Lilongwe building permit 2026
How to get planning permission from Lilongwe City Council before you build, how the council works out the fee from the size of your building, and every planning charge in its 2026 gazette.
- House, high density: K400 /m²
- Decision in 30 days
- THAs need one too
Quick answer: Every building in Lilongwe needs a planning permit from Lilongwe City Council before work starts, including houses in Traditional Housing Areas. You apply to the council’s Planning and Development directorate (or online on its Digital Services Portal) and pay a scrutiny fee based on the floor area: K400 per square metre for a house in a high density area, K600 in medium density, K800 in low density, plus government surtax. The council says a permit takes 30 days at most. Building without one can cost you your tools, and a later regularisation costs one and a half times the normal fee.
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How to get a building permit in Lilongwe
From LCC’s FAQ, its planning committee notice and the 2026 gazette.
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Check that you need one (you almost certainly do)
The council’s answer is plain: any development within the city, regardless of the location, needs a planning permit. That includes houses in high density Traditional Housing Areas, fences, septic tanks, sign posts and billboards. Changing what a building is used for (a house into a shop or office) is a separate change of use application, K200,000.
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Prepare your plans and apply
Online: LCC’s Digital Services Portal (the ‘Client Self Service Portal’ link on lcc.mw) lists Building Permit among its services. Register, sign in and start an application there.
In person: the council’s Directorate of Planning and Development handles planning applications. LCC does not publish a document checklist online, so ask before you go ([email protected], 0884 823 555, toll free 346). The council sells its Development Control Procedures and Development Control Guidelines and Standards for K15,000 each, and a location or site plan for K15,000.
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Pay the scrutiny fee
The council checks (‘scrutinises’) your plans for a fee set by the size and type of the building: floor area × the gazette rate × 0.008, plus government surtax. See what it costs below. Pay through the council’s approved payment platforms and keep the receipt.
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The planning committees decide
Applications go to a Technical Sub Committee, which recommends them to the Lilongwe Town Planning Committee. LCC’s notice says an application must reach the council at least four days before a Technical Sub Committee meeting, or it waits for the next one. The council publishes the meeting calendar for each financial year.
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Get your answer within 30 days
LCC says a planning permit takes a maximum of 30 days to process. If it cannot decide in that time, the council will write to you with the reasons. Do not start building until the permit is approved.
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After building: certificate of occupation
The gazette sets a certificate of occupation fee for all developments: 0.2% of area × rate for homes, 0.5% for commercial and industrial buildings. If your permit runs out before you build, a renewal costs half the scrutiny fee.
How much is a building permit in Lilongwe?
The gazette sets a rate per square metre for each type of building and multiplies it by 0.008. We have done the sum: this is what you pay for each square metre of floor area, before surtax.
- BuildingScrutiny fee
- House, high density areaGazette rate K50,000 per m² × 0.008K400 /m²
- House, medium density areaGazette rate K75,000 per m² × 0.008K600 /m²
- House, low density areaGazette rate K100,000 per m² × 0.008K800 /m²
- Church or schoolGazette rate K120,000 per m² × 0.008K960 /m²
- Local centreGazette rate K100,000 per m² × 0.008K800 /m²
- FactoryGazette rate K200,000 per m² × 0.008K1,600 /m²
- WarehouseGazette rate K200,000 per m² × 0.008K1,600 /m²
- Normal buildingGazette rate K150,000 per m² × 0.008K1,200 /m²
- High riseGazette rate K200,000 per m² × 0.008K1,600 /m²
Worked examples (our arithmetic from the gazette, before surtax): a 60 m² house in a high density area is 60 × K400 = K24,000. A 100 m² house in a medium density area is K60,000. A 200 m² house in a low density area is K160,000. A 500 m² warehouse is K800,000.
The council measures the area from your plans, and decides which density zone your plot is in. The gazette adds that prevailing government surtax goes on top of scrutiny fees and development charges.
- Formula
- Area × rate × 0.008
- Plus
- Government surtax
- Renewal
- 50% of scrutiny fee
- Regularisation
- Scrutiny fee + 50%
Every Lilongwe planning fee for 2026
Part II of the gazette of 20 March 2026, in force from 1 April 2026. Tap a group to open it.
