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The new Territorial Planning, Urbanism and Construction Code (the "Urbanism Code") is the most comprehensive reform in this field in the last three decades. It was published in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part I, no. 661 of 10 August 2026 and will enter into force on 25 August 2026. Its application is not contingent upon the adoption of secondary or tertiary legislation.
The Urbanism Code consolidates into a single coherent regulatory framework several normative acts which, upon the new Code's entry into force, will be repealed. The most significant are:
One of the most important structural changes introduced by the Urbanism Code concerns the classification of urban planning documentation: instead of three equally treated plans, two categories with distinct roles emerge. Under the former Law No. 350/2001, the General Urban Plan (PUG), the Zonal Urban Plan (PUZ) and the Detailed Urban Plan (PUD) were organised within a tripartite hierarchy, all being regarded as urban planning instruments of a similar nature.
The new Code introduces a fundamental conceptual distinction, dividing urban planning documentation into two categories of different natures:
Through this reorganisation, the legislator emphasises that urban planning (PUG and PUZ) has a normative character and establishes general rules for extensive areas of the territory, while urban design (PUD) applies at parcel level and serves to detail and adapt the higher-level regulations to the specific conditions of the site
One of the most visible procedural changes concerns the PUZ. The Urbanism Code introduces substantial modifications both regarding the cases for its preparation and the endorsement and approval procedure.
Under Law No. 350/2001, the PUZ was the specific regulatory urban planning instrument through which the integrated urban development of certain areas within a locality was coordinated. The Law provided an exhaustive list of situations in which the preparation of a PUZ was mandatory: central areas of localities, protected built-up areas, leisure and tourism areas, industrial and technology parks, land subdivisions exceeding three parcels, transport infrastructure and areas subject to urban restructuring or regeneration. Through the PUZ, regulations were established regarding the building regime, the function of the area, the maximum permitted height, the land use coefficient (CUT), the land occupancy percentage (POT) and building setbacks. The private initiative to prepare a PUZ was conditional upon obtaining an opportunity endorsement issued by the specialised structure led by the chief architect.
The Urbanism Code abandons the rigid list of zones and establishes three framework situations in which a PUZ is prepared: detailing the regulations in areas of high complexity for which the PUG has not provided the minimum conditions for authorising investments; carrying out the urban operations provided for by the Urbanism Code; and modifying approved regulations, only in situations thoroughly justified from the perspective of the general interest and after first obtaining the initiation endorsement. The opportunity endorsement is thus replaced by the initiation endorsement. This change is not merely terminological: the PUZ is no longer an instrument freely available to any private investor, but one more closely linked to the general interest and the development strategy of the local authority.
As under the previous regulation, the initiative to prepare a PUZ may be taken both by local public administration authorities and by interested natural or legal persons. A notable change, however, is the introduction of an express obligation on the part of the local public administration authority to initiate and prepare the PUZ for areas designated as such under the PUG or PUGZM, without the need to obtain an initiation endorsement. Under the former Law No. 350/2001, no such explicit obligation was imposed on the local public authority.
Regarding approval, the PUZ was previously approved by local council decision, without special majority requirements. The new Code now requires approval by absolute majority and expressly prohibits local councillors from introducing amendments regarding the technical content of the endorsed urban planning documentation submitted for approval, this being of a technical and integrated nature.
The endorsement procedure is also simplified: instead of endorsements obtained separately from each institution, the Urbanism Code introduces integrated endorsement, where a PUZ is approved by the local integrated endorsement commission for territorial planning and urban planning documentation. The chief architect's technical endorsement is issued within a maximum of 15 working days from the submission of the complete and correct documentation.
An essential transformation introduced by the Urbanism Code concerns the detailed urban plan, which becomes the "detailed urban project" (PUD).
Under Law No. 350/2001, the PUD could not modify higher-level plans. Its role was limited to detailing the mode of construction, setbacks, POT, accessways and volumetric compliance, for the detailed regulation of the provisions established through the PUG or PUZ.
