Last reviewed: 9 September 2026
Written and reviewed by the Zenith Arc Design Team
Planning an HDB renovation involves more than choosing materials and finalising your layout. Before work begins, you must establish which parts of the proposed renovation require HDB approval, who will submit the application and whether licensed professionals are needed.
Not every renovation item requires an HDB permit. However, every item must still comply with the applicable HDB renovation guidelines. As the flat owner, you remain responsible for ensuring that the work is authorised and carried out correctly.
The official starting point is HDB’s Application for a Renovation Permit page.
The answer depends on the exact work proposed, not simply whether the renovation is “major” or “minor”.
A cosmetic change may not require approval, while a seemingly small alteration involving a wall, window, electrical load or plumbing connection may be regulated. HDB publishes separate requirements for building, window, electrical, air-conditioning, water, sanitary plumbing and gas works.
| Renovation work | Permit position | What homeowners should know |
|---|---|---|
| Partial or complete demolition of walls | Prior HDB approval required | Do not begin hacking or demolition until written approval has been granted. |
| Replacing or removing wall and floor finishes | Depends on the work involved | Your HDB-registered renovation contractor should check the applicable HDB guideline and permit conditions before work begins. |
| Bathroom or toilet wall and floor finishes in a new flat | Restricted during the first three years | The original finishes must not be removed during this period. Overlaying with adhesive may be allowed, subject to HDB’s conditions. |
| Window installation or replacement | HDB requirements and approval apply | Engage a BCA-approved window contractor and comply with the applicable window requirements. |
| Air-conditioning installation | HDB installation requirements apply | Use a BCA-trained air-conditioning installer and follow HDB’s installation conditions. |
| Electrical, gas or plumbing work | Trade-specific requirements apply | Engage the appropriate EMA-licensed electrical or gas worker, or PUB-licensed plumber, where required. |
| Minor works that do not require a permit | No permit for certain permitted works | HDB renovation rules still apply. Renovation work must be carried out by an HDB Directory of Renovation Contractors-listed contractor. |
Use HDB’s current Renovation Guidelines to check each proposed item. Do not rely on a generic online list as approval for your specific flat.
For general renovation work, the flat owner authorises a contractor listed in the Directory of Renovation Contractors to submit the electronic application.
The contractor must attach an acknowledgement form signed by the owner. HDB sends the owner an SMS after receiving the submission.
For regulated specialist work, additional parties may be involved:
Being an interior designer, renovation contractor or specialist installer involves different responsibilities. Confirm which legal entity will submit the application and which professionals will carry out each regulated part of the work.
Prepare a clear list of the work planned for each room. Identify proposed wall changes, replacement of finishes, plumbing alterations, electrical work, windows, doors and air-conditioning installations.
Permit requirements cannot be checked accurately from an inspiration image alone. Your contractor needs the existing floor plan and sufficient technical details.
Check that the contractor carrying out the renovation appears in HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors. This requirement applies even when the particular work does not need a permit.
HDB may need to evaluate proposals such as wall demolition. The renovation contractor must submit a floor plan showing the proposed work with the application.
If you no longer have the floor plan provided with the flat’s sales documents, HDB currently allows an owner to purchase a copy for S$5 through its residential floor-plan service or at an HDB Branch self-service kiosk.
Some proposals may require additional plans, calculations, certifications or approvals from a Qualified Person or another authority.
The owner signs the acknowledgement form authorising the contractor to apply and confirming the owner’s responsibilities.
The contractor submits the renovation application electronically. Permit-dependent work must remain unscheduled until the necessary approval is granted.
Once granted, the owner can use HDB’s renovation permit service to view the permit.
Read the approved scope and conditions carefully. Approval for one item does not automatically authorise other alterations added later.
HDB requires the owner or contractor to give written notice at least five days before renovation begins to neighbours within the prescribed two-unit radius.
The Notice of Renovation must also be displayed outside the flat throughout the renovation period.
HDB’s public application page does not promise one fixed processing time for every renovation proposal.
Processing depends on the type of work, whether the submitted information is complete and whether HDB or another authority must evaluate drawings or technical details. Proposals involving demolition, structural considerations or a Qualified Person may require additional review.
Do not confuse the application processing time with the period allowed to complete the renovation after the permit is granted.
HDB currently states these completion periods:
| Stage or flat type | Time period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Permit application review | No single standard processing time | The review time depends on the proposed work, supporting documents and whether plans or professional endorsements are required. |
| Newly completed HDB block | Within 3 months | The approved renovation must be completed within three months from the date the permit is granted. |
| Existing HDB block | Within 1 month | The approved renovation must be completed within one month from the date the permit is granted. |
| Window works only | Within 2 weeks | Approved window installation or replacement work must be completed within two weeks. |
These are completion periods after a permit is granted, not guaranteed permit-approval times. More complex applications may require additional review or documentation.
