How to build a house now that permits are gone

By Malcolm Madzuramhende | Aug 7, 2026 | 3 Min read

BUILDING a house in Zimbabwe used to test your patience. You drew your plans. You took them to council. Then you waited. And waited. Approvals could drag on for months and costs piled up while you sat still.

In May 2026, that changed. On 12 May, Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, announced a package of Cabinet-approved reforms. They cover manufacturing, financial services, real estate and health, and form part of the government's Vision 2030 plan.

For builders and homeowners, two council hurdles are now gone. These reforms promise faster project delivery and lower administrative costs. But they do not automatically mean anyone can build anything anywhere. Property owners remain responsible for complying with planning laws, zoning regulations, engineering standards and environmental regulation where applicable. Building without understanding these remaining obligations can still result in costly delays, enforcement action or unsafe construction.

Here is what changed and what did not.

What has been removed

First, council building permit requirements have been abolished. For years, this step was slow and uneven. Fees changed from one office to the next and approvals often ran past their statutory deadlines.

Second, council-level Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) have been removed. Before, some projects faced two environmental checks for the same site — one at council and another at national level.

What you still must do

Keep Reading

The reform did not remove every rule. It removed the extra, repeated ones.

National environmental law still stands. If your project needs an EIA, you must still get it from the Environmental Management Agency (Ema). Only the duplicate council layer was dropped.

Hiring unqualified contractors, ignoring soil investigations, failing to document the construction process and building before confirming zoning are all costly mistakes that you can still make. Several construction approvals, such as land use change, subdivision and consolidation, infrastructure projects and projects in environmentally sensitive areas still need statutory approval.

You still need proper building plans, built to standard. And you still need a certificate of occupation before people move in. That protects your title and your insurance. Less paperwork, yes. No standards, no. Permit free does not mean regulation free.

The fees that changed

The package also reset several fees. The government says the aim is to speed up construction approvals and reduce delays.

Contractor registration fees are now standardised at US$20 nationwide, replacing the old tiered charges.

Building plan approval fees have been standardised and capped across all local authorities.

Certificate of occupation fees have been cut by half.

The changes apply across the sector, from small contractors to listed property firms such as Tigere REIT, First Mutual Properties and Mashonaland Holdings.

A concern that has been raised

The reform has also drawn criticism. Environmental groups have questioned the removal of the council EIA layer. Their worry is that if Ema lacks enough staff on the ground, sensitive areas such as wetlands could be built on. Harare has already seen court cases over wetland projects.

Your simple building checklist for 2026

Confirm whether your project needs a national Ema EIA. If yes, get it.

Use registered contractors. Registration is now just US$20.

Keep proper, approved building plans.

Get your certificate of occupation before anyone moves in.

Check that your land is not on a wetland or flood zone.