Fences, tanks, signs and towers
- Wire fenceK50,000
- Brick fenceK50,000
- Concrete panel fenceK50,000
- Septic tankK20,000
- Gas cageK150,000
- Billboard, per square metreK30,000
- Single sided sign postK50,000
- Double sided sign postK80,000
- Composite sign postK150,000
- Gantry over 2 lanesK1,500,000
- Gantry over 4 lanesK3,000,000
- Gantry over 6 lanesK5,000,000
- Filling station canopy, up to 2 pumpsK1,500,000
- Filling station canopy, 3 to 4 pumpsK3,000,000
- Filling station canopy, 5 or more pumpsK5,000,000
- Transmission tower, per siteK2,500,000
Subdividing a plot
- 1 plot createdK75,000
- 2 to 5 plots, per plotK100,000
- 5 to 10 plots, per plotK150,000
- 11 to 20 plots, per plotK300,000
- Layout plan, more than 20 plotsK1,000,000
Renewals, change of use, parking
- Renewal of a planning permit50% of scrutiny fee
- Regularising a building put up without a permit (as-built plans)Scrutiny fee + 50%
- Application in principle (outline)K500,000
- Change of use of a propertyK200,000
- Borrowing approved plans (search fee)K30,000
- Network towerK1,000,000
- Car parking space shortfall, per spaceK100,000
- One surface car parking spaceK70,000
Certificate of occupation
- Residential buildingArea × rate × 0.2%
- Commercial or industrial buildingArea × rate × 0.5%
Maps and planning documents
- Master Plan, whole documentK40,000
- Master Plan, summaryK35,000
- MapK15,000
- Detailed layout planK10,000
- Location plan or site planK15,000
- Development Control ProceduresK15,000
- Development Control Guidelines and StandardsK15,000
- City Development StrategyK15,000
- Lilongwe Urban ProfileK15,000
Land in THAs: council charges
- Application for a plotK30,000
- Application for regularisationK40,000
- Lease applicationK30,000
- Transfer through saleK99,025
- Transfer through inheritanceK58,250
- Inspection feeK50,000
- Administration feeK10,000
- Registration feeK10,000
- Search feeK20,000
- Plot boundary disputeK50,000
- Ground rent, valued residential, a yearK15,000
- Ground rent, valued commercial, a yearK35,000
- Ground rent, unvalued residential, a yearK100,000
- Ground rent, unvalued commercial, a yearK200,000
Fences: the gazette lists wire, brick and concrete panel fences at K50,000 each, but above the table it also prints a perimeter formula (perimeter × K15,000 per metre × 0.008, which is K120 a metre). Ask the council which one it applies to your fence.
If you built without a permit
What the 2026 gazette says.
The 2026 gazette lists the penalties: the council confiscates tools on the site and charges K20,000 per tool to release them (K250,000 for billboard tools). Someone caught more than three times has their tools auctioned.
To make a finished building legal, apply to regularise it with as-built plans: the fee is the normal scrutiny fee plus 50%. People living on informal plots on council land can also apply to be regularised and get lease documents (application K40,000).
- Tools
- K20,000 each
- Billboard tools
- K250,000
- 3+ offences
- Tools auctioned
- Regularise
- Scrutiny fee + 50%
Lilongwe City Council links
Lilongwe building permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit to build a house in Lilongwe?
Yes. Lilongwe City Council says any development within the city, wherever it is, needs a planning permit. That includes Traditional Housing Areas.
How much is a building permit in Lilongwe?
It depends on size and type. For a house it is K400 per square metre of floor area in a high density area, K600 in medium density and K800 in low density, plus government surtax. A 100 m² house in a medium density area pays K60,000.
How long does a planning permit take?
Up to 30 days, according to LCC. If the council cannot decide in that time it writes to you with the reasons.
Can I apply for a building permit online?
LCC’s Digital Services Portal (selfservice.ircsdigital.com, linked from lcc.mw) lists Building Permit as a service. You need to register an account first.
Do I need a permit for a fence or a septic tank?
Yes. The 2026 gazette lists fences at K50,000 and septic tanks at K20,000.
What happens if I build without a permit?
The council can confiscate your tools (K20,000 per tool to get them back) and auction them after more than three offences. To legalise the building you pay the scrutiny fee plus 50%.
My permit has expired. What now?
Renew it. The gazette sets the renewal fee at half the scrutiny fee.
Do I also pay city rates?
Property owners pay city rates to the council: see our Lilongwe city rates guide. A business on the premises also needs a business licence.
Building in Mzuzu instead?
Mzuzu City Council has its own rules: see our Mzuzu building permit guide.
Related guides
GuideLilongwe parkingK500 an hour, permits, fines
GuideLilongwe business licenceFees for 70+ business types
GuideBlantyre business licence2026/27 fees, pay at Civic Offices
GuideMzuzu business licenceForms, renewal, FDH deposit
GuideLilongwe city rates2026 rates, 60 days to pay
GuideBlantyre city ratesTHA K30,000, bank accounts
GuideMzuzu building permitPlans, fee formula, inspections
GuideNational IDNeeded for most applications
GuideOpen a bank account8 banks comparedSources: Lilongwe City Council fees, levies and service charges, Malawi Government Gazette, 20 March 2026 (General Notice No. 22, Part II Planning and Development Fees, effective 1 April 2026); LCC FAQ on planning permits; LCC calendar of technical and town planning meetings; LCC Digital Services Portal. Per square metre figures and examples are our arithmetic from the gazette formula. Checked October 2026.
