Exemptions from planning permission

1. Maintenance and/or improvement work carried out to a street by a statutory authority.

2. Maintenance and/or improvement work carried out to a private street or private access road to a building.

3. Inspecting, repairing or renewing any private sewers, mains, pipes, cables or other apparatus not maintainable by a public authority or statutory undertaker.

4. Laying, inspecting, repairing or renewing any sewers, mains, pipes, cables or other apparatus including the breaking open of any street or other land for that purpose, by a statutory authority.

5. Building works carried out for or in connection with any canal or drain not exceeding 1,500mm in depth.

6. Building works carried out for or in connection with any box culvert with a span not exceeding 5,000mm and a depth not exceeding 1,500mm.

1. The carrying out of any act authorised or required by the Control of Vectors & Pesticides Act (Cap 79).

2. Erection of builders' working sheds, contractors' hut, hoardings, scaffolding, etc., on land being developed or to be developed according to a written permission, subject to removal of the structures upon completion of the development.

3. Erection of a show-flat / show-house for an approved residential development, either on the development site or otherwise, provided that:

   1. owner's consent is obtained;

   2. the erection and use of the showflat or show-house do not give rise to public nuisance.

   3. the show-flat/show-house is demolished upon completion of the project if the show-flat / showhouse does not form part of the approved development.

4. Erection of temporary sheds, platforms, scaffoldings, and other structure of a similar nature for not more than a total of 90 days within a calendar year, provided that:

   1. the temporary structures are removed when the permitted use ceases, and

   2. Police permit or licence, where applicable, is obtained for the activities.

   3. The following uses are permitted under item 4¹:

      1. trade fair,

      2. trade exposition,

      3. funfair,

      4. carnival,

      5. athletics or sports meet,

      6. festive bazaar, festive sale, festive entertainment,

      7. religious entertainment, religious ceremony,

      8. opening ceremony,

      9. funeral wake,

      10. wedding reception, and

      11. wayang.

^{1 except for the use of land for any open cinema.}

1. Construction of*:

   1. gates, walls, fences, paling or other similar means of enclosure with height not exceeding 1.8m, and built with bricks, stone, granite or other similar building material or any combination of the same set in mortar or any other binding material;

   2. posts, pillar and similar structures of a minor nature.

2. Meter compartment not exceeding 0.9m wide x 0.6m deep forming part of the perimeter wall.

^{*Provided that such construction does not create an obstruction to the view of person using any road open to vehicular traffic, or at or near any bend, corner, junction or intersection.}

1. Erection of flagstaff.

2. Increase in setback distance of buildings from lot boundary.

3. Reduction in the size of the approved buildings and ancillary structures, e.g. bin centres, guardhouses, electric substations, underground fuel tanks, etc; which are under construction.

4. Reduction in the overall size of approved buildings which are under construction.

5. Changing the shape of swimming pool which does not result in an increase in floor area or reduction in setbacks.

6. Revision to the layout of surface car parks and re-alignment of driveway for residential and warehouse developments, without any change to the width and location of the approved access point.

7. Re-positioning of approved industrial and warehouse buildings which are under construction, without any increase in gross floor area or affecting the buffer/building setback requirements, provided that the site immediately abuts an existing industrial or warehouse development.

8. Building works carried out for or in connection with any height restriction gantry if it is installed at the entrance/exit of an approved car park only.

9. Building works carried out for or in connection with any plinth, platform or other base with a visible height not exceeding 1,000mm from the ground level and erected for the purpose of supporting any mechanical plant, tank, equipment, machinery or other components (other than a building), if:

   1. it is within industrial /warehouse development only, and

   2. it complies with the green buffer and requisite setback requirement.

1. Painting of the exterior of any building.

2. Change to the material used for the barrier defining the private enclosed space (PES) of a strata-titled property, provided that there is no additional covering for the PES beyond what is approved.

3. Replacement or changing of windows and doors, if:

   1. there is no increase in GFA,

   2. there is no reduction in setback, and

   3. it does not involve changing of window from high level to low level.

4. Installation of any roller shutter or grille door if such installation is carried out for approved or existing door only.

5. Installation of grilles/screens to approved balconies, PES and Private Roof Terraces in all residential developments, provided that:

   1. these spaces had been approved as "covered" spaces, and

   2. the grilles/screening complies with the requisite building setback.

   3. URA's approval is not required if the screens are retractable and allow the screened space to be naturally ventilated at all times. Please ensure that necessary approval from the MCST is obtained.

6. Enclosing of approved balconies by glass/window in landed housing developments only, including strata-landed housing developments, provided that:

   1. the balconies had been approved as "covered" balconies, and

   2. the balconies comply with the requisite building setback.

