HCMC – Vietnam will impose stricter requirements on the design and construction of private residential buildings from July 1, requiring larger projects to be designed by qualified professionals and comply with enhanced fire safety standards.
The new rules are set out in Government Decree No. 207/2026/ND-CP, which establishes a tighter legal framework aimed at improving quality and safety in residential construction.
Under the decree, private residential buildings with seven or more stories, or those with two or more basement levels, must be designed by organizations or individuals with the required professional qualifications. Design documents for such projects must also fully comply with fire prevention and firefighting regulations.
The decree classifies design requirements into three categories based on a building’s scale.
Homeowners may design their own houses only if the building has fewer than three stories, no basement, a total floor area of less than 250 square meters and a height below 12 meters.
For houses with fewer than seven stories or one basement level—except for the small-scale projects eligible for self-design—owners must hire qualified professionals or organizations with relevant expertise and experience.
The decree also introduces stricter construction management requirements. Property owners must install information boards at construction sites and bear full responsibility for construction safety, environmental protection and the protection of neighboring structures.
Mandatory supervision activities include inspections of temporary support systems, scaffolding, construction materials and safety measures designed to protect adjacent buildings.
The detailed classification of design and construction requirements reflects the Government’s effort to address growing safety concerns amid rapid urban densification in major cities.
For years, privately developed residential projects—particularly multi-story buildings registered as individual homes, including so-called mini apartment buildings—have occupied a regulatory gray area in terms of construction quality and fire safety oversight.
By requiring buildings with seven or more stories or at least two basement levels to comply with the same fire safety standards applied to professionally developed projects, authorities aim to close regulatory loopholes that have enabled unauthorized additions and unsafe construction practices.
