Construction licensing made easier: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has directed the government to scrap the construction licensing requirements put forward in 2021 and reinstating the full provisions of the 2008 Building Law and its executive regulations, according to a statement from the Housing Ministry.

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The move aims to push more citizens to obtain their building permit by making the process easier, making it an 8-step process from 15 steps previously, according to another statement from the Local Development Ministry.

A speedy process: The move will allow citizens to receive their building permit in a swift 44-day period, which could go down to 26 days if there is no need for an ins. certificate, Local Development Ministry spokesperson Khaled Qasem told Enterprise. Citizens will also now be able to access responsive tech support and local administration units to guide them through the process of obtaining their permit, he added.

And a boost in the construction sector: The decision will ease barriers to accessing building permits and support and energize the construction sector in the process, Qasem said.

Background: The government in 2021 introduced fresh licensing requirements, including setting limits on building heights that vary with street width and standards for built-up areas depending on land size — limits that have been in place ever since. Those requirements were preceded by a construction ban in urban centers across the country including the whole of Greater Cairo and Alexandria that took place in 2020, which came as part of a government crackdown on building code violations and illegal construction.

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