Start with your site.
Then your permissions.
Planning a new home or rebuilding an existing one? Understand the approval route, prepare the right information and keep approval costs visible before committing to construction.
By Bind Builds · Sources checked 17 September 2026. General guidance; the current rules and your site determine the requirements.
Which authority?
Which permission?
Planning permission
Within the Chennai Metropolitan Area, CMDA regulates development and delegates some categories to local bodies. Location, use and the proposal determine the route.
CMDA planning guidance ↗Building permit
Confirm the local-body permit requirements alongside planning permission. GCC’s procedure covers submissions through registered architects or engineers and the issue of a building permit.
GCC procedure ↗Confirm the exact jurisdiction and current delegation for the plot. Outside the metropolitan area, check the applicable planning authority and local body through the state portal. Do not choose an authority from the locality name alone.
Tamil Nadu planning portal ↗Have an approved layout? Still check the permissions needed for the proposed building. Land-use conformity and applicable development rules matter. CMDA explains the basis of scrutiny ↗
A document checklist.
A better starting point.
Use these six groups to organise your discussion. The registered professional must confirm the current checklist, record dates, attestations and documents applicable to your case.
Ownership
Sale deed, lease or power-of-attorney records, as applicable.
Land records
Patta / Chitta / TSLR and related revenue records.
Survey
FMB or town-survey sketch and site measurements.
Encumbrances
An encumbrance certificate covering the required period and recency.
Existing permissions
Available layout and building approvals; identify any existing structure.
Project drawings
Site and building drawings, with supporting declarations and clearances where required.
Checklist reference: Greater Chennai Corporation — Town Planning, Annexure 1 ↗. Additional records may apply; this is not a complete submission checklist.
From information.
To a permitted plan.
- 01
Confirm
Locate the site and identify the applicable authority and route.
- 02
Prepare
Gather records and coordinate the required drawings with the registered professional.
- 03
Submit
Submit through the applicable portal and retain the application reference.
- 04
Respond
Address scrutiny queries, site checks and the authority’s fee demand.
- 05
Verify
Check the issued permission, permit and conditions before scheduling construction.
Simplified from the GCC application procedure ↗; the sequence varies with the route and proposal.
What about self-certification?
Tamil Nadu has a published self-certification procedure for qualifying buildings. Ask your professional to verify current eligibility and conditions before choosing it. This page does not make an eligibility decision.
Official self-certification manual (PDF, 2024) ↗Three cost buckets.
One clearer conversation.
Authority charges
CMDA explains that development charges depend on location, proposed use and floor area. Use the applicable official demand, not a universal online rate.
CMDA fee guidance ↗Professional scope
Ask what the drawing preparation, coordination, submission support and revisions cover. Agree the scope and fee before work starts.
Site-specific work
Discuss surveys, investigations, demolition and any specialist inputs separately. Record what is included, excluded or still to be quoted.
Keep it as a separate budget item. Adding a reserve in the calculator does not price it.
Review package inclusions and exclusions →When can you start?
Separate preparation time from authority review. CMDA’s charter expects complete information and full responses to queries; published service targets should not be treated as a promise for your application. Review required permissions and their conditions before fixing commencement.
CMDA Citizen’s Charter ↗Know your next step.
Tick the information you have gathered. We’ll carry your checklist into your enquiry so the conversation starts with your site.
This is a preparation checklist, not an approval or eligibility assessment. Your selections stay in this page until you choose to share them.
6 topics remain to gather or clarify. You can still talk to us now.
Share a general location only. Keep deeds and identity documents for a secure, direct exchange with the team. WhatsApp sends your message only after you press Send.
Design first.
Coordinate before site work.
We start by understanding your site, family and budget. A site-specific design or approval-coordination engagement needs an agreed professional scope and fee. We’ll clarify the registered professional’s role, submission responsibility and authority charges for your project.
Questions before you apply.
Is an approved layout enough to start building?
Treat plot or layout approval and permission for your proposed building as separate checks. Confirm the planning permission, building permit and other applicable conditions for the actual design before construction.
Is every Chennai application submitted directly to CMDA?
No. CMDA delegates certain categories to local bodies. The plot jurisdiction and development category determine the route. Ask the registered professional to confirm the current route for your proposal.
Can I use the self-certification route?
Tamil Nadu publishes a self-certification procedure for qualifying buildings. Eligibility must be checked against the current scheme and your complete proposal; selecting G+1 or a small plot in a calculator does not establish eligibility.
How much does building plan approval cost in Chennai?
There is no single approval fee for every site. Ask for separate figures for authority charges, professional work and any site-specific requirements. Bind Builds construction package rates exclude building-plan approval.
How long will approval take?
Request a programme that separates document collection, drawing preparation, authority review, responses and payment. Missing information or additional clearances can affect the sequence. A target review period is not a guaranteed approval date.
Does approval guarantee ownership or a housing loan?
Do not treat a building permission as a substitute for legal title due diligence or a lender’s assessment. Ask your legal adviser and lender which checks and documents they require for your case.