Building permit in Bamako: file, 19 working days, tacit approval
Town hall (general secretariat) and planning and construction department
Building a house in Bamako requires a building permit, issued by the town hall after review by the planning department. Decree no. 08-766 of 26 December 2008 governs the procedure and sets short deadlines, with a tacit approval mechanism if the administration does not answer. This page follows the two sheets on the official procedures portal, and what the sheet itself says about practice.
Key points (checked on 17 October 2026)
- Where: at the town hall's general secretariat, with an application bearing a 250 FCFA stamp addressed to the mayor.
- Documents: land title or proof of the right to use the land, technical file in at least 7 copies (plans, specification, structural calculations where needed, sanitation plan).
- Cost: 10,000 FCFA file fee, varying between town halls.
- Timeline: 19 working days; if there is no answer, a reminder letter then tacit approval after 8 days.
- Validity: one year from signature.
The file
The application, bearing a 250 FCFA stamp and addressed to the mayor, gives the applicant's identity (or company name), the site, the type, use and description of the building, and its approximate cost. The fee is paid at the revenue office against a receipt.
Documents:
- a land title or any document legally proving the right to use the plot;
- a technical file in at least seven copies:
- location plan of the plot (scale 1:2000 at least);
- site plan (1:500 at least);
- floor plans and sections (1:50 up to 30 metres span, 1:100 beyond);
- detailed specification;
- structural calculations and formwork plans by a licensed consulting engineer if load-bearing elements are 5 metres or more apart;
- soil test report and foundation justification beyond three storeys or with a basement;
- a supervision contract when calculations and soil tests are required;
- sanitation system plan.
For an industrial or commercial building, the file is drawn up by a licensed architect (or a consulting engineer for the work reserved to them), structural calculations, soil tests and the sanitation plan are always required, and an environmental permit is needed for classified installations.
The land title is the document that most often holds things up: see our page on land titles and urban concessions in Bamako.
The deadlines set by the decree
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Town hall forwards the file to the planning department | 3 working days |
| Forwarding to the services concerned (water, electricity, telephone…) | 3 working days |
| Meeting of the services to decide | within 7 working days |
| Reasoned opinion from planning to the town hall | 3 working days |
| Signature and delivery of the permit or reasoned refusal | 3 working days |
| Total | 19 working days |
Without an answer in that time, the applicant sends a reminder letter to the authority, quoting the references of the application. The authority must answer within 8 calendar days; otherwise the permit is deemed granted for the works described. Tacit approval does not exempt you from building, planning, safety, hygiene and design rules.
The permit is valid for one year. If work cannot start in time, request an extension one month before expiry; otherwise you need a new permit.
What the sheet says about practice
The portal sheet itself acknowledges that in reality the services do not meet: the file goes from office to office for opinions, often carried by the applicant. Once all opinions are in, the regional director sends the authorisation text back to the mayor for signature, then the Regional Planning Directorate adds its technical approval before collection at the building permit office. So allow more than the theoretical 19 days, and keep a dated copy of your filing so you can send the reminder letter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a building permit cost in Bamako?
A 10,000 FCFA file fee according to the official portal, varying between town halls, plus an application with a 250 FCFA stamp.
How long does it take?
19 working days under decree no. 08-766, often longer in practice according to the sheet itself.
What if the town hall does not answer?
Send a reminder letter; without an answer within 8 calendar days, the permit is deemed granted.
How long is the permit valid?
One year from signature, extendable on request one month before expiry.
Official sources (checked on 17 October 2026)
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Building permit (residential) (French): procedure, deadlines, documents, fee, practice.
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Building permit (industrial or commercial) (French): file, environmental permit, deadline.
- Decree no. 08-766/P-RM of 26 December 2008 regulating the issue of building permits (cited by the sheets).