Do I need a permit to renovate my apartment in Lebanon?
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Short answer
It depends on the work. Maintenance, plastering and renovation of a lawful or regularised building need only an engineer's declaration, valid one year[1]. Changing the structure or adding to the building needs a full permit from the head of the municipality, or the governor or caimacam outside municipal areas. Outside maintenance or cosmetic works on a subdivided building also need approval of the owners' association or 75% of the owners[2,3]. Purely internal, non-structural changes are read two ways: no paperwork at all, or the same declaration.
Also asked as: “Do I need a building permit to renovate a flat in Lebanon?” · “Renovation permit at the municipality in Lebanon” · “Do the other owners have to approve work on the facade or balcony?” · “What is a declaration (tasrih) for building works in Lebanon?”
Work started without the permit or declaration it needs is stopped and a violation report is drawn up. Work that conforms to the rules is then licensed with a fine of twice all the fees due, and work that does not must be demolished[1]. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026.
Key facts
- Structural changes and additions
- A full permit from the head of the municipality, or the governor or caimacam outside municipal areas[1]
- Maintenance, plastering, renovation of a lawful building
- an engineer's declaration, valid one year[1]
- Who signs the file
- A responsible engineer signs the application and plans, which are registered with the Order of Engineers in Beirut or Tripoli[1]
- Time for a declaration
- one month for the technical decision; receipt within 3 days of paying the fees[2]
- Internal, non-structural changes
- Read two ways: nothing needed, or a declaration[1]
- Fees
- Not published in the sources we read; ask the municipality and your engineer for a written figure
Permit or declaration: which one your work needs
The starting rule is strict. Article 1 of Law 646 of 2004 says that building, converting, renovating or renewing any building needs a prior permit, with the application and plans signed by a responsible engineer and registered with the Order of Engineers in Beirut or Tripoli[1]. Article 2 then sets out lighter work. Maintenance, retaining walls, plastering and renovation of lawful or regularised buildings need only a written declaration (tasrih), signed by a responsible engineer, endorsed by the Order of Engineers and valid for one year.
The declaration stops where the structure starts. Structural strengthening and replacing roofs or balconies are allowed only in lawful or regularised buildings, and structural changes and additions need the full permit[1]. For that route, see the steps to get a building permit.
"Lawful or regularised" matters if your building has violations, because without that status the declaration route is closed to it. If you are unsure whether the building was built with a permit or settled later, read whether a building without a permit can be legalised and ask the municipality before you plan anything.
Changes inside the flat
Here we cannot give you a clean answer. Article 2 of Law 646 of 2004 has been read two ways for internal changes that touch neither the structure nor the shared parts. One reading of the text says they need no permit or declaration. A later reading of the same text puts them under the engineer-declaration regime[1].
Until that is settled, ask a registered engineer or the municipality in writing: "Does the work I describe here fall under Article 2 of Law 646/2004, and does it need a declaration?" Keep the answer. Only an engineer can tell you whether a wall you want to remove carries load. If it does, the work is structural and needs the full permit[1].
Turning a flat into an office or a shop is a separate question. The Building Law lists converting a building among the works that need a prior permit[1]. According to the Army magazine's summary of the co-ownership decree, changing the use of a private unit also needs the unanimous vote of the owners[4].
Shared parts: facade, windows, balconies and roof
A subdivided building is one split into separate units, each with its own real folio at the Land Registry[1]. In such a building, a declaration for outside maintenance or cosmetic works must come with approval of the owners' association or 75% of the owners[2,3], and the work is checked against the plans of the building's occupancy permit or completion certificate. According to the Army magazine's summary of the co-ownership decree, the owners' association may, by at least 75% of votes, change common parts and even items such as entrance doors, windows and balconies for the building's harmony[4].
Votes follow shares: each unit's share in the common parts is a number out of 1,000[5]. A building with more than three private units has an owners' association by law, whether or not anyone set it up[4,5]. More on how it decides is in the rules for owners' associations.
For buildings with three or more units, notarised regulations with management rules must be deposited, according to Kallas Law Firm[3]. Not every building may have them, and our sources do not say what extra consent they may require. Ask the association president for a copy and read it before you plan outside work.
When the law asks you to repair
Some repairs are a duty. The owner must keep the building maintained, stable and sound, and when needed, or when the municipality asks on technical advice, must commission engineers to inspect it and give a detailed report[1]. If stability is impaired, the owner shores it up under an engineer's supervision and notifies the municipality before permanent strengthening works.
