# Building Notification or Explanatory Report? How to Tell Which Document Your Project Needs

> Before starting renovation, reconstruction, or new construction, you need to determine one seemingly technical but practically crucial thing — which construction intention document applies to your project.

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June 5, 2026

# Building Notification or Explanatory Report? How to Tell Which Document Your Project Needs

Before starting renovation, reconstruction, or new construction, you need to determine one seemingly technical but practically crucial thing: which construction intention document your project needs at all. From this depends how long you will wait, which specialists you need to involve, and whether the building authority will even review your intention in the format you submit it.

Most often confusion arises between two "lighter" paths — the building notification and the explanatory report. They sound similar but are not interchangeable. In this article I will step by step explain how to understand which one applies to you.

**First — the full map**

In Latvia, for building construction intentions (according to the Building Regulations, Cabinet Regulation No. 529), there are not two but four possible paths. It is worth seeing them all together, because the notification and explanatory report sit in the middle:

1. **No documents needed at all** (Section 7 of the regulations) — small, cosmetic works that do not change volume, use, or architectural form. For example, repainting a facade in the same tone or renovating a first-group building without changing the building volume.

2. **Building notification** (Section 7.1) — the lightest formal path.

3. **Explanatory report** (Section 7.2) — the middle path, requiring approval from the building authority.

4. **Building project and permit** (Section 7.3) — everything else that does not fall under the first three.

The main principle: first check whether documents are needed at all, and only then decide between a notification and an explanatory report. If the intention does not fall under any of the first three points, it automatically goes to the building permit path.

**Three questions that answer almost always**

To understand which document is needed, answer three questions for yourself:

1. **Which building group does the building belong to?** (first, second, or third group according to the general building regulations). First group is the simplest buildings; third — the most complex.

2. **What type of works are planned?** — new construction, renovation, reconstruction, simplified reconstruction, restoration, demolition, change of use, or conservation.

3. **Does the building volume or use change?** This is often the question that moves the intention from one path to another.

**Building notification — when to use it**

The building notification (Section 7.1) is intended for a narrower scope of "lighter" works. Typical cases:

- Simplified renovation of second or third group buildings — functional or technical improvements without touching load-bearing structures, building volume, use, or facade.
- Opening works (windows, doors, hatches, shafts) in first group buildings, or in load-bearing structures of a second group single-apartment residential building or auxiliary building.
- Demolition of first group buildings or demolition of second group auxiliary / agricultural non-residential buildings.
- New construction or placement of first group residential buildings, auxiliary buildings, or small structures (with certain exceptions, e.g., in cultural monument territories).
- Renovation or reconstruction of second group one or two apartment residential buildings without changing building volume or use (this option enters into force on 1 January 2026).

What makes the notification "lighter": it is submitted in the Building Information System (BIS) before starting works, and the submitter is responsible for the accuracy of the data. In some cases (e.g., demolition or first group new construction) the documents can be prepared by the building initiator themselves. However, note: for renovation and reconstruction cases, structural solutions must still be developed and confirmed in BIS by a construction specialist.

**Explanatory report — when to use it**

The explanatory report (Section 7.2) covers a broader and slightly more complex scope of works, and — unlike the notification — it is reviewed and approved by the building authority. Typical cases:

- New construction of first group buildings or second group single-apartment residential buildings (up to 200 m²), auxiliary buildings, or agricultural non-residential buildings.
- Restoration or reconstruction of first group buildings (not exceeding the volume indicators set for the first group).
- Renovation of first, second, or third group buildings that does not fall under the lighter paths.
- Change of use without reconstruction.
- Simplified reconstruction — new construction, reconstruction, or demolition of openings, external stairs, ramps, or terraces.
- Demolition of second or third group buildings.
- Building conservation.

Key word: **approval**. The explanatory report cannot simply be "submitted and work started" — the building authority evaluates it and makes a decision to approve or reject the intention. Therefore, a construction specialist's documentation is almost always required here.

**Quick comparison table**

| Feature | Building Notification (7.1) | Explanatory Report (7.2) |
|---|---|---|
| Work complexity | Lowest formal level | Medium level |
| Building authority approval | Usually not required | Required — authority evaluates |
| Typical works | Simplified renovation, opening works, demolition, first group new construction | Restoration, renovation, simplified reconstruction, change of use, new construction up to 200 m² |
| Who prepares | In some cases the initiator themselves | Almost always a construction specialist |
| Submission | BIS, before starting works | BIS, with authority decision |

**Typical traps people fall into**

1. **Building volume changes.** As soon as works increase the building volume or height, "light" renovation can turn into reconstruction and jump from notification to explanatory report or even building permit.

2. **A new apartment is created.** If as a result of works a new group of residential premises (apartment) appears in the building — for example, converting an attic into apartments — the lighter paths no longer apply. Such intentions usually require a building project and permit.

3. **Cultural monument.** If the building is a state protected cultural monument or is in its territory, many simplifications do not apply and additional approvals appear.

4. **Change of use.** Even if nothing is physically reconstructed, a change of use (e.g., from office to apartment) already requires an explanatory report — not a notification.

**How to be sure in practice**

- Determine the building group according to the general building regulations.
- Precisely name the work type — do not describe it generally, but choose the legal term (renovation / reconstruction / restoration / simplified reconstruction etc.).
- Check whether building volume or use changes — this is often the decisive criterion.
- Compare against Sections 7, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 in order — start with the question whether documents are needed at all.
- In case of doubt, ask the building authority or consult a construction specialist before registering the submission in BIS. The wrong path means rejection and losing valuable weeks.

**In summary**

The building notification is the easiest path for smaller, clearly delimited works, which can often be submitted without building authority approval. The explanatory report covers a broader scope of works — including restoration, change of use, and simplified reconstruction — and always goes through building authority evaluation. The boundary between them is most often determined by building group, work type, and whether building volume or use changes.

If the intention does not fall within any of these frameworks — most likely you are already talking about a building project and permit. By correctly answering the three questions at the start of this article, you can save yourself both time and stress.

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