Legalmondo (June 2025), the official extract is requested only in person and costs USD 5[8]; OMT and online copies are unofficial[8,9,10,11]. Legalmondo also says anyone may request it without showing an interest, but none is issued while a lien or registration on the plot is in process. Kallas Law Firm (October 2025) gives about 2 business days for a physical certificate[11]. If you live abroad, someone in Lebanon has to go for you: ask the office what authorisation your agent needs, and see giving a power of attorney from abroad. More on getting an extract.
- Read the folio for a violation entry or privileged debt. Look for any note of a building violation, fees or fines. Note the date of each entry.
- Ask the municipality for the violation file. Go, or send your agent, to the municipality where the property lies. If the property is outside any municipality, ask the caimacam or governor, who act in place of the municipality head on building permits there[4]. You can also ask the technical office of the General Directorate of Urban Planning (DGU) about the file. Ask in writing whether a violation is recorded, the date you were notified, the amount fixed in the technical statement[1] and the land-value estimate the fees rest on. Get every figure on paper, stamped.
- Have a registered engineer compare the building with the permit plans. This shows what was built outside the permit, and whether any part sits in a road or public setback, where demolition stays possible[1].
- Choose your route before the clock runs out. Pay in full within 3 months of notification for the 40% cut on fines[1], or ask for instalments within six months. Ask the municipality to confirm in writing that these deadlines still apply after Law 10/2022.
- Get the folio entry lifted. Keep every receipt. The entry comes off only on a written letter from the administration that asked for it[1]. Then pull a fresh extract and check that it is gone.
It depends on
Common questions
Can I pay a Law 139 building violation in instalments?
Yes. Under Article 10(2) you can ask, within six months of notification, to pay in three instalments of 40%, 30% and 30%[1], provided you did not take the early-payment discount. If you miss an instalment, the rest falls due with 12% interest.
How much will settling cost in dollars?
What happens if a building violation is never paid?
Once the technical statement fixes the amount, unpaid sums become a privileged debt on the property's real folio with interest of 12% a year[1]. The entry stays until the violation is settled or removed. According to Kallas Law Firm, a charge left on the folio carries over to the buyer unless it is cleared before the purchase[6].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Law 139 of 9/7/2019 settling building violations committed 13/9/1971 to 31/12/2018
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Centre (copy of DGU text) · 9 Jul 2019 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Law 139/2019 on settling building violations committed between 13/9/1971 and 31/12/2018 inclusive (Arts 3, 5, 7, 9 marked as amended by Law 10/2022)
Lebanese University Legal Information Center (legiliban) · 9 Jul 2019 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.قانون الموازنة العامة لعام 2022 (القانون 10/2022) المنشور في الجريدة الرسمية
Lebanese Ministry of Finance · 15 Nov 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.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
- 5.Summary of the Budget Law 2022 (Law #10)
ALDIC (Arab Lebanese Diplomatic and International Consulting?) · 15 Nov 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 7.Inheritance in Lebanon: Probate, Estate Declaration and Inheritance Tax (2026)
Kallas Law Firm · 27 Jun 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 11.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- Is the deadline to settle building violations under Law 139/2019 still open?Not confirmed. Law 139/2019's deadline articles are marked as amended in 2022 and no current window is published. What it covers, whom to ask.
- 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 a building built without a permit be legalised in Lebanon?Often yes, if it conforms, for a multiple of the permit fees. Whether Law 139 still takes files in 2026 is unconfirmed. Costs, sale effects, steps.
- What is the municipal clearance and why does a seller need it?The municipality withholds its clearance (براءة ذمة) until building-violation fines are paid. What that means for a sale and how to check first.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