Build a reasonable approval buffer into your renovation schedule. Do not promise a hacking date, arrange a major delivery or confirm a move-in date on the assumption that approval will arrive within a particular number of days.
HDB separates general renovation work from restricted work that creates heavier noise.
| Type of work | Permitted days | Permitted hours | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| General renovation work | Monday to Saturday | 9:00am to 6:00pm | Not permitted on Sundays or public holidays. |
| Noisy work, including hacking, demolition and removal of wall or floor finishes | Monday to Friday | 9:00am to 5:00pm | Not permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays or the eves of New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas Day. |
No more than two HDB-approved handheld power tools may be used at the same time. Demolition of walls and removal of wall or floor finishes must be completed within three consecutive days.
Restricted work includes activities such as demolishing walls, removing wall or floor finishes, cutting tiles and heavy or excessive drilling.
It is not permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays or the eves of New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya Puasa and Christmas Day.
At any given time, contractors may use no more than two HDB-approved handheld power tools or their equivalent. Demolition of walls and removal of wall or floor finishes must not take more than three consecutive days.
These conditions are published in HDB’s Important Information on Renovations. Check the current page again before scheduling noisy work because prevailing conditions may change.
HDB’s current homeowner permit page does not publish one general permit fee covering every type of renovation.
Separate expenses may arise from:
Ask for these items to be identified clearly in the renovation quotation. A quoted “permit charge” should explain what service or third-party cost it covers.
HDB sends the owner an SMS after receiving the contractor’s electronic submission. Once the permit is granted, the owner may view it through HDB’s online renovation permit service.
If information appears to be missing or the application remains unresolved, first ask the submitting contractor to confirm:
Contact the HDB Branch managing the flat if the contractor cannot resolve an HDB-specific issue.
Before HDB can grant a renovation permit for a new flat, the owner must have opened a water and electricity utilities account.
Newly completed flats also have a three-year restriction on removing the bathroom and toilet wall and floor finishes provided by HDB or the developer. The restriction protects the waterproofing system.
During this period, owners may lay new toilet floor finishes over the existing finish with adhesive, subject to HDB’s conditions. Do not hack the original bathroom finishes without confirming that the restriction has ended and that the proposed method is allowed.
If your flat has a special design or belongs to a precinct such as a DBSS development, check MyHDB Page for additional conditions applying to that specific flat.
Before renovation starts, confirm that:
Keep the approved permit, final plans and important correspondence available throughout the project.
No. Some works require prior approval while others do not. However, work that does not require a permit must still comply with HDB’s guidelines and technical conditions.
For general renovation, the flat owner authorises an HDB-registered renovation contractor listed in the Directory of Renovation Contractors to submit the electronic application. Electrical, gas, plumbing, window and air-conditioning works must also be handled by the relevant licensed, approved or trained specialist where required.
Work requiring a permit must not begin until HDB grants the necessary approval. Starting early can result in the work being treated as unauthorised.
There is no single published processing period covering every proposal. Timing depends on the scope, submitted documents and whether technical evaluation or additional professional input is required.
General renovation may take place from 9:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays and Saturdays. Restricted noisy work is limited to 9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays.
General renovation is permitted on Saturdays that are not public holidays, between 9:00am and 6:00pm. Restricted noisy work such as wall demolition, removal of wall or floor finishes and tile cutting is not allowed on Saturdays.
The owner and contractor must display a Notice of Renovation outside the flat after the permit is obtained and throughout the work. Anyone concerned about suspected unauthorised work should contact the HDB Branch managing the block.
HDB’s current homeowner application page does not state one standard permit fee for every renovation. Related costs may arise from floor plans, specialist professionals, documentation and debris-removal services.
HDB can require unauthorised work to stop, be corrected or removed, and the flat may need to be reinstated. Breaches can also expose the responsible parties to enforcement action.
Permit planning should happen while the layout and scope are being developed, not after the quotation is signed and the work schedule is fixed.
Bring your floor plan, preferred layout, key-collection or move-in date and list of proposed works to the consultation. The Zenith Arc Design Team can help you understand the renovation sequence, identify likely approval dependencies and prepare a clearer project scope.
Explore our HDB renovation services or contact the Zenith Arc Design Team to discuss your flat.
HDB remains the final authority on whether a specific renovation proposal is permitted and what conditions apply.
