Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 11. Real estate and land › Building permits and subdivision
Building permits and subdivision
Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable
The Ministry of Housing, MIVHED, issues construction licences through a single window, with the town and environment authorities first. Service sheets give up to 60 working days for simple projects and up to 120 for complex ones. The application costs RD$6,000, plus 0.1% of the appraised value above RD$6 million, and a licence lasts one year. A new Construction Code took effect in April 2026.
USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date, rounded to the cent.
Key facts
| Construction licence validity | 1 yearMIVHED service sheet, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
|---|---|
| Licence term for simple projects | 60 working daysMIVHED service sheet, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| Licence term for complex projects | 120 working daysMIVHED service sheet, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| Service fee above RD$6,000,000 | 0.1 %MIVHED service sheet, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
The rule
1. The Licencia de Construcción is the official authorization to start works, after MIVHED reviews the legal and technical file.MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Service description, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. Simple projects take up to 60 working days: housing or commercial, up to six levels, with no more than five prior approvals. Complex projects take up to 120 working days, such as mixed use, tourism or health. Terms run from a complete file.MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Response times, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
3. The application costs RD$6,000, and a service fee of 0.1% of the appraised project applies only if that value exceeds RD$6,000,000. Right of way costs RD$8,500. Town hall and CODIA payments are separate.
Cost to do it: RD$6,000 (about US$98.52) plus 0.1% of value: RD$60,000 (about US$985.21) on RD$60,000,000, plus RD$8,500 (about US$139.57) for right of way if needed.
Example: RD$60,000,000 project: RD$6,000 plus RD$60,000 / US$985,210.35 project: US$98.52 plus US$985.21MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Cost, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: RD$6,000 (about US$98.52) plus 0.1% of value: RD$60,000 (about US$985.21) on RD$60,000,000, plus RD$8,500 (about US$139.57) for right of way if needed.
Example: RD$60,000,000 project: RD$6,000 plus RD$60,000 / US$985,210.35 project: US$98.52 plus US$985.21MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Cost, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. A licence lasts one year from issue, and must be renewed if work has not started or finished.
Cost to do it: Renewal RD$5,700 (about US$93.59).MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Validity, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: Renewal RD$5,700 (about US$93.59).MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Validity, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. Preliminary works can get a conditional authorization in 5 working days, or 10 for foundation excavations, and partial start in 5 for simple projects, at no fee, once a licence application is in progress.MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados, Complementary services, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. MIVHED fees updated in 2026 include modification or certification of a licence at RD$8,500, duplicate at RD$5,000 and plan resealing at RD$500 per sheet. Low cost housing licences, the start of works permit and prior work authorization are exempt.MIVHED communiqué on updated fees, Fee tables, 2026-06 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. Inspection by stage runs from RD$3,300 per level for projects up to two levels, up to RD$15,000 for tourism or commercial floors above 1,500 m². Final inspection is RD$11,000 for up to two levels, or RD$5 to RD$20 per m² by type.MIVHED communiqué on updated fees, Inspection tables, 2026-06 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. A Construction Code of the Dominican Republic was set by Resolución 007-2026 of 10 April 2026.MIVHED service sheet, Certificación de Aprobación de Lotificación, Legal basis, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: New single code in 2026.
9. Anyone urbanizing land submits a project on zoning, densities and roads to the municipal authority, and no permits issue on the plots until the plans are approved and, in provincial capitals, listed works are complete.Ley 675 de 1944 sobre Urbanización, Ornato Público y Construcciones, art. 1 and art. 5 paragraph II, 1944-08-14 official text · verified 2026-10-30
10. Lotification needs a MIVHED certificate. It requires definitive titles, surveyed plans, a land use and setbacks certificate, a town no objection, and an environmental certificate. Each resulting lot then needs its own licence.MIVHED service sheet, Certificación de Aprobación de Lotificación, Description and requirements, 2026 official text · verified 2026-10-30
11. Streets, green areas and other spaces for public use in subdivisions become public domain when the plans are registered.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 106, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30
12. Works that may affect the environment need a permit or licence from the Environment Ministry before they start.Ley 64-00 General sobre Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, art. 40, 2000-08-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
| Project | Fee | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Up to two levels, individual or residential | RD$11,000 | US$180.62 |
| Over two levels, per m² habitable | RD$15 | US$0.25 |
| Urbanizations or multi block, per m² | RD$5 | US$0.08 |
| Tourism, per m² | RD$20 | US$0.33 |
| Commercial or mixed, per m² | RD$15 | US$0.25 |
Selected MIVHED final inspection fees, 2026
Worked example
- A six level residential block appraised at RD$90,000,000 (about US$1,477,815.53) with 5,000 m² habitable pays RD$6,000 (about US$98.52) to apply and a service fee of RD$90,000 (about US$1,477.82), then a final inspection of RD$75,000 (about US$1,231.51), on top of stage inspections and town and CODIA charges.
Step by step
- Secure the title and the land use certificate.
- Get the town no objection and environmental authorization.
- File through the Ventanilla Única de Construcción, directly or with a licensed Gestor Urbano.
- Pay MIVHED, the town and CODIA.
- Book stage and final inspections.
- Register the improvement.
Common traps
- Saturday inspections cost 50% more, and missed visits count against the limit.
- A one year licence is short for a large project, so include renewal.
- An official note of the Presidency reports the ministry stopping commercial buildings over structural risk and missing permits.
- Environment Ministry fees were not verified. Town and CODIA charges are outside the MIVHED sheet.
Sources
- MIVHED service sheet, Licencia de Construcción y Permisos Asociados
- MIVHED communiqué on updated fees
- MIVHED service sheet, Certificación de Aprobación de Lotificación
- Ley 675 de 1944 sobre Urbanización, Ornato Público y Construcciones
- Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07
- Ley 64-00 General sobre Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales
Related pages
- real-estate/zoning-and-land-use
- real-estate/protected-areas-and-environmental-permits
- real-estate/low-cost-housing-and-real-estate-trusts
- investing/project-permits-and-one-stop-shop
- /country/dominican-republic/
- /calendar/
- Live dashboard
Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X
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