How to renovate with the right paperwork
- Get the property's papers. Ask the Land Registry office for the property's area for an official extract (ifadeh aqariyeh). The official certificate is issued there in person, and online and OMT copies are for reference only[6,7,8,9]. According to Legalmondo, anyone may request one without showing a legal interest[9], so someone you trust can go if you are abroad. You give the governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[6,9]; here is how to find those numbers. Legalmondo (June 2025) puts the certificate at USD 5, and Kallas Law Firm (October 2025) gives about 2 business days for a physical certificate[8]. Confirm both with the office before you go.
- Check for recorded violations. The municipality can have a violation recorded on the property's folio, and it stays there until settled or removed. It is recorded only at the authority's request, so a clean extract does not prove there is none[1]. Ask the municipality directly as well. More in checking a property for violations.
- Hire a responsible engineer. The engineer signs the application and plans, which are registered with the Order of Engineers in Beirut or Tripoli[1]. Ask them in writing whether your work needs a permit, a declaration or nothing, and why. See what the Order of Engineers does.
- File and pay. The competent technical department approves, or refuses with reasons, within one month of the declaration being registered, and the municipality, governor or caimacam issues the receipt within three days of payment of the fees[2]. The fee amounts are not in our sources; ask the municipality for them in writing.
- Keep the receipt and finish within the year. The declaration is valid for one year[1]. Keep paper and scanned copies of the declaration, the receipt, the owners' approval and the engineer's plans.
It depends on
- Whether the building is lawful. The declaration route applies only to lawful or regularised buildings[1]. If the building has unsettled violations, ask the municipality and a lawyer what is possible before you spend money.
- Whether the work touches the structure. Structural changes and additions need a full permit[1]. Your engineer tells you which side of that line your work falls on.
- Whether you own or rent. The Building Law puts the duty to maintain on the owner[1]. We found no source on what a tenant may renovate, so get the landlord's written consent and add it to the lease.
- Where the flat is. Inside a municipality the head of the municipality issues permits; outside municipal areas it is the governor or caimacam[1]. We did not find which office handles the file, which forms it uses or whether filing is online. Ask the municipality, or have your engineer ask if you are abroad.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to repaint or re-tile inside my flat?
It is not settled. Article 2 of Law 646 of 2004 is read two ways for internal work that touches neither the structure nor the shared parts: one reading needs no permit or declaration, the other needs an engineer's declaration[1]. Ask a registered engineer or the municipality in writing.
How long does a renovation declaration take?
Do the other owners have to agree to my renovation?
What happens if I renovate without the permit or declaration?
The work is stopped and a violation report is drawn up. Conforming work is licensed with a fine of twice the fees due, and non-conforming work must be demolished[1]. The municipality gives no clearance on the property until the fine and fees are paid and the violation is settled.
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.Decree 15874 of 5/12/2005 implementing the Building Law, as amended by Decree 617 of 8/8/2007
General Directorate of Urban Planning (DGU), Ministry of Public Works and Transport · 5 Dec 2005 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Condominium Ownership of Built Immovables in Lebanese Law — Eighth and Final Part of the Practical Guide to the Lebanese Code of Real Property
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Managing the ownership of floors and flats (Dr Nader Abdel Aziz Chaffi, Army Magazine issue 302-303, August 2010)
Lebanese Army (Army Magazine, "We and the Law" section) · August 2010 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Legislative Decree No. 88 of 16/9/1983 on co-ownership of built property
Joseph Wanis Official Site (lawyer Joseph Wanis) · 22 Mar 2019 · 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.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- 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.
- 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.
- Is an owners' association mandatory in Lebanon, and how are decisions taken?Yes: in buildings with more than three units the owners' association exists by law. Who runs it, quorum, and which votes need a majority, 75% or unanimity.
- 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.
- 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.
- What does Lebanon's co-ownership law say about common parts, shares and votes?Decree 88/1983 makes roofs, lifts and stairs common parts and counts shares and votes out of 1,000. Majorities, association rules and checks.
- Should I get a structural engineer to inspect a flat before I buy it in Lebanon?Usually yes, especially in older or war-damaged buildings. No fee scale is published. Owners' legal duties, official checks and how to hire an engineer.
- 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.
