Requirements For Building A House In Kenya

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Below are the Requirements For Building A House In Kenya

Apply In-Person
Step 1: Obtain a survey plan from Survey Kenya
i. One is to visit the Survey of Kenya offices in the ministry of land departments to obtain a survey plan. A survey plan from Survey of Kenya is a required document when applying for a building permit.
ii. You should then proceed to request for Folio Registry number search:
You are required to provide proof of land ownership when requesting for the survey plan. One is shown the survey plan to confirm that it is the one they have requested for then issued with a payment authorization slip to go and pay for the survey plan.
iii. You are then to proceed and pay for Folio Registry number search:
You will be required to produce an authorisation of payment for this service. You will be charged Ksh 150 for the numbers search.
iv. Confirm availability of survey plan and Pay for survey plan:
After the search is done and availability confirmed. You are to pay Ksh 650 for the survey plan.
v. This process takes one day to complete.

Step 2: Obtain a project report from an environmental expert
i. Once the survey plan has been obtained, a licensed environmental expert must be hired to prepare a project report to be submitted to NEMA.
ii. The project report can take a period of 5 days to complete and costs approximately Ksh.50,000.

Step 3: Obtain approval of the environmental impact study from National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)

Following the enactment of new Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act on February 27, 2009, companies now have to obtain approval of projects from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Projects of all risk categories are subject to approval and an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
It takes 30 days on average to get the approval. The cost is set at 0.05% of warehouse value, prior to February 11, 2009, the fee rate was 0.1% of warehouse value. It costs approximately Ksh.10, 000 for an EIA study from NEMA.

Step 4: Submit and obtain approval of the architectural plans from county council

The structural engineer submits all the structural and architectural drawings to be approved using an online platform eDevelopment Permit System . and follow the following steps

i. Register with County self-service portal
ii. Submit architectural plans
iii. Pay for permit fees
The County Council will issue an invoice that must be paid, this can take up to 2-3 weeks to be obtained.
iv. Obtain architectural plans approval notification
v. Submit architectural plans for signing

The drawings are reviewed by all relevant departments simultaneously. Once the structural and architectural drawings are approved, they will be signed on by the governor.
When all signatures have been obtained, the approved plans are scanned and uploaded in the system so that they can be retrieved by the architect.

vi. Obtain authenticated architectural plans and construction permit

The required documents to be submitted are the following:

i. The proposed development
ii. A survey plan from Survey of Kenya
iii. Ownership documents
iv. Up-to-date rates payment receipts
v. Structural plans

Building permit fee is based on the size of the building. The estimated cost is Ksh.21,000/sq. The fees are as follows:

i. Building plan approval fee: 1% of the estimated cost of construction
ii. Construction sign board fee: Ksh.25,000
iii. Application fee: Ksh.5,000
iv. Inspection of building file: Ksh.5,000 v. Occupation certificate: Ksh.5,000

It takes a period of 45 days to get the approval.

Step 5: Submit and obtain approval of the structural plans

Visit the county’s development and control and follow the following steps:

i. Submit structural plans
ii. Obtain structural plans approval notification
iii. Submit structural plans for signing
iv. Obtain authenticated structural plans

With approved drawings, construction may start while the application for a building permit is being processed.
The following documents are to submitted for approval

a) project plans,
b) architectural drawings,
c) Location survey of property documents and others.

It takes approximately one day for approval. The approval is done free of charge.

Step 6: Obtain stamps on architectural and structural plans from the Nairobi City County – Development Control Section

Once the plans have been approved, the architect must submit hard copies of the plans to be stamped by the Nairobi City County, even after submitting the documents online.
The engineer must also do the same after the architect’s plans have been stamped. The engineer does not have to wait one month like the architect to bring in the hard copies.
It takes approximately ten days for approval. The approval is done free of charge.

Step 7: Apply for project registration with the National Construction Authority (NCA

The building company then has to register the proposed construction project with the National Construction Authority (NCA) and fill a project registration form providing details of the construction work. The form Project registration form

Can be downloaded from the NCA website NCA website

It takes around a week to obtain the compliance certificate.
Upon submission of the application, the building company receives a temporary certificate that testifies the registration is under process.
The building company submits the project registration form to the authority with several documents listed below.

i. Authenticated architectural plans (original)
ii. Authenticated structural plans (original)
iii. NEMA approval (Simple copy)
iv. Bill of quantities (Simple copy)
v. contract/agreement (Simple copy) It should be duly signed by both the contractor and the client
vi. Contractor’s registration certificate (Simple copy)
vii. Quantity surveyor’s practicing certificate (Simple copy) viii. Architect’s practicing certificate (Simple copy)
ix. Engineer’s practicing certificate (Simple copy)

The building company will then be issued with an invoice on the amount of levy it should pay the authority at selected bank accounts, which are posted on the NCA website. The levy is 0.5% of the total cost of the project (percentage applicable to projects with a value of over Ksh.5,000,000).
It takes approximately one day for approval. The approval is done free of charge.

Step 8: Receive on-site visits by NCA to check for compliance and obtain invoice

Once the application has been made, there is a site-inspection to check for compliance of the construction site against the approved plans and the NEMA clearance.
After this site inspection, the applicant will receive an invoice showing the amount to be paid.

Step 9: Submit payment receipt, obtain preliminary compliance certificate and compliance certificate

Once payment is made, then a provisional certificate of compliance, valid for 90 days, is given to the applicant. If later, there are no violations of compliance, then the final compliance certificate will be issued
It takes approximately seven days for approval.

Required Documents

Transfer Certificate of Title
Architectural plan
structural plans
clearance application form
Civil/structural permit
Electrical permit
Mechanical permit
Sanitary permit
Plumbing permit
Electronics permit
Fire Safety Clearance
NEMA approval
Bill of quantities
contractor’s registration certificate
Quantity surveyor’s practicing certificate
Architect’s practicing certificate
Engineer’s practicing certificate
survey plan

Office Locations & Contacts

National Construction Authority – Head Office
Physical address: 9th Floor, KCB Towers, Kenya Road,
Upperhill Area, Nairobi,
Postal address: P.O.Box 21046-00100
Nairobi,
Tel:+254 709 126 102/172/173