Building plans in Johannesburg

How plans are submitted

Johannesburg moved building plans fully online in January 2022. Everything goes through CPMS, the Construction Permit Management System at cpms.joburg.org.za:

• submitting building plans and site development plans
• paying, by EFT or at a cashier, then uploading the proof
• tracking progress on a dashboard, with email notifications
• lodging completion certificates and getting the occupancy certificate
• downloading the stamped approved plans, which carry a QR code

Only SACAP-registered professionals can submit building plans and section 7(6) applications on CPMS. Homeowners go through their architect, technologist or draughtsperson. Plans are uploaded as PDFs.

In September and October 2025, building plan and site development plan submissions on CPMS were disrupted by a failure in the city's Land Information System. The city said CPMS was operating again from 14 October 2025, and reported 1 114 applications at various stages of assessment on 22 October.

What the checklist asks for

For a house, pool or boundary wall, the city's checklist lists:

• registered title deed
• power of attorney and company resolution, if the property is owned by a company or trust
• zoning information
• Surveyor-General diagram
• SANS 10400 Form 1 and Form 2
• the SACAP form for the registered professional
• approved building line relaxation letter and plan, if there is one
• approved site development plan, if one was required
• energy-efficiency rational design (Part XA), if the deemed-to-satisfy route is not used
• an Agrément certificate for alternative building methods
• heritage approval if the building is older than 60 years

Refused applications can be resubmitted free within a year of the refusal letter.

What it costs

From the city's tariff report. The 2026/27 amendment applies from 1 July 2026. We did not find a final tariff PDF, and the report does not say whether VAT is included, so confirm before paying.

Alterations to existing buildings can be charged at 0.3% of project value instead of by area (minimum R3 301 in 2026/27). The regularisation tariff also has a minimum fee; confirm it with the city.

Building line relaxations are a town-planning application: R738 in 2026/27 (R706 in 2025/26).

Minor building work

Johannesburg publishes a list of what it can exempt as minor building work under section 13 of the Act. You still apply: a motivation letter to the Building Control Officer, a sketch, and a declaration that the work does not cross a servitude, building line or zoning control or create a fire or safety risk. The list includes:

• tool shed under 10 m², greenhouse under 15 m², pool change room under 10 m²
• freestanding wall under 1.8 m that does not retain soil
• pergola
• replacing a roof like for like
• changing a window into a door without widening the opening
• an opening in a non-structural wall, or removing a non-structural internal wall
• solar water heater under 6 m² on a roof, or under 12 m² elsewhere

The exemption form is on CPMS: minor works form.

Zoning lookup

Joburg's eServices online maps have a zoning theme you can search by stand number and township: eservices.joburg.org.za/onlinemaps. It shows rights, density, height and building lines.

How long it takes

The Act gives the city 30 days for plans under 500 m² and 60 days for larger ones, counted from receipt of the application. The city has not published measured approval times that we could find.

Questions people ask