Permits Regarding Building

The instruments for advance control of building in the Land Use and Building Act are the building permit, the action permit, the demolition permit and the permit for landscape work. The local building supervision authority grants the permits. Decisions concerning the landscape work permit may be delegated to another authority, as determined by the local authority. Other permits that may be required in building are permits under water legislation (water permit) which is required if building may cause a change in water environment or in groundwater. A permit under the Nature Conservation Act is required for exceptions from regulation pertaining to preservation of species.

When the environmental impact assessment report referred to in the Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure is required for building or other action subject to permit or official approval under Land Use and Building Act the report must be enclosed with the permit application or notification as prescribed in the Act [Building Permit⁠].

The municipality may specify in a building ordinance that construction of a building or other action that has little effect may be performed without a building permit or an action permit, if the party responsible for the activity has submitted a notice to the local building authority.

The permit expires if construction work is not begun within three years or completed within five years. Permits or approvals issued by an authority for other action expire if the action has not been taken within three years. These periods begin when the permit or approval becomes legally valid.