Extension or roof extension
For extensions it must first be checked whether the plan needs a permit or falls under a different route.
Procedure · Environmental permit
Permits and advice for your renovation
Does your plan need an environmental permit, a notification, or is it permit-free? We find out which route suits your activity and location. If an application is needed, we take care of the drawings, the technical justification and the guidance, up to and including answering questions from the competent authority.
- The permit check in the Omgevingsloket as the starting point
- Drawings and calculations that match each other
- Support with requests for additional information and technical questions
Recognise your project question
When permits and advice come into play
First determine which procedure applies, then prepare the application or notification carefully.
Load-bearing changes
For a load-bearing wall, stair opening or roof terrace, structural starting points and calculations are often part of the justification. Structural calculations
Facade and window frames
Facade changes and new window frames often involve the zoning plan and design review. Window frame drawings
Work on a shared building
When an owners' association replaces a roof, repairs a facade or carries out sustainability work, the required consent must be checked per activity.
Change of use
With a different function or layout, building, use and zoning plan rules can come together.
Possibly permit-free
We assess whether your plan can go ahead without a permit and which points you then still need to watch.
Amsterdam and Amstelveen
The location helps decide what is allowed
In Amsterdam-Amstelland, zoning plan rules, design review requirements and conditions for heritage or characteristic buildings can affect your plan.
- The zoning plan rules for your plot
- Design review: volume, facade layout, material and colour
- Protected townscape or listed status
- The relationship with adjoining buildings and boundaries
- Whether several activities apply at once, such as building and use
Taking this into account early in the design makes choices better founded and results in a coherent set of application documents.
A tailored set of documents
Which documents may be needed?
Which documents are needed differs per activity and per competent authority. That is why we do not work with a fixed list of documents.
- Situation and location: address, land registry details, plot boundaries and a clear description of the plan
- Drawings of existing and new: site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections with dimensions
- Structural information: starting points, calculations and a short explanation for load-bearing changes
- Surveys and reports: depending on location and intervention, for example on fire safety, noise, soil or nature
From check to application
The route in five steps
Do the permit check (in Dutch)
The Omgevingsloket gives a first indication: permit required, notification required or information required.
Determine the activities
Is it about building, demolition, use, deviating from the zoning plan or a combination of these?
Identify the competent authority
Check which authority decides in your situation; it is not always the municipality.
Put the documents together
We prepare the drawings, calculations, photos and any surveys your project needs.
Submit and follow the assessment
The application or notification goes through the Omgevingsloket. We help with requests for additional information and technical questions.
Building without a permit
Permit-free does not mean rule-free
Even without an environmental permit, the technical rules of the Buildings Decree (Bbl) still apply, such as requirements for structural safety, fire safety and health.
Some extensions and outbuildings in the rear yard and smaller changes can be permit-free, within the limits the Bbl sets on area, height and distance, among other things. Whether that applies to your plan depends on the activity, the location and the rules.
A wrong assessment can lead to enforcement or to a permit that turns out to be needed after all. If in doubt, a short assessment beforehand is the safest route. We also point out the issues that still need attention, such as the structure for an opening or the effects on neighbours and boundaries.
Getting started
What can you send us?
A complete file is not needed to discuss your question. With clear basic information we can determine more quickly which route applies.
- What do you want to change about the building, the plot or the use?
- What is the address and what is the current situation?
- Is listed status or a protected townscape involved?
- Is it one activity or several at once?
- Who is the owner, client and contractor?
- Which drawings, photos or reports are already available?
Permit FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an environmental permit for my plan?
That depends on the activity, the location and the rules that apply to the plot. So start with the permit check (Vergunningcheck) in the Omgevingsloket.
Does the municipality always decide on my application?
No. Which authority decides differs per activity and situation. For some activities, for example near water or in a restricted zone, it is a different competent authority.
Can my plan fall under a notification instead?
Yes. Some activities need a notification rather than a permit. The Omgevingsloket shows which route applies to your situation.
Which documents do I usually need?
Often site plans, floor plans, elevations and sections of the existing and new situation, structural information, photos and a short plan description. What exactly is needed depends on the project and the competent authority.
If my plan is permit-free, can I decide everything myself?
No. Even without a permit, the technical rules of the Buildings Decree (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving) still apply, such as requirements for structural safety, fire safety and health.
Can I consult in advance before I submit?
Preliminary consultation with the competent authority can help to get a clearer picture of feasibility and the documents needed, especially for complex plans or several activities at once.
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