The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (“MLMUPC”) issued Guideline No. 291 DNS/KHTT dated 4 February 2026 on the Procedures for the Issuance of Construction Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (the “Guideline”), which took effect on the same date. Issued as part of the Royal Government’s broader public service reform agenda, the Guideline establishes clear timelines and a streamlined workflow for the issuance of construction permits and certificates of occupancy, providing greater predictability for developers, investors, and enterprises undertaking construction projects in Cambodia.

Background
Prior to the Guideline, applicants for construction permits often faced uncertainty as to processing timelines, with approval periods varying significantly from project to project. The Guideline addresses this by imposing time-bound obligations on the relevant general departments of the MLMUPC – the General Department of Construction, the General Department of Land Management and Urban Planning, the General Department of Housing, and the General Department of Cadastre and Geography – to process applications within prescribed deadlines.
The Guideline governs the procedures for construction permits and certificates of occupancy issued under the authority of the Minister of the MLMUPC. Under Sub-Decree No. 224 on Construction Permits, constructions falling under the Minister’s jurisdiction include large-scale projects such as those with a total floor area exceeding 3,000 square meters and buildings of more than 11 floors.

Application Process and Prescribed Timelines
Under the Guideline, construction permit applications are submitted through the One Window Service of the MLMUPC, and each stage of the process is subject to the following prescribed time limits:
1. The One Window Service must forward the application documents to the General Department of Construction, the General Department of Land Management and Urban Planning, the General Department of Housing, and the General Department of Cadastre and Geography within a maximum of 2 working days from the date of issuance of the application receipt.
2. The General Department of Cadastre and Geography must review the application and prepare a cadastral information review and verification report, and forward it to the General Department of Construction, within a maximum of 20 working days from receipt of the documents.
3. The General Department of Land Management and Urban Planning must prepare an urban planning regulation review and verification report, and forward it to the General Department of Construction, within a maximum of 20 working days from receipt of the documents.
4. The General Department of Housing must prepare a housing development policy review and verification report, and forward it to the General Department of Construction, within a maximum of 20 working days from receipt of the documents.。
5. The General Department of Construction must prepare its own review and evaluation report on the construction permit application within a maximum of 20 working days from receipt of the documents.
6. The General Department of Construction must then prepare a consolidated evaluation report and a draft construction permit within a maximum of 5 working days from receipt of the reports from the three other general departments.
7. The General Department of Administration must convene a meeting to review the consolidated evaluation report and submit the meeting outcome, together with the reports of the specialized general departments, to the Minister for decision, within a maximum of 15 working days.
8. Following the Minister’s decision, the General Department of Administration must number, date, and stamp the construction permit and approved plans and deliver them to the One Window Service within a maximum of 2 working days.
9. The One Window Service must deliver the construction permit and approved plans to the construction owner or their legal representative within a maximum of 1 working day.

As steps 2 to 5 are processed in parallel, the overall process amounts to approximately 45 working days (2 + 20 + 5 + 15 + 2 + 1). If each stage were processed sequentially, the maximum aggregate period would be 105 working days. It should be noted that these periods do not include the time taken by the Minister to render the decision itself.
In addition, where the review finds that the proposed project exceeds the applicable maximum land use limits, the construction owner is required to pay an additional service fee for the issuance of a construction permit in respect of the exceedance.

Certificate of Occupancy
With respect to certificates of occupancy, the Guideline requires that the National Construction Laboratory provide an opinion on the propriety of the company providing the testing services before a certificate of occupancy may be issued. Under the applicable regulations, a certificate of occupancy must be applied for upon completion of construction and must be obtained before a building may be used or put into operation. The Guideline itself does not prescribe a processing period for the certificate of occupancy; in practice, the approval process typically takes between 1 and 3 months, depending on the complexity of the project and the inspection process.

Implementation Considerations
Developers and enterprises planning construction projects – including factory construction or expansion, office fit-outs involving structural work, and residential or commercial developments – should incorporate the prescribed timelines into their project schedules and financing plans. Given that the timelines run only from the submission of a complete dossier, early engagement with design consultants and legal advisors to ensure the completeness and accuracy of application documents is advisable. Enterprises should also note that occupying or operating a building without a certificate of occupancy may expose them to regulatory sanctions, and the 1–3 month approval period for the certificate should be factored into planned opening or operation commencement dates.

For Assistance
Developers, investors, and enterprises undertaking construction projects in Cambodia should consult with their legal advisors to ensure that construction permit and certificate of occupancy applications are properly prepared and submitted in accordance with the new Guideline, and that project timelines appropriately reflect the prescribed processing periods.