7. Addition of sunshading devices to existing buildings; provided that:

   1. their projections do not exceed 2.0m measured from the building wall line,

   2. there are no vertical support and not accessible except for maintenance purpose only,

   3. they meet the setback requirement of at least 1.0 m for a landed house outside GCBA, 1.6m for a landed house within GCBA, and 2.0m for other developments,

   4. they are kept clear of green buffer,

   5. they are not to be installed over approved "uncovered" balconies, and

   6. such addition will not lead to spillage of rainwater to the neighbouring sites.

8. Re-construction of the roof in its existing form with no increase in height.

9. Addition of unenclosed water tanks without any roofing & not higher than 3.0 m (including support structures) on the roof top of an approved industrial / warehouse development not within special control area.

10. Installation of Television Receive Only (TVRO) Satellite Dish or Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) with a diameter of 5m or less, provided that

    1. no height restrictions are imposed on the surrounding developments (both existing and future),

    2. clearances from DSTA, CAAS, IDA and SBA where applicable, prior to such installation, and

    3. the site does not fall within any special height control area e.g. view corridor protection.

11. Installation of transmission antenna not exceeding 3m in height, and/or uncovered telecommunication equipment, provided that:

    1. no height restrictions are imposed on the surrounding developments (both existing and future),

    2. clearances from DSTA, CAAS, IDA and SBA where applicable, prior to such installation, and

    3. the site does not fall within any special height control area e.g. view corridor protection.

12. Erection and display of any sign, placard board, notice or other device, whether illuminated or not, employed wholly as an advertisement, announcement or direction, except for the facade of national monuments or any buildings within a conservation area.

13. Maintenance or improvement or alterations of a building which do not materially affect the external appearance or the floor area of the building.

14. Addition or enlargement, alteration or improvement of a detached dwelling house, semi-detached house or terrace house which is not constructed of temporary materials, including the erection of car porch, conversion of car porch roof for use as an open balcony or garden, garage, lavatory and other outbuilding subject to:

    1. the floor area of the addition or enlargement not exceeding a total of 20 sqm;

    2. the addition or enlargement, alteration or improvement not

       1. be effected on more than one occasion;

       2. exceeding the original height of the dwelling-house;

       3. extending beyond the front of the dwelling-house or approved building line except for an open car porch and the works on car porch roof is limited to a 1m (max) high parapet wall around the perimeter of the car porch and a 1.8m (max) high screen wall along the common boundary only;

       4. affecting road widening or improvement proposals; and

       5. obstructing the view of persons using the road.

15. Installation of automated teller machine (ATM) which is recessed into the external wall of a building, with no additional gross floor area involved.

16. Installation of open-sided covers over private enclosed spaces (PES), private roof terraces (PRT) and balconies in strata-titled residential developments (e.g. flats, condominiums and strata landed houses), subject to consent from MCST. The covers should also fulfil the requirements of other relevant agencies such as the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Fire Safety and Shelter Department (FSSD, SCDF), where necessary.

1. Replacement or changing of any false ceiling with lightweight material.

2. Any air-conditioning works.

3. For a non-residential unit: Internal partitioning, re-partitioning or re- arrangement of approved uses within tenanted areas; without any change in primary use/quantum or floor area; or affecting the common areas can be exempted from planning permission.

4. For a residential unit: Internal partitioning can be exempted from planning permission provided that the partitioning does not alter the nature of the original unit to function as a single self-sufficient residential flat* with essential communal spaces and amenities such as living/dining area, kitchens and service yards (if any).
   
   ^{*any proposed internal partitioning works which result in the creation of new sub-units within the original residential dwelling unit are not exempted from planning permission.}

5. Replacement of existing floor and wall finishes. This is not applicable to repaving of the covered and open walkways within the Civic District as approval is required to be obtained from LTA’s Development and Building Control Division and URA’s Development Control Group. For detail, please refer to our Circular No : URA/PB/2009/22-CUDG (Date : 05 Oct 2009)

6. Erection or alteration of:

   1. any partition or partition wall in any bungalow, semi-detached, terrace or linked house; which does not alter the use and function of the subject landed house as a single dwelling unit.

   2. any partition or partition wall constructed of lightweight material in any other (non-residential) building.

   3. Please note that a planning submission must be made to URA if the proposed partitioning works within a landed house results in the creation of a separate or a sub-dwelling unit.

7. Lofts that are designed as a furniture decks can be allowed within a residential unit without planning permission from URA. Such lofts / furniture decks are limited to one per residential unit and the size of the loft shall not exceed 5sqm. The headroom of the loft space should also not be more than the headroom below the loft.