Applying for a permit: step-by-step

Step 1: permit check via the Environment Desk

Go to omgevingsloket.nl and start the permit check. You can carry out this check anonymously; you only log in with DigiD (private individuals) or eHerkenning (businesses or sole traders) when actually submitting an application.

What do you need for the check?

Collect the following information before you start, as you cannot save the check partway through:

• The exact address and cadastral information of the plot
• The location on the plot: rear garden area, front yard or side yard adjacent to a public road
• Dimensions: height, width, depth and gross floor area of the structure to be built
• Intended use (residential, storage, catering, etc.)
• Specific characteristics: roof shape, distance to the lateral boundary, distance to the rear facade
• Whether the building is a listed monument or located within a protected townscape

Three possible outcomes

1. Permit-free: you may start building immediately. Note: the technical building rules of the Bbl always apply. You are personally responsible for compliance.
2. Notification required: you do not need to apply for a permit but must inform the municipality via the Omgevingsloket before you start. The municipality will respond within 4 weeks.
3. Permit required: you must apply for an environmental permit for the activity 'building'. An additional activity is sometimes required as well, such as 'deviation from the environment plan' or 'national monument activity'.

Omgevingsloket vs. the old OLO

The Omgevingsloket has fully replaced the Omgevingsloket Online (OLO) as of 1 January 2024. Applications via the old OLO are no longer possible. Pending applications submitted before 2024 have been handled under the old Wabo regulations; new applications always fall under the Environment Act.

Check per activity

A construction project can encompass several activities that are each individually subject to a permit requirement. Are you building an extension with a dormer window? Those are two activities to check. The Omgevingsloket lets you combine them into one application, but you must still go through the check for both of them.

Step 2: gathering documents

If you need to apply for an environmental permit, the Environmental Regulation determines which documents you must submit. The Omgevingsloket automatically provides a document checklist based on your specific situation when you apply. In any case, expect to need the following documents.

Permit-ready construction drawing (required)

An accurately scaled drawing (typically 1:100 or 1:50) of floor plans, elevations and sections of both the new and the existing situation. The drawing must include:

• Dimensions (width, depth, height of each element)
• Material description (facade, roof, window frames)
• Relationship to the plot boundary and existing buildings
• Ridge direction and roof shape
• North indication on the floor plan

A non-permittable or unclear drawing is the most common reason for delay or rejection. Some municipalities apply additional requirements; enquire about these with your municipality or consult the aesthetic review policy.

Site plan (required)

A map showing your plot with the location of the new structure in relation to the plot boundaries, the existing dwelling and the public road. Use the Large-Scale Base Map (BGT) or a recent cadastral map as the base layer.

Structural calculation (often required)

Required for structures where structural safety must be demonstrated, such as new foundations, load-bearing walls, floors and roofs. A structural engineer prepares it. Tekenpunt works with our own structural engineer; that calculation is included in the complete service package for most applications.

Energy performance documentation

For extensions or additions for which an energy performance requirement applies under the Bbl (BENG), you must demonstrate that the building meets that requirement. This generally applies to new residential extensions with heated spaces.

Sometimes additionally required

• Soil or foundation investigation: for subsided or unstable ground or planned ground disturbance
• Acoustic investigation: for extensions adjacent to a party wall
• Demolition notification: if you are demolishing existing parts that may contain asbestos (separate from the building permit)
• Aesthetic review advice: some municipalities request this as an additional document for more complex facades
• Archaeological investigation: for projects involving deeper excavation in areas with archaeological potential

Warning: do not submit incomplete work

Only submit complete applications. An incomplete application pauses the decision period until all missing documents have been supplied. The statutory period only resumes once the supplement has been received. Any resulting delay is at your own expense. Carefully check the document checklist in the Omgevingsloket before submitting.

See also: Have a construction drawing made and Structural calculation.

Step 3: applying and the processing procedure

Submit the application via omgevingsloket.nl. You upload the documents digitally as PDF or DWG (depending on the municipality's preference). After submission, the municipality first checks whether the application is complete (admissibility check). If something is missing, you receive a request for additional information and the deadline is paused.

Standard procedure (default for private individuals and most building projects)

The municipality decides within 8 weeks of receiving a complete application. That is the statutory decision period (Article 16.64, paragraph 1 of the Environment Act).

The municipality may extend the period once by a maximum of 6 weeks if they need more time for the assessment. They must inform you of this before the 8 weeks have elapsed. The maximum period in the standard procedure is therefore 14 weeks (8 + 6).

Special case: if the activity requires the approval of another administrative body (for example the province for certain environmental activities), a decision period of 12 weeks applies instead of 8 weeks, with the same possibility of extension.

Extension is applied less often for simple residential building projects. If your drawing demonstrably fits within the environment plan and the aesthetic review requirements, a decision within 8 weeks is realistic.

Extended procedure (exceptional situations)

For some activities the extended preparation procedure applies. This is the case, among other things, for:

• Structures at or on national monuments or in protected urban or village conservation areas
• Activities at IPPC installations or Seveso establishments
• Activities for which the municipality has prescribed the extended procedure in the environment plan
• Out-of-plan environment plan activities (BOPAs) where the municipal executive considers this appropriate

Under the extended procedure the process typically takes 26 weeks (6 months), which can also be extended once by 6 weeks. The difference: a draft decision is first made available for public inspection (for 6 weeks), during which you and other interested parties can submit views. The municipality then takes the final decision.

What does the municipality assess during the procedure?

