Building a House · Property
LDA map approval for a house: Rs 15 per sq ft scrutiny fee plus Rs 10,000 processing, 21 days in approved schemes. Documents, steps, penalties, DHA.
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LDA map approval for a house costs a scrutiny fee of Rs 15 per sq ft of total covered area plus a Rs 10,000 processing fee, under LDA's Building and Zoning Regulations 2019 (LDA's file dated February 2026). A 10 marla double storey of about 2,820 sq ft comes to Rs 42,300 in scrutiny fee. LDA should decide within 21 days in approved schemes and 30 days in the controlled area. The plan must be drawn by a registered architect. DHA Lahore approves its own drawings.
LDA map approval for a house costs a scrutiny fee of Rs 15 per sq ft of total covered area, plus a Rs 10,000 processing fee. A 10 marla double storey of about 2,820 sq ft pays Rs 42,300 in scrutiny fee. LDA should decide within 21 days in an approved scheme and 30 days in its controlled area. A registered architect must draw and stamp the plan.
These figures come from LDA’s Building and Zoning Regulations 2019, in the copy on LDA’s own website (file dated 9 February 2026). The fee table says rates are “subject to revision”, so LDA’s challan is the final amount.
LDA’s regulations (clause 10.3.2) list these for a new house:
LDA’s FAQ page adds a copy of your CNIC, the ownership certificate, the physical possession certificate and the architect’s A and B forms.
The two disagree on copies. The regulations (10.3.1) ask for five copies, two of them on linen or mounted. The FAQ says four originals. File five and ask the One Window counter if they want fewer.
Who signs depends on plot size (clause 10.4.5). Up to 7 marla, an Assistant Director sanctions the plan. Above 7 marla up to 1 kanal, a Deputy Director does. Above 1 kanal, the Director.
Appendix C of the regulations lists these residential fees:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First or revised house plan (scrutiny fee) | Rs 15 per sq ft of total covered area |
| Building plan processing fee | Rs 10,000 |
| Addition or alteration plan | Rs 7.5 per sq ft |
| Plan revival | Rs 5 per sq ft |
| Gate and boundary wall | Rs 1,000 per marla |
| Completion certificate processing fee | Rs 10,000 |
| Malba (debris) charges | Rs 10 per sq ft |
| Copy of a plan | Rs 3,000 per sheet |
The regulations don’t say when malba charges apply, so ask whether they are on your challan.
Here is the scrutiny fee on common house sizes, using the two-floor covered areas from our covered area and setbacks guide. The sums are ours.
| House | Covered area (two floors) | Scrutiny fee at Rs 15 | With Rs 10,000 processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 marla | 1,688 sq ft | Rs 25,320 | Rs 35,320 |
| 10 marla | 2,820 sq ft | Rs 42,300 | Rs 52,300 |
| 1 kanal | 5,850 sq ft | Rs 87,750 | Rs 97,750 |
Add the Rs 10,000 completion certificate fee at the end. To estimate your own fee, multiply your total covered area by Rs 15.
Clause 10.13 says LDA should approve a house plan within 21 days in an approved scheme and 30 days in the controlled area. An earlier clause (10.4.1) gives LDA 45 days to decide or ask for more details. We follow 10.13, the specific timeline clause.
If LDA misses the deadline, you may start building after you pay the scrutiny fee, pay any penalty for existing violations, and file an affidavit that you will build strictly to the submitted plan. Any deviation is then charged at penalty rates.
If LDA refuses, it must name the regulation you broke. You can appeal within 30 days, and the appeal must be decided within 30 days after a hearing.
Partly. In August 2024, LDA’s One Window cell began accepting residential building plans online, with digital challans, according to Zameen. The first 12 came from private housing schemes.
LDA’s homepage now has a “Building Plan Approval” button that links to the Punjab government’s eBiz portal. In November 2025, Zameen reported that eBiz handles LDA’s commercial building plans, with a 30 working day timeline; it didn’t mention houses. The eBiz site refused our connection on 21 October 2026, so we couldn’t check whether house plans are filed there yet.
In December 2025, LDA planned an AI-based approval pilot for house plans up to 5 marla. We found no report of the result.
The approval lapses at the end of your plot’s building period or three years after sanction, whichever comes first (clause 10.7.1). If the plot is still empty, you need a fresh sanction and a fresh scrutiny fee. A partly built house can be revalidated by paying a revalidation fee.
Appendix C lists these residential penalties:
If you don’t comply, LDA can stop the work or demolish it at your cost and report you to the police (clause 10.8.2).
Within one month of finishing, give LDA written notice of completion. LDA’s FAQ asks for the ownership document, your CNIC, an original electricity or Sui gas bill, an NOC from your neighbours if you built a double-storey bathroom, and a revised plan if you made changes. LDA then issues a fee challan.
An LDA-registered architect or town planner can do the field inspection for a house, or you can apply directly. If you changed more than 25% of the design, you need a revised completion plan. Once any penalty is paid, the certificate should be issued within 7 days.
No. DHA Lahore approves house drawings through its own Building Control Branch, according to its website:
DHA won’t process a house transfer without a completion certificate. You can apply through eservices.dhalahore.org.
Plan the build stage by stage with house construction stages, and budget it with house construction cost in Pakistan or the grey structure cost guide. Building in Islamabad instead? See CDA building bylaws.
More guides: 10 marla construction cost, LDA approved societies, Property.
LDA's regulations list Rs 15 per sq ft of total covered area for a first or revised house plan, plus a Rs 10,000 processing fee. A 10 marla double storey of about 2,820 sq ft comes to Rs 42,300 in scrutiny fee (our calculation).
The regulations set 21 days in LDA-approved schemes and 30 days in the controlled area. If LDA misses that, you may start building after paying the fee and filing an affidavit that you will build to the submitted plan.
LDA began taking residential plans online in August 2024, and its website's Building Plan Approval button links to the Punjab eBiz portal. We couldn't open eBiz to check which services it lists. LDA's One Window status page tracks applications.
No. DHA Lahore approves house drawings through its own Building Control Branch, at Rs 10 per sq ft, with a 20 working day target.
Photo by Lucas Kepner on Unsplash
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