Building Plan Submission (Singapore)

A Building Plan Submission in Singapore records the information required to apply for the registration or permit involved.

The Building Control Act 1989 and the Building Control Regulations 2003 establish the legal framework for building plan submissions in Singapore. Section 5 of the Act prohibits any person from commencing or carrying out building works unless the building plans have been approved by the Commissioner of Building Control, and Section 6 requires every building owner to appoint a Qualified Person — a registered architect under the Architects Act 1991 or a licensed professional engineer under the Professional Engineers Act 1991 — to prepare, submit, and supervise the building works. Commencing building works without approved plans is a criminal offence under the Act, carrying a fine of up to S$200,000 or imprisonment of up to two years.

Since April 2024, all new building plan submissions must be made through the CORENET-X digital platform, which replaced the previous CORENET e-Submission System. CORENET-X is an integrated Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based regulatory submission platform developed by BCA in collaboration with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech). The platform enables simultaneous submission of building plans to multiple regulatory agencies — BCA (structural and building control), the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for planning permission, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for fire safety approval, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for water and drainage, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for traffic and road access, and the National Environment Agency (NEA) for environmental requirements. CORENET-X tracks submission status across all agencies in a single dashboard, replacing the fragmented agency-by-agency submission process.

BCA reviews building plans for compliance with the Building Control Regulations 2003, the Singapore Standard CP 65 (structural use of concrete), the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2019 (mandatory for all new buildings and major alterations), and the BCA Green Mark Scheme (mandatory for new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting with gross floor area exceeding 2,000 square metres). The Green Mark Scheme, administered by BCA's Green Mark Department, assigns sustainability ratings (Certified, Gold, GoldPlus, Platinum, Super Low Energy) based on energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and other sustainability criteria.

Building plan approval is distinct from planning permission granted by URA under the Planning Act 1998 (Cap. 232) and from fire safety approval granted by SCDF under the Fire Safety Act 1993. For most projects, the QP submits simultaneously to BCA, URA, and SCDF through CORENET-X, but each agency reviews and approves independently based on its own regulatory requirements. The Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) publish professional practice guides on building plan submission procedures and QP responsibilities.

A Building Plan Submission is required before commencing any building works in Singapore that fall within the scope of the Building Control Act 1989. The support document is needed in the following situations.

When constructing a new building on any land in Singapore. Every new building — whether a detached house, semi-detached house, terrace house, condominium, commercial office tower, retail shopping centre, factory, warehouse, or mixed-use development — requires BCA-approved building plans before ground-breaking. The building owner must appoint a QP under Section 6 of the Building Control Act, and the QP must submit architectural plans, structural plans, and all supporting calculations through CORENET-X. URA planning permission must also be obtained under the Planning Act 1998 before or concurrently with the BCA building plan submission.

When carrying out additions and alterations (A&A) to an existing building. Significant renovation or alteration works — including adding new floors, extending the building footprint, changing the internal layout involving structural walls or columns, converting a residential property to commercial use, or installing new lifts or escalators — require BCA building plan approval. Minor internal renovation works (such as repainting, replacing floor finishes, or installing partition walls that do not affect the building's structural integrity) may be exempt under the Building Control (Exemption) Order, but the QP should confirm exemption eligibility with BCA before commencing works.

When changing the approved use of a building. Converting a warehouse to a commercial office, a shophouse to a restaurant, or a residential property to a childcare centre requires both URA change-of-use approval under the Planning Act and BCA building plan approval for any structural or fire safety modifications necessitated by the change of use. SCDF fire safety requirements differ significantly between building use classifications — a restaurant, for example, requires commercial kitchen fire suppression systems that a standard office does not.

When undertaking structural repair or strengthening works. Buildings requiring structural repair — due to age, damage, or non-compliance identified during BCA's periodic structural inspection programme under Section 28 of the Building Control Act — must have repair plans prepared by a QP (Structural) and approved by BCA before remediation works commence. The BCA Periodic Structural Inspection (PSI) programme applies to all buildings older than 15 years that are classified as non-residential.

