HDB Renovation Permit: What Needs Approval and How the Process Works (2026)

In an HDB flat, works such as hacking or building walls, removing and replacing floor finishes, raising floors in wet areas, moving internal doorways and replacing toilet finishes after the initial 3-year restriction need HDB approval. Your contractor must be listed in HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors and can apply online on your behalf. Obtain the necessary permit before starting works that require approval. Check separate window, main entrance door and electrical requirements before including them in your scope.

That is the short answer. Below we set out what needs approval, what does not, what is never allowed, and how the process runs from signing the form to finishing on time. We have quoted HDB’s own guidelines wherever we can. Rules can be updated, so always check the latest version on HDB’s website before you start.

Works that need an HDB renovation permit

Type of work	Permit needed?	Key condition from HDB
Hacking or building walls (partly or fully)	Yes	Follow HDB’s approval conditions; do not hack structural reinforced concrete walls, columns, beams or slabs
Replacing existing floor finishes	Yes	Follow HDB’s permitted materials, thickness and loading conditions for the proposed work
Raising floor levels in the kitchen, balcony, bathroom or toilet	Yes	Badly done work adds stress to the floor slab
Replacing bathroom or toilet wall and floor finishes	Yes, after the first 3 years	Initial 3-year restriction applies; confirm applicable dates and waterproofing conditions with HDB
Replacing windows	Check HDB’s window-work requirements	Must be done by a BCA Approved Window Contractor listed with HDB
Replacing the main door on a fire escape route	Yes	Door and frame must be half-hour fire-rated, with a door closer
Changing the location of doors inside the flat	Yes	New openings must not be made through reinforced concrete walls
High-power appliance installation or electrical alterations	Check your block and proposed work	Applies mainly to older flats; check your block’s electrical loading

The 3-year rule for toilets in new flats

For a newly built BTO flat, HDB requires a 3-year wait before removing the original toilet wall or floor finishes, to protect the waterproofing. Overlaying tiles may be an alternative, subject to HDB’s conditions. After the restriction ends, replacing the finishes needs a permit. Ask your contractor to confirm the applicable dates and waterproofing requirements for your block.

Works that do not need a permit (but still have rules)

HDB is clear that items without a permit must still follow its guidelines. If they do not, they are treated as unauthorised work. Common examples from HDB’s MyNiceHome guide include:

• Glass shower screens, provided the floor slab is not tampered with during installation.
• Air-conditioners in flats already equipped for a higher electrical load, mainly flats built after 1 January 1994 or upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme or Home Improvement Programme. The installer must be BCA-trained.
• Overlaying new tiles on existing toilet floor finishes in a new flat, using adhesives.

Electrical work must be done by an EMA-licensed electrical worker. Carpentry is not among the permit items HDB lists in its MyNiceHome guide, but built-ins still have to respect the rules below, especially around household shelters.

What is never allowed

• Hacking or altering structural members: reinforced concrete walls, columns, beams and slabs.
• Hacking or drilling the walls of the household shelter, or tampering with its steel door. HDB notes the door must open and close properly at all times.
• Creating a new doorway through a reinforced concrete wall.

This matters for design. A wall that looks perfect to remove may be structural, and the shelter walls cannot carry wall-mounted carpentry fixed by drilling. Check your floor plan early so the design works with these walls rather than against them.

How the HDB permit process works

1. Engage a listed contractor. Under the Housing & Development (Renovation Control) Rules 2006, you may only engage contractors from HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors.
2. Check project-specific requirements. Ask your contractor what information and utility arrangements are required for your block before submitting the application.
3. Prepare the floor plan. For works such as wall demolition, or removing or moving fittings, layout plans and details must be submitted. You can buy your flat’s floor plan through HDB’s Purchase of Residential Floor Plan e-Service.
4. Sign the acknowledgement form. You authorise your contractor to submit the electronic application, and they attach the form you signed. HDB sends you an SMS once it receives the submission.
5. Wait for the permit. Allow time for evaluation rather than assuming approval is immediate. Once granted, check the permit details using HDB’s Check Renovation Permit e-Service.
6. Tell your neighbours. Give written notice to neighbours within a radius of 2 units at least 5 days before work begins, and display the Notice of Renovation outside your flat throughout the works.
7. Finish on time. HDB’s guidance states 3 months for new flats and 1 month for existing flats. Follow the specific completion period and conditions stated in your permit.

Some works also need a Qualified Person to certify or supervise them, for example certain window or safety barrier works. Your contractor should tell you if this applies.

HDB renovation hours

Type of work	Allowed	Not allowed
General renovation (e.g. plastering, laying floor screed)	Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm	Sundays and public holidays
Noisy work (demolishing walls, removing finishes, cutting tiles, heavy drilling)	Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm	Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the eves of New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya Puasa and Christmas Day

HDB’s renovation portal terms require noisy works to be completed within 3 consecutive days. Schedule the permitted noisy work period with your contractor and follow any additional conditions in the renovation permit.

What happens if work is done without a permit

Unauthorised works may require correction or reinstatement. Contact HDB and your contractor for the action required in your case; do not assume retrospective approval will be available.

Permit checklist before you start

• Confirm your contractor is listed in HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors.
• Get your floor plan and mark which walls are structural or part of the household shelter.
• List the approval requirements for each proposed item, including walls, floors, toilets, windows, doors and electrical alterations.
• New flat? Check block-specific application requirements and the 3-year toilet rule.
• Sign the acknowledgement form and watch for HDB’s SMS.
• Send written notice to neighbours at least 5 days ahead.
• Schedule noisy works on weekdays only, within 3 consecutive days.
• Plan the programme to finish within the permit period.

You can see how layouts have worked within these rules in our HDB renovation projects. For cost context, read our HDB renovation cost guide. For a comparison of condo and HDB renovation requirements, read our Condo vs HDB renovation guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to renovate my HDB flat?

You need HDB approval for works such as hacking or building walls, removing and replacing floor finishes, moving internal doorways and changing toilet finishes after the initial 3-year restriction. Check window, door and electrical requirements for your proposed work. Items that do not require approval must still follow HDB’s guidelines.

Who applies for the HDB renovation permit?

Your renovation contractor, who must be listed in HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors, submits the application online on your behalf. You sign an acknowledgement form, and HDB sends you an SMS when it receives the application.

How long do I have to complete an approved HDB renovation?

HDB’s guidance states 3 months for new flats and 1 month for existing flats. Follow the specific completion period and conditions in your permit.

What are the HDB renovation hours?

General renovation is allowed from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays. Noisy works such as hacking and tile cutting are allowed only from 9am to 5pm on weekdays. No renovation is allowed on Sundays and public holidays.

What happens if I renovate without an HDB permit?

Unauthorised works may require correction or reinstatement. Contact HDB and your contractor for the action required in your case; do not assume retrospective approval will be available.

Need help with your HDB renovation plans?

Explore our residential renovation and in-house carpentry services. To discuss your floor plan, priorities and proposed scope, send us an enquiry.