The government has introduced a fast-track process for issuing building licences for certain residential units, aiming to cut bureaucracy and promote home ownership, which it announced in January.
Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou detailed the new system, which significantly reduces the time for obtaining a final building permit to 40 working days – 20 days for a town planning permit and 20 for a building permit.
The fast-track system applies to single dwellings and duplex houses classified as ‘low risk,’ meaning they are on registered land or land in the process of being registered. This initiative, which began last October, is expected to ease the burden on local government offices, allowing them to focus on construction inspections.
Building licence application
Applications must be submitted through the ‘Ippodamos‘ electronic licensing system by architects, who are responsible for the accuracy of the information provided. If a local authority does not reject an application within 20 days, the permit will be automatically issued on the 21st day.
The new process finalizes the government’s licensing reforms, with single dwellings and duplexes accounting for 30% of applications. Since October, 332 licence applications have been submitted, with 242 processed and 223 approved, while 26 were rejected. The remaining applications are still within the 20-day processing window.
Starting in March, the fast-track process will extend to ‘medium-risk’ developments, including up to 12 houses in a row or four-story buildings with up to 20 apartments. These permits will be processed within 80 working days.
Self-monitoring & on-site checks to ensure compliance
The system introduces ‘self-monitoring’ by architects and ‘on-site checks’ by designated building inspectors, ensuring compliance through inspections at three key construction stages. In collaboration with the scientific and technical chamber (ETEK), the ministry is drafting regulations for building inspectors. Until the regulations are finalized, ETEK will provide a temporary list of qualified inspectors.
Ioannou emphasized that these reforms will help increase housing availability, making home ownership more accessible, particularly for young families. However, issues remain with the ‘Ippodamos’ system, which was launched in July 2024, including slow processing speeds and architectural limitations.
