# What is the average approval time at a Latvian building authority?

> There is no single official "average approval time" in Latvia — there are statutory maximum deadlines for each step, and the actual total time, which tends to be significantly longer.

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June 5, 2026

# What is the average approval time at a Latvian building authority?

There is no single official "average approval time" figure in Latvia — rather, there are statutory maximum deadlines for each step, and then the actual total time, which tends to be significantly longer. Let me separate the two.

**Statutory deadlines (General Construction Regulations, point 12.²).** The building authority must issue decisions and BIS markings within the following timeframes:

- **Construction notification** — essentially no waiting. Work may begin immediately after submitting the notification in BIS.
- **Explanatory note (paskaidrojuma raksts)** — up to 14 days (for simpler cases) or up to 1 month (for more complex cases requiring coordination).
- **Building project and building permit** — up to 1 month from the date the application is complete; for complex objects the term may be extended.
- **Marking on fulfillment of design conditions** — up to 15 working days.
- **Marking on fulfillment of construction commencement conditions** — up to 5 working days.

**Actual total time.** In practice, the total approval time from submission of the proposal to the construction commencement marking is on average:

- Simple explanatory notes: **3–6 weeks**
- Standard building projects (group 1 and 2 buildings): **3–6 months**
- Complex projects (group 3, cultural monuments, environmental impact assessment): **6–18 months and longer**

**What extends the deadlines:** "stopping" of the term when the building authority requests additional information, the chain of approvals with institutions and third parties, and a negative expert opinion that requires the project to be revised and re-examined.

It should be noted that the actual speed varies considerably between building authorities and depending on project complexity — there is no single published average indicator.

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