OBTAINING A BUILDING PERMIT IN CAMEROON

Land ownership is the start of a thought oriented towards investment with a view to developing one's land and enjoying it fully. We can then embark on agricultural, industrial, commercial or housing projects. It is moreover the last form of project cited which retains our attention during these developments. So, once you become a landowner, the general question that comes to mind is how to build a house and live there safely? However, through ignorance or lack of means, individuals most of the time embark on construction work immediately after acquiring land, without first respecting certain administrative requirements linked to town planning rules; hence the interest in convening in turn Law No. 2004-003 of April 21, 2004 governing town planning in Cameroon and Decree No. 2008 / 0739 / PM of April 23, 2008 setting the rules for land use and construction, to answer the main question of what is the procedure for obtaining a building permit?

You should know de facto that not all land is eligible for building permits; this is particularly the case for summary, precarious and temporary constructions, or constructions with a view to the outbuildings of the national domain, which need to obtain a “permit to establish” or even works infrastructure intended to serve the general interest (road, rail, river, port, etc.). Other types of construction will therefore need the authorization of a building permit. It is in this sense that the law provides in its article 107: “(1) The Building Permit is an administrative act which authorizes construction after verification of its conformity with the rules of the art and the town planning rules in force. (2) Anyone wishing to undertake construction, even if it does not include a foundation, must first obtain a Building Permit issued by the Mayor of the Municipality concerned. (3) A Building Permit is also required for work carried out on existing constructions when it has the effect of changing their destination, modifying their exterior appearance or their volume, or creating additional levels.

It is easy to understand that the institution authorized to issue such an administrative act is the town hall of the location of the real estate property. The file in five copies submitted against receipt, must then include, within the meaning of the decree of article 25 of the decree, the following documents: “A request stamped at the regulatory rate established on an administrative form signed by the owner of the land or his agent; A town planning certificate; A certificate of ownership dated less than six (6) months or an act from the Minister responsible for lands in lieu thereof; A descriptive, quantitative and estimated quote for the work; A mass plan of the constructions to be edited or modified, and the location of the land; Execution plans including the plan of foundations, distribution, roof, facades, sections and structure if necessary at scales defined in the building permit application model; A sanitation system.” After 45 days, the decentralized local authority has not notified the applicant of a decision of rejection, the building permit is deemed acquired. Finally, to avoid ending up with the notice Work Stoppage (AT) affixed by the town hall agents, it is imperative to request and obtain a building permit whether at the end of the construction of your foundation or before . Keywords Building permit Mayor property.