HDB renovation permit checker

How to use this HDB renovation permit checker

Pick the work you plan from the list, which is grouped by area of the flat. For some electrical, aircon and bathroom items, the checker asks one more question first. Each result links to the HDB guideline page it comes from.

Inputs: type of work

Do I need a permit for this renovation? It depends on each item, so the list is grouped by area: walls, floors, ceilings, doors and gates, windows and grilles, electrical, aircon, bathroom, and plumbing and gas. If one job covers several items, check each one. Not sure which trade a job needs? See which service you need.

Two extra questions appear for some items:

• Main switch rating. Electrical and aircon items ask whether your main switch is 30amps or 40amps, or upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) or Home Improvement Programme (HIP). HDB's electrical works guidelines say blocks completed since 1994, or upgraded under MUP or HIP, have a 40amps main switch.
• Block age. Bathroom finishes ask whether your block is more than 3 years old, because HDB does not allow the original bathroom and toilet finishes to be replaced for 3 years from the block's completion.

Result: permit needed, rules, who applies

The result shows Yes, No or Not allowed, with HDB's condition for that item. It also shows who applies: your DRC contractor for most works, your Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) for electrical or aircon permits, or the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Approved Window Contractor (AWC) for windows. Where a licence is needed, it names who must do the work: a PUB Licensed Plumber, a Licensed Electrician, a Licensed Gas Service Worker (LGSW) or City Energy, or a BCA-trained aircon installer.

Not allowed covers works HDB rules out, such as hacking structural members, replacing full height, 3/4 height or bay windows, and enclosing the aircon ledge.

How the calculation works (method and sources)

The checker is a lookup table built line by line from HDB's renovation guidelines for building works, window works, electrical works, aircon installation works and plumbing and gas works, plus HDB's permit page. Each line keeps HDB's own wording and links to its source.

For works that need a permit, HDB's permit page says you authorise your DRC contractor to submit an electronic renovation application for you, with an acknowledgement form you sign. For electrical or aircon works, your LEW may apply for the Electrical or Air-Conditioner Installation Permit for you. Either way, proceed only after the permit is granted.

Electrical work also has a licensing rule from the Energy Market Authority (EMA). EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA. EMA's guidance also asks you to verify the worker's licence card before any electrical work starts. For more, see what work needs an LEW.

Limits of this checker

The checker covers the common items in HDB's guidelines, not every possible work. If your item is not listed, check HDB's renovation guidelines or ask your DRC contractor. Your block may also have extra rules on MyHDBPage.

The checker is for HDB flats only. In a condo, renovation works follow your MCST's by-laws; see condo renovation rules.

Some works need a Qualified Person (QP), a Professional Engineer, to certify or supervise them. HDB tells you and your contractor if your application needs a QP; the checker cannot.

No permit does not mean no rules

HDB says works that need no permit must still follow its guidelines, or they are unauthorised works. For example:

• Fasteners. Ramsets, nails and screws must not exceed 6mm in diameter and 40mm in penetration depth under HDB's plumbing guidelines, and the same limit applies to a ceiling clothes drying hanger (building works).
• Wiring. HDB does not allow wiring to be embedded in walls, slabs or plaster. New wiring runs in surface trunking, above a false ceiling or behind carpentry.
• Toilet pans. Installing, fixing, replacing or removing one must be done by a PUB Licensed Plumber, under HDB's plumbing rules.

Timing rules apply too. HDB allows general renovations from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and noisy works such as heavy drilling only from 9am to 5pm on weekdays. The HDB renovation permit guide and HDB drilling rules cover these in more detail.

For small jobs such as fixing a drying rack, compare handyman services and ask whether a quote is an hourly rate or fixed price, since the cost depends on the job.

Questions