The Urbanism Code fundamentally changes this approach. The PUD is reclassified as urban design documentation and, what is truly new, may modify regulations approved through higher-level urban planning documentation. This possibility is, however, strictly circumscribed. The PUD may exclusively modify the placement of buildings relative to the alignment and parcel boundaries, may increase POT and/or CUT by a maximum of 20 % above the maximum permitted parameters (only once), in specific situations such as covering visible party walls, aligning with existing cornices on adjacent parcels or creating accents for corner parcels. Furthermore, the PUD may modify the building regime (detached, semi-detached, terraced, continuous or discontinuous) and may establish a single land subdivision of a maximum of 12 lots intended for individual housing and related functions.
To prevent abuses, the Urbanism Code exhaustively lists the conditions under which a PUD with modification of higher-level regulations may be initiated. These include land with irregular geometry within which regular surfaces cannot be accommodated, failure to meet the minimum buildability conditions of the parcel with differences below the limit of a 10 % deviation from the minimum established values, the need to cover party walls and/or alignment with existing cornices, specific areas or cases established through local regulations, extension of existing public buildings for compliance with technical regulations in force, establishment of the placement of metro stations if not established through a PUZ and of border crossing points, as well as the arrangement and systematisation of street intersections and intersections between them.
Another significant change concerns the approval procedure. Whereas previously the PUD was approved by a decision of the local council, the Urbanism Code provides for its approval by order of the mayor within a maximum of 15 calendar days from the issuance of the chief architect's endorsement, based on the single agreement issued by the single agreement commissions at local level and the endorsements of the institutions within SNAOPSN (i.e. the institutions and authorities within the National Defence, Public Order and National Security System, such as the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the SRI). The solution significantly accelerates the approval process by eliminating the need for the PUD to be placed on the agenda of local council meetings.
The regime for authorising construction works constitutes the third modification operated through the Urbanism Code, taking over and modernising the regulations from Law No. 50/1991.
Under the current law, the building permit is the final act issued by the local public administration, within a maximum of 30 days from the submission of complete documentation. The procedure involves the issuance of the urban planning certificate, obtaining endorsements and approvals, preparing the technical documentation and submitting it for the issuance of the permit. The permit is valid for a maximum of 24 months and can be extended once for a maximum of 24 months.
The Urbanism Code redefines the building permit as an individual administrative act authorising the execution of construction works in accordance with the measures provided by law regarding the siting, design, construction, operation and post-use of buildings.
The first major novelty is the differentiation of the authorisation procedure according to the type of works involved: buildings, engineering works and landscaping.
The authorisation process is restructured and clarified. It begins with the application for an urban planning certificate for construction or demolition and continues with the preparation of specialist studies, preparation of the project for the authorisation of construction works, notification of the competent environmental protection authority, obtaining the necessary endorsements and approvals, preparation of the detailed urban project (if applicable), submission of documentation and issuance of the permit.
The urban planning certificate also acquires a new dimension: from an "informative act" under Law No. 50/1991, it becomes an administrative act, except where issued exclusively for informational purposes. The Urbanism Code also sets out in greater detail the cases in which the issuance of an urban planning certificate is granted or refused.
The technical documentation under Law No. 50/1991 is replaced by the project for authorising construction (PAC), regulated with a detailed framework content in Annex No. 2 to the Urbanism Code.
Furthermore, for single-family dwellings in rural areas with one storey and a maximum floor area of 150 sqm, a simplified framework content is introduced (Annex No. 3), significantly reducing the bureaucratic burden. Such buildings may be constructed without a building permit, based on projects prepared by a specialist.
Obtaining endorsements is simplified through the integrated endorsement system. Most endorsements required for the building permit are obtained through the Single Agreement Commission, in the form of a single agreement, if the applicant chooses this option. Exceptions remain and are obtained separately: (i) the environmental opinion (for investments not subject to an environmental impact assessment); (ii) the environmental agreement/Natura 2000 endorsement; (iii) the water management endorsement; (iv) the endorsement of the Ministry of Culture; and (v) the consent of neighbours or owners' associations.
