HCMC – HCMC has identified around 55,000 land lots that meet the criteria for exemption from construction permits, in line with the prime minister’s directive to streamline administrative procedures in the construction sector.
According to the HCMC Department of Construction, the land lots are located across 360 designated zones that already have 1/500-scale planning. Under current regulations, homeowners in these areas can begin construction without applying for a permit, but must notify local authorities before starting work to facilitate monitoring.
The department is working with district-level governments to review and gather feedback on the list of eligible areas. The consultation process is expected to be completed by July 1, after which the proposal will be submitted to the HCMC People’s Committee for approval.
The initiative is part of the city’s broader efforts to implement Decree 140/2025 on decentralizing construction management responsibilities between municipal and district authorities, as outlined by the Ministry of Construction.
This move follows the prime minister’s Directive No. 78 issued on May 29, which sets a target to cut at least 30% of processing time, compliance costs, and business conditions in the construction sector by 2025. The directive specifically calls for simplifying permit procedures for buildings located in areas with approved detailed planning or urban design.
In response, HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc has instructed relevant departments to propose solutions for reducing and simplifying administrative processes. The Department of Construction has been tasked with drafting implementation guidelines, particularly for areas where housing architectural and alley boundary regulations have already been codified under the city’s architectural management rules. In such areas, homeowners would only need to register construction activities rather than obtain formal permits.
A pilot scheme is also being developed to formalize this permit exemption process and reduce paperwork citywide.
