Building permits in the Federation of BiH: steps, documents and realistic timelines

Getting a building permit in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina takes three big steps. The law is cantonal, so details differ between Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar, but the order is the same everywhere. This is the guide we wish we had had at the start of every project.

1. Planning consent (or location information)

The first document answers the question: what may be built on this plot at all. It is filed with the municipal planning office and requires:

• a land registry extract and a copy of the cadastral plan,
• a concept design (floor plans, facades, site plan),
• sometimes a survey and utility companies' consents.

In Sarajevo Canton, zones covered by a detailed plan get a location information instead, which is faster and needs fewer documents. The legal deadline is 30 days; in practice count on 1 to 3 months.

2. The building permit

This is the permit itself. The application includes the main design with all disciplines, proof of ownership, the planning consent and the utility consents (electricity, water, fire protection, sometimes roads). Larger buildings also need an independent review of the design.

This is where most time is lost to supplements: one consent missing, a report not stamped, the plot not fully registered. That is why we complete the documentation before filing, not after. The legal deadline is 30 days; realistically 2 to 4 months.

3. Site registration and the occupancy permit

Before work starts, the site is registered with the inspectorate, with the contractor and supervision contracts. When the building is finished, a technical inspection confirms it was built to the design, after which the occupancy permit is issued. Without it there is no registration in the land books and no regular electricity connection.

How long it all takes

From the first document to the start of construction, in planned zones, 4 to 8 months is realistic. Where there is no detailed plan, or the plot has unresolved ownership, it can take twice as long. The biggest time saving is to prepare everything before filing and to run in parallel whatever can be run in parallel.

What we do in that process

We prepare the concept and the main design, collect the consents, file the applications and answer the supplements. You sign the applications and make the decisions; we handle the administration. Send us your plot details and we will tell you the exact procedure for your municipality.