The validity of the building permit also changes. Law No. 50/1991 provides for a maximum of 24 months, with a free extension of another 24 months. The Urbanism Code establishes a validity of three years (36 months) from issuance, with a single possible extension of a maximum of 12 months, conditional upon a fee of 30 % of the initial fee and only in justified cases where the works cannot be completed on time. Otherwise, extension is prohibited, and the permit loses its validity if the works do not begin on time or if execution is suspended for more than 24 months.
Among the absolute novelties is the regularisation permit, which may be issued only under certain conditions expressly established by the Urbanism Code, formally introduced for works carried out in breach of the building permit or in its absence.
An important issue regarding the building permit is that, whether due to the legislator's omission or by design, other real rights specific to private property (e.g. a superficies right or servitude) appear to be excluded from the rights on the basis of which a building permit may be obtained. Thus, article 245 para. (3) provides that the permit may be requested by the holder of the ownership right or by holders of other real rights specific to public property. The wording appears to exclude real rights corresponding to private property, such as a superficies right, thereby undermining the very purpose of this legal institution, namely the right to build on land. We consider that this important issue should be amended by the legislator as soon as possible.
The Urbanism Code is not limited to the reorganisation of planning and authorisation instruments, but also integrates the framework on quality in construction, partially taken over from Law No. 10/1995. The fundamental quality requirements – mechanical resistance and stability, fire safety, hygiene, health and environment, safety and accessibility in use, protection against noise, energy economy and thermal insulation, and sustainable use of natural resources – are maintained and become an integral part of the new Code.
The main novelty is the consequence classes system (CC1-CC4), which replaces the old classification by categories of importance (A-D) and differentiates verification and authorisation according to the risk associated with each construction.
The verification of technical execution projects remains mandatory for the applicable fundamental requirements, maintaining the essential role of certified project verifiers and technical officers responsible for execution.
An element with transformative potential is the full digitalisation of processes. The Urbanism Code establishes the National Platform for Urban and Territorial Planning and Construction Authorisation, through which endorsement and authorisation will be conducted electronically. Until the effective operationalisation of the platform, documentation will be submitted via electronic mail.
To ensure an orderly transition, the Urbanism Code provides for several mechanisms to protect ongoing legal situations.
Local public administration authorities are obliged to approve updates to general urban plans within three years if, as of the date of entry into force of the new Code, those plans are more than seven years old.
PUGs in force at the date of entry into force of the Code maintain their validity until the approval of the update documentation, without the need for the issuance of new extension acts.
Urban planning certificates issued prior to the entry into force of the new Code retain their validity, and building/demolition permits will be issued by the competent authorities in accordance with the legal provisions in force at the date of issuance of the respective urban planning certificates.
All authorities and entities that issue endorsements, approvals and permits in the field of urban planning and construction must update their procedures in accordance with the new Code within 120 days from its publication in the Official Gazette.
For the Municipality of Bucharest, from 1 November 2028, the competences regarding urban planning certificates and building permits transfer exclusively to the Bucharest Municipality City Hall, and the sector city halls no longer hold these competences.
The Urbanism Code represents the most comprehensive legislative reform in this field in the past three decades. By consolidating the relevant laws into a single normative act, it aims to eliminate the overlaps and contradictions that have characterised administrative practice to date, while also accelerating the investment process and increasing predictability for all stakeholders involved – public authorities, investors, designers and local communities.
Nevertheless, without overlooking the gaps in the provisions already adopted, as noted above, the implementation and practical application of these changes will be a lengthy process. It remains to be seen to what extent the legislator's objectives of simplification, digitalisation and redefinition of the normative framework governing urban planning and construction will deliver the expected results.
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