You need your building permit when you sell the property, apply for an occupancy certificate, issue a commercial licence for a tenant, or make any change to the building. So what if the old paper permit has been lost or damaged? The Balady platform includes a replacement building permit service for lost or damaged permits, but before applying you should know whether you actually need it, because many permits no longer depend on paper at all. This guide explains when you need a replacement, the difference between an electronic and a paper permit, how to obtain one, and the common mistakes.
Do You Need a Replacement Building Permit at All?
The answer depends on the type of permit you hold:
| Permit type | What you need |
|---|---|
| Electronic permit issued through Balady | No replacement needed; you can print the permit from your account at any time. Read: How to inquire about and print a building permit |
| Paper permit whose data is registered in Balady | It appears in your account and its electronic data can be used; the engineering office determines the right procedure for your case |
| Old paper permit that does not appear in Balady | The solution may be to add it through the engineering office or the municipality, or to correct its data. Read: How to update a building permit |
| No retrievable data at all | The usual path is a status correction of the existing building to issue a new electronic permit |
How to Obtain a Replacement Building Permit Through Balady
A request to replace a lost building permit is submitted electronically through the Balady platform, and its details vary with the permit's status: registered electronically, an old paper permit, or a permit with no data. The right first step is therefore to determine your permit's status, then choose the service that fits it.
Because service names and requirements are updated by the competent authority, review the service description on Balady before applying, or ask the engineering office to confirm the right path for your case.
What to Prepare Before Applying
- The permit number and date, if available, even from an old photo.
- An up-to-date electronic title deed in the owner's name. Read: Updating a paper deed to an electronic deed.
- Any survey decision or old drawings of the building.
- Recent photos of the building, which help the office assess the case if a status correction turns out to be needed.
Replacements for Old Permits Issued Before Digitisation
When you need a replacement for an old building permit issued before the services were digitised, the most important step is to check whether its data exists in any system. If it was migrated from the municipality with incorrect data, a building permit data correction may be the solution rather than a replacement. If no data exists at all, the closest path is issuing a building permit for an existing building through a status correction, after a survey decision is issued for the same purpose.
When Is a Replacement Usually Needