Applying for a building permit

If it emerges during the building design phase, or at the latest when applying for a building permit, that your plans do not comply with the detailed plan, you must apply for a deviation permit. This need may also arise after you have submitted your building permit application if you have not identified the requirement earlier. In such cases, a building permit cannot be granted until you have the necessary legally valid deviation permit or an alteration to the plan.

In Hämeenlinna, Building Supervision manages the deviation applications. You should consult with the official preparing the deviation permit regarding whether it can be granted to you or if, for example, a plan alteration is required.

If the construction requires the demolition of old buildings, the demolition permit for the old building and the building permit for the new building can be processed within the same building permit application.

Before submitting your building permit application, please confirm with the principal designer that all necessary documents and parties, including their contact details, have been added to Lupapiste. Only submit the application in Lupapiste after this has been done.

You cannot speed up the permit process by submitting an incomplete application. Applications are only taken into processing once all necessary documents and attachments have been added to them.

During the permit processing, the permit officer will send a request for clarification regarding any identified deficiencies via Lupapiste. The permit will not be processed while requests for clarification are pending. Clarifications must be submitted to Lupapiste within the time specified in the request; otherwise, the permit officer may return the application for further preparation or process it with incomplete documents, which usually results in no grounds for a positive decision.

Once the necessary documents have been added to the application, the permit officer will take the application for processing in its turn.

During processing, the following aspects of the application are checked:

• Possession of the building site
• Authorisation requirements
• Qualifications of the designers
• Parties involved
• Compliance with the detailed plan and regulations
• Master drawings and any other attachments
• Statements and consultations

If further clarifications are identified during processing, the applicant will be asked for the necessary supplements and explanations, after which the permit application will be finalised and a permit decision will be made. For detached houses, the appeal period for the decision is 7+30 days (notification period + period for filing a rectification claim). You cannot start construction work during the appeal period, so please consider this in your schedules. This time should be used, for example, for construction preparations and special design work. Always read the permit decision carefully.

An invoice based on the Hämeenlinna Building Supervision prices (officially known as the charge) will be sent to the party designated in Lupapiste by the person engaging in the building project.

Construction work must be commenced within three years of the permit being granted and completed within five years of the permit being granted.