Moving into your new home? Here’s when and how to get Uganda’s occupancy permit

Uganda’s newly amended building control law over the past days and weeks has triggered fresh anxiety among homeowners, but regulators have now come out to offer clarifications and bust some myths about its provisions.

One of the hot button issues in the Building Control (Amendment) Act, 2025, which President Yoweri Museveni assented to on February 19, 2026, has been the occupation permit rule.

All home owners now need this permit before entering or utilising their newly finished houses.

The rule was already in the old Building Control Act, 2013, but the new amendment changed the enforcement climate around it, as the government moves to tighten compliance in the construction sector.

Under section 44 of the Building Control Act, a completed building is supposed to be inspected and cleared before occupation.

The National Building Review Board, or NBRB, says the permit confirms that the finished structure conforms to approved plans and regulations.

Speaking on an X Spaces hosted by Robert Kabushenga, NBRB Executive Secretary Flavia Gutto Bwire said the public should not treat the law as if it has suddenly banned families from moving into their own homes.

She said the amendment did not create a new requirement, but streamlined enforcement of rules that were already in place.

Bwire said the law also recognises how many Ugandans build gradually. According to her clarification, the regulations allow partial occupancy where a home is not fully finished.

“In the new law, there's an allowance for partial occupancy where you can enter the building even though it is not fully completed. We know that that is how our Ugandans build. We don't always have money to do everything at a go,” she said.

“If, for example, one room has been completed and is fit for use, the owner can apply for partial occupancy and legally enter that part of the building while works continue on the rest.”

The regulations provide for three routes: a full occupation permit, a temporary occupation permit and a partial occupation permit.

The regulations also provide a Form 9 application for temporary or partial occupation and a separate Form 9 application for full occupation.

The regulations say a person intending to occupy a building must first apply for an occupation permit, temporary occupation permit or partial occupation permit.

Once the application is received, the Building Control Officer inspects the building before the permit is issued by the Building Committee.

NBRB’s implementation guide says the Building Committee has 14 days from receipt of the application to issue the permit or refuse it in writing with reasons.

The law also provides room for temporary or partial occupation of a building that is not fully completed, provided the authorities are satisfied it is adequate for human habitation. Under section 44 of the 2013 Act, such a permit may be valid for up to 24 months and can be renewed on application.

Bwire said applicants should seek the permit from the same authority that issued the building permit.

She also mentioned two practical requirements that often trip people up: the as-built drawings and the signature of the architect.

That matters, she said, because some homeowners alter a structure as construction progresses, meaning the completed building may differ from the original approved plan.

“The requirements needed include the as-built drawings because at times you find that some people get a permit for a certain building plan and along the way they change a few things in the construction. You also need a signature from your architect.”

The occupation permit application needs to be accompanied, where applicable, by at least two sets of as-built drawings for the building layout and as-built electrical drawings, among other documents.

The forms for temporary, partial and full occupation also require certificates of fitness for installations, a certificate of practical completion, and certification by a qualified engineer or architect who supervised the works.

NBRB’s inspection booklet and property buyer checklist also point to signed and stamped as-built drawings as key documents.

Cost is where many applicants may still need to check with their local authority.

NBRB says occupation permit fees are determined by square metres, location and the classification of the building. It also notes that after-construction inspection charges are captured under occupation permit fees. Payments, under the regulations, are made electronically to the account of the relevant local government.

In Kampala, however, KCCA’s published physical planning fee schedule lists an occupation permit at Shs80,000. That gives city applicants at least one public benchmark, but outside KCCA the figure may vary depending on the local authority, building class and size.

NBRB’s website now links users to a building fees calculator, suggesting applicants should verify the amount before submission rather than rely on a single flat national figure

For many applicants, the simplest route is digital. NBRB says applications for building permits and occupation permits can be made through the Building Industry Management System, or BIMS, an online platform that also handles payments and feedback.

The NBRB homepage links directly to the BIMS portal and to a fee calculator, while the board’s user manual says the system was created to digitise building control services and guide applicants through account creation, document uploads and payments.