Dealing with construction permits in Dominican Republic

Dealing with construction permits in Dominican Republic

Below is a detailed summary of the procedures, time and costs to build a warehouse in Dominican Republic. This includes obtaining necessary licenses and permits, completing required notifications and inspections and obtaining utility connections.

This information was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 189 economies. The most recent round of data collection was completed in June 2013.

Read the methodology.

Dealing with construction permits in Dominican Republic

1- Obtain a certificate to use the land and possibly, one of no objection (“certificación de no objeción, certificación de uso de suelo”)

The land-use certificate confers the right to build on the plot, but it does not authorize construction. The certificate ensures that the project conforms to zoning regulations. It is a prerequisite for other procedures. The request for this permit may include a request for the certification of “no objection.”

The request must be accompanied by several documents related to the land, including
• A copy (simple, unnotarized) of the real property deed for the plot (does not have to be recently obtained
• A cadastral plan
• A map of the project’s location; and (d) a first draft of the project design drawings

Should the no-objection certification be requested along with the permit for use of land, the cost involved in such procedure is DOP 1,080.00. If the land-use permit is requested separately from the no-objection certification, the fee is DOP 530.00. If requested separately from the land-use permit, the no-objection certification fee is DOP 550.00. In both cases, the requests must be accompanied by the inspection request.

Agency: Municipal Council (Departamento de Planeamiento Urbano)

Dealing with construction permits in Dominican Republic

2 – Obtain approval of project design drawings by the Municipal Council, and of the construction license by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications

The request for approval of the project design drawings must be accompanied by several documents, including the property deed, the cadastral plan, and project design drawings, certified by an architect or engineer registered at the Dominican College of Engineers and Architects (CODIA) by the corresponding Municipal Council. BuildCo must request an inspection upon filing the project drawings. Doing so is a prerequisite for other procedures. If the certification of no objection to the project construction is not requested along with the land use permit, it must be requested along with this procedure.

Once the request is approved by the Municipal Council (usually after 14 days), the municipality forwards the request to the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. The ministry then grants a construction license for the project (usually in another 14 days). The license is granted to the project itself and not to BuildCo. During this process, BuildCo must follow up with both agencies to ensure license processing. The construction must be initiated within 6 months from the date of issuance of the license. The license expires if construction work has not begun within 6 months.

According to Resolution # 5, 2004 of the National District Office (Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional de Santo Domingo) the official cost for the construction of a warehouse is DOP 75.00 per sq. m. For a warehouse of 1300.6 sq. m. the total cost will be DOP 97,545.00.

Agency: Municipal Council (Departamento de Planeamiento Urbano del Ayuntamiento de la Jurisdicción correspondiente), Ministry of Public Works and Communications (Departamento de Tramitación de Planos de la Secretaría de Estado de Obras Públicas)

3 – Receive inspection by the Municipal Council (Departamento de Planeamiento Urbano)

The inspection is a prerequisite for the Municipal Council’s project design approval and is undertaken by the municipal authorities. According to Resolution # 5, 2004 of the National District Office (Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional de Santo Domingo) the official cost for this inspection is DOP 500.00.
Agency: Municipal Council (Departamento de Planeamiento Urbano)

4 – Receive inspection by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications

An inspector from the Inspection Department of the Ministry of Public Works (Departamento de Inspección de la Secretaría de Estado de Obras Públicas) inspects the site to determine the project’s magnitude and taxes and license fees.
Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communications (Inspectorate)

Dealing with construction permits in Dominican Republic

5 – Pay license fees and taxes associated with the construction license and obtain proof of payment

Fees are paid once the license has been approved and the inspector has valued the project. The formula used by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications to determine construction fees is DOP 2,800.00 per sq. m (1,300.6 sq. m. x DOP 2,800.00 = DOP 3,640,000.00).

Thus, the applicable administrative fees (based on a project value of DOP 3,640,000.00) for this procedure are as follows:
• Internal taxes: DOP 464.00
• Construction permit, equivalent to 2.5 X 1,000 of the construction cost: DOP 9,104.20
• Fee for the Dominican College of Engineers and Architects (CODIA), equivalent to 2 x 1,000 of the construction cost: DOP 7,280.00.

Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communication (Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Comunicaciones).

6 – Obtain recibo de entrada from Ministry of Public Works and Communications

The following documents are filed before the Ministry of Public Works and Communications:
• Deed of real estate property
• Cadastral plan
• No objection certification, issued by the municipal authorities (see Procedure 1)
• Form F-3 DGPU, provided by the municipal authorities
• Evidence of payment of the taxes for the construction permit
• Plans, duly certified by the corresponding municipal authorities
• Plans, duly approved by the Directorate of Terrestrial Transit (Direccion General de Transito Terrrestre)
• Structural calculations
• Permit for the use of land

Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communications

7  – Receive an inspection before the lintel (zapata) of the project is made

It is unnecessary to interrupt construction, either during construction inspections or between the inspection request date and the actual inspection.
Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communications

8 – Receive an inspection before the space between galleries (entrepiso) is completed

Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communications

9 – Receive an inspection before the roof of the project is completed

The inspection is carried out by an inspector from the Inspection Department of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (Departamento de Inspeccion de la Secretaria de Estado de Obras Publicas y Comunicaciones).
Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communications

10 – Request water and sewage connection

Agency: Corporation of Aqueduct and Sewage System of Santo Domingo (CAASD)

11 – Receive on-site inspection for water and sewage connection

Agency: Corporation of Aqueduct and Sewage System of Santo Domingo (CAASD)

12 – Receive water and sewage connection

A contract must be executed with the Corporation of Aqueducts and Sewage System of Santo Domingo.
Agency: Corporation of Aqueduct and Sewage System of Santo Domingo (CAASD)

13 – Receive on-site inspection and connection to telephone

Agency: Compañia Dominicana de Telefonos (CODETEL)

14 – Notify the Ministry of Public Works and Communications of the building completion and obtain final approval (inspection) 

Once notified of construction completion, the Ministry of Public Works undertakes a final on-site inspection. Usually, the inspectors visit the site in about a week or so. To obtain final inspection, BuildCo must pay internal taxes of DOP 1,160.00 (five times the tax of DOP 232.00). This inspection verifies if the transit regulations have been fulfilled and examines the roof’s impermeability, the sanitary installations, the electrical installations, and the door, floor, and window installations.
Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Communication (Dirección de Edificación de la Secretaría de Estado de Obras Públicas).

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