When installing, altering, or replacing lifts or escalators. Works involving passenger lifts, goods lifts, or escalators require BCA building plan approval under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004 and the associated regulations. The lift contractor must engage a QP to prepare the submission, and the completed installation must be inspected and certified by an approved lift inspection body before the lift can be commissioned for use.

When preparing for a pre-submission consultation with BCA. Building owners and QPs undertaking complex or large-scale projects frequently arrange a pre-submission consultation with BCA to clarify regulatory requirements, discuss design challenges, and identify potential compliance issues before committing to a final design and submitting formal building plans. The support document helps organise the project information needed for productive pre-submission discussions.

A complete Building Plan Submission to BCA through the CORENET-X platform must address the following key elements under the Building Control Act 1989 and the Building Control Regulations 2003. The forms-legal.com Building Plan Submission template organises all required information in the format expected by BCA and concurrent reviewing agencies.

Qualified Person (QP) appointment and details: The full name, professional registration number (Board of Architects registration for architects, Professional Engineers Board registration for engineers), firm name, and contact details of each QP appointed for the project. Section 6 of the Building Control Act requires the building owner to appoint at least one QP — an architect for architectural design and overall supervision, and a professional engineer for structural design and supervision. For complex projects, separate QPs may be appointed for architecture, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. Each QP must submit a formal appointment notice to BCA through CORENET-X.

Project and site details: The full postal address of the development site, the lot number and survey plan reference from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) cadastral records, the planning approval reference number from URA, the existing and proposed building classifications under the Building Control Regulations, the total gross floor area (GFA) and plot ratio approved by URA, the number of storeys (above and below ground), and the expected construction timeline including commencement and completion dates.

Architectural plans: A complete set of architectural drawings prepared by the registered architect QP, including the site plan (showing the building footprint, setbacks, site boundaries, access points, and relationship to adjacent buildings), floor plans for every level, elevations for all building faces, cross-sections showing floor-to-floor heights and ceiling heights, roof plan, and detailed drawings of accessibility features required under the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2019 — including barrier-free access routes, accessible toilets, tactile ground surface indicators, and wheelchair-accessible lifts.

Structural plans and calculations: Structural drawings and supporting design calculations prepared by the QP (Structural), showing the foundation system (piled foundations, raft foundations, or other systems), load-bearing columns, beams, floor slabs, retaining walls, and any temporary works such as earth retaining structures. Structural calculations must demonstrate compliance with Singapore Standard CP 65 (structural use of concrete), CP 4 (foundations), and all applicable BCA structural design requirements. For buildings in close proximity to MRT lines, Land Transport Authority (LTA) requirements for protection of MRT infrastructure must be addressed.

Fire safety plans: Fire safety plans submitted concurrently to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) through CORENET-X, showing the fire compartmentation layout, means of escape (escape staircases, exit routes, exit widths), fire suppression systems (automatic sprinklers, hose reel systems), fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, and smoke control systems. SCDF reviews fire safety plans against the Fire Code 2018 and the Fire Safety Act 1993.

Green Mark compliance documentation: For new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting with GFA exceeding 2,000 square metres, a BCA Green Mark submission demonstrating compliance with the minimum Green Mark Certified standard. The submission must include energy modelling reports, specifications of energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, water-efficient fixtures, and indoor environmental quality provisions.

Regulatory compliance declarations: Written declarations by each QP confirming that the submitted plans comply with all applicable provisions of the Building Control Act, the Building Control Regulations, the Code on Accessibility, the Fire Code (submitted to SCDF), URA planning conditions, and any other regulatory requirements specific to the project type or location. The QP accepts professional responsibility for the design and undertakes to supervise the building works in accordance with the approved plans.

Parties undertaking building plan submissions should also prepare a Fire Safety Certificate Application for SCDF review, an Environmental Compliance Declaration if the project involves environmentally sensitive works, and — upon completion of construction — a Temporary Occupation Licence application to BCA for the TOP/CSC process.