Obtain an environmental clearance
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The environmental clearance must be obtained before requesting the building plans approval by the Ministry of Public Works.
Time and cost: 13 days, USD 1,125
Obtain a geo-technical study/soil test
Agency: Private firm
A geo-technical study / soil test is mandatory to obtain a building permit in Monrovia
Time and cost: 11 days, USD 788
Obtain a topographical survey of the land
Agency: Private surveyor
A topographical survey is done to study the slope of the land for the design of the building plans, mainly the water and sewage.
Time and cost: 2 days, USD 725
Submit plans to Ministry of Public Works
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
The application file should include 2 copies of the site plan; letter of request addressed to the Deputy Minister; the land deed; and the architectural, structural, and mechanical drawings. These documents are passed from one official to another for approval at the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) before the building permit is issued. Physically all departments are located in different parts of the city which may delay the approval.
The documents are submitted internally at the MPW in the following order:
- Office of the Deputy Minister, Technical Services
- Office of the Assistant Minister, Technical Services (initial recipient)
- Land-Use Planning and Zoning Division (initial site plan and document review). There are no thorough checks with the National Archives on the authenticity of the land documents, ensuring that is the responsibility of the owner of the warehouse.
- Chief of Zoning (physical site approval)
- Chief of Architecture (design approval)
- Chief of Electromechanical Engineering (electrical and mechanical approval)
- Chief of Engineering (structural approval and billing)
- Finance Section (payments)
- Land-Use Planning and Programming (signature on permit)
- Office of the Deputy Minister, Technical Services (permit attached)
A temporary building permit can be granted after the second step above, when the Land-Use Planning and Zoning Division conducts an initial site plan and document review. This temporary permit can be obtained within one week. It is granted for a maximum of 90 days, but this is an exception rather than the rule. In practice, a permit is accorded after all steps mentioned above have been completed.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from Ministry of Public Works (Zoning Division)
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (Zoning Division)
After the application is submitted, the Zoning Division will contact the applicant to inform them that they will need an inspection.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain payment slip from the Ministry of Public Works
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Once all the technical departments have reviewed the application, the Finance Department creates a payment slip. BuildCo must pick up the payment slip and then go the Central Bank to pay the fees.
Time and cost: 1 day, USD 700
Obtain construction permit from the Ministry of Public Works
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
BuildCo must return to the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) with the payment receipt and the application is then processed for final approval. The process at the MPW from submission of plans (procedure 1) to approval used to take 3 months, but reforms introduced in 2008 reduced the processing time for simple building permits to 1 month. The MPW established a 30-day statutory time limit for the issuance of building permits. The MPW also introduced a checklist to clearly define all of the documents required to complete the application. Now all applications are scrutinized on submission to check for completeness and accuracy before being forwarded for processing. The reform eliminated the Minister’s signature on building permits for simple construction projects. By rule, the Minister’s consent is only required for projects with a value greater than USD 1 million or that involve a foreign government. However, in practice the Minister or Deputy Minister still approves projects that are less than USD 1 million in value.
Time and cost: 28 days, no charge
Obtain construction clearance from the City Corporation of Monrovia
Agency: City Corporation of Monrovia
After obtaining the design approval from the MPW, BuildCo must obtain a separate construction clearance from the Planning Department at the City Corporation of Monrovia. The Planning Department takes 1 day to review the plans and then prepares a payment slip which is usually paid the next day.
However, practitioners note that this fee is “negotiable”. Applicants can pay a less amount, which is official, for a clearance that will last for a shorter period of time.
Time and cost: 2 days, USD 560
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – I
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
The construction of the warehouse can commence after the building permit is obtained. There is no requirement to request inspections at any stage of the construction process. However, building inspectors and engineers are often dispatched from the Ministry of Public Works to inspect construction sites to see to what extent the construction conforms with the originally submitted drawings. Over the course of 6 – 7 months, inspections occur randomly at a rate of every 3 weeks or as often as every week. Construction work stops only if the plans have not been complied with.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – II
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – III
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – IV
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – V
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – Vl
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – VII
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – VIII
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – IX
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – X
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – XI
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ministry of Public Works – XII
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Install the septic tank
Agency: Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC)
Time and cost: 1 day, USD 3,281
Receive inspection from the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation
Agency: Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC)
The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation inspects the site to prepare a cost estimate for the pipes and installation.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain water connection
Agency: Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC)
Water connections can be made if existing pipelines pass through the construction site. If that is the case, then the water connection should take 1 – 2 weeks. The cost for water connection includes LRD 250.00 for the connection itself and USD 50.00 for the meter. If a water pipeline does not pass through the area, then BuildCo must buy all the necessary materials to extend an existing pipeline to the construction site before the connection is made. This will inevitably add cost and time to the utility connection process.
Time and cost: 14 days, USD 54
Request and obtain occupancy permit
Agency: Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
In the recent year the Ministry of Public Works started more rigorously enforcing the regulations of the Zoning Law. According to article 5. A of the Zoning Law all new building must obtain an occupancy permit before being used. Stricter enforcement has led to wider practice by companies to obtain the occupancy permit. This is issued within 10 days.
Time and cost: 10 days, no charge
Register the building at the Probate Court
Agency: Probate Court
This registration of the completed building occurs in two stages. First BuildCo must register the building with the Probate Court, similar to a notarization procedure. Registration at the Probate Court takes 3 days and costs LRD 300.00. Registration is not required, but companies do so to increase the resale value.
Time and cost: 3 days, LRD 300
