Building permit, notification or exempt in Salzburg

The first step in every building project is to establish whether it needs a permit, whether notification is enough or whether it is exempt; the timetable depends on the answer.

The three categories

Salzburg building law distinguishes between projects requiring a permit, projects requiring notification, and projects requiring neither. The type, size, location and use of the project determine the category. New buildings, extensions and material changes to external appearance or use generally require a permit. Smaller structures, such as certain outbuildings, are often only subject to notification, in which case the authority may respond within a set time limit.

The question that comes first

Ahead of all three categories stands the zoning. What the zoning plan and the development plan do not cover will not be permitted, even with complete documentation. Anyone buying a property in order to build on it therefore checks the zoning first, and only then whether the project is fit to be submitted.

If building went ahead without a permit

Unauthorised structures can lead to a building-police order, in extreme cases to removal. A subsequent permit is possible if the project is capable of being permitted; if it is not, the mere passage of time does not help either. When buying a property it is therefore advisable to inspect the building file, because what actually stands and what has been permitted need not coincide.