The municipality checks at minimum against:

• The environment plan: does the structure fit within the zoning rules for that plot?
• The aesthetic review policy: does the architectural design meet the local visual quality requirements?
• The Building Decree (Bbl): have the technical building regulations been observed (structure, fire safety, energy)?
• Any additional statutory frameworks: heritage, water assessment, nature and environmental rules

After the decision you receive the decision in writing. If granted, it is also published in the local Government Gazette.

Permit fees: what does an environmental permit cost?

The municipality charges permit fees for processing your application. The amount varies per municipality and is set out in the municipal permit fees by-law. There is no nationally fixed rate.

How are permit fees calculated?

Most municipalities link the permit fees to the construction costs of the project: a percentage of the contract sum or a construction sum estimated by the municipality. The higher the construction costs, the higher the permit fees. Some municipalities use a fixed minimum rate for small applications; others work with tiered rates.

For small construction projects (a straightforward extension, dormer window, outbuilding) permit fees are generally in the order of a few hundred to a couple of thousand euros. For larger projects the permit fees run higher.

Permit fees upon refusal

Note: at most municipalities you also pay permit fees if the permit is refused. You are then paying for the processing of the application, not for the permit itself. A well-prepared application with an approvable drawing therefore prevents not only delay but also unnecessary costs.

When do you have to pay?

The municipality sends an invoice after submission or after the decision, depending on the municipal procedure. If you do not pay, the municipality can revoke the permit. Check the permit fees by-law of your own municipality for the exact rates; this is generally published on the municipal website.

Objection and appeal

If you receive a permit, a 6-week objection period begins immediately after publication. During this period both you yourself (in the event of a partial refusal) and third parties (neighbours, local residents or other interested parties) can lodge an objection with the municipality. The municipality then reconsiders the decision and issues a new decision on the objection.

When are you allowed to start building?

Technically you may start immediately after the permit is granted, but in practice it is wise to wait. If someone objects and simultaneously applies to the administrative court for an interim injunction, the court can impose a building stop. If you start too early and a building stop follows, you are liable for the consequences. Many builders wait out the 6-week objection period before starting, or request a statement that no objection is pending.

Appeal after objection

If the permit is refused or you disagree with the decision after objection, you can appeal to the administrative court (the district court). After the district court's ruling, further appeal is available to the Administrative Law Division of the Council of State.

For the extended procedure

With the extended procedure there is no objection phase. You can only submit views during the public consultation period for the draft decision. After that you can appeal directly to the administrative court if you disagree with the final decision.

Honest advice: invest upfront

An objection procedure takes months and sometimes years. A permit annulled by a court can lead to a construction stop if you have already started. It is better to invest upfront in a solid application with an approvable drawing than to invest afterwards in legal proceedings. A drawing that demonstrably fits within the environment plan and the aesthetic review requirements significantly increases your chances of a positive decision.

See also: Have a building permit drawing made and Express drawing needed?.

Common mistakes with an environmental permit

Based on experience with hundreds of building projects, we consistently see the same pitfalls. Avoid them, because every mistake costs time and sometimes money as well.

Error 1: drawing does not match the environment plan

You apply for a permit for a building volume that exceeds what the environment plan allows, without applying for a BOPA. The municipality refuses. Read the environment plan of your municipality before submission, or have a specialist do so.

Mistake 2: incomplete drawing

Elevations, dimension lines or material descriptions are missing. The application is not accepted for processing until the missing documents have been provided. The deadline pauses.

Mistake 3: building permit-free when it is not

Someone builds without a permit based on their own estimate or a tip from the neighbours. The municipality enforces: a construction stop and sometimes an order to demolish. Always carry out the permit check.

Mistake 4: starting construction too late

An environmental permit has a validity period. Under the Environment Act, you must start the activity within the period stated in the decision (generally 3 years). If you do not start on time, the permit lapses. Check the validity period in the decision.

Mistake 5: using the wrong portal

During the transition period after 1 January 2024, some applicants tried to submit an application via the old OLO portal. That portal is closed. Use only omgevingsloket.nl.

Mistake 6: not accounting for the aesthetic review

Your application technically complies with the environment plan but the aesthetic review rejects the facade because it does not fit the surroundings. The permit is then refused or you must revise the drawing. Consult your municipality's aesthetic review policy before you finalise the drawing.

How Tekenpunt helps you with the application

Applying for an environmental permit sounds straightforward, but things go wrong in the details: a drawing that does not meet the technical requirements, a building plan that falls just outside the permit-free limits, or an aesthetics review requirement you have overlooked. Tekenpunt draws building plans for private clients and professionals and guides the application from permit check to submission. What does Tekenpunt do?

• Permit-ready building drawings: floor plans, elevations and sections to the correct scale, with dimensions, material descriptions and all mandatory parts for the application
• Site plan based on cadastral data
• Coordination of the structural calculation by our own structural engineer
• Advice on permit-free versus permit-required building based on your plot and plans
• Submission-ready document set matching the Omgevingsloket checklist

Turnaround time and working method

A complete set of drawings is usually ready by arrangement (see your quote). For rush orders it can be faster, at a surcharge. Tekenpunt has been operating since 2016, has completed 930 projects and sees 90% of applications pass the aesthetic review first time. Rates

• Drawing: from €349 incl. VAT (example: dormer)
• Drawing + structure: from €679 incl. VAT
• Complete (incl. permit submission + municipality liaison): from €879 incl. VAT + municipal fees

3D visualisation can be added separately to any package. Price depends on the type of renovation; see all package prices on the tarievenpagina.

If you're in a hurry, rush delivery is available: +30% for rush (minimum €236 incl. VAT) or +50% for extra rush (minimum €417 incl. VAT), on top of the regular drawing work.

Request a quote via the contact form. You will receive a response within one day. See also: Have a construction drawing made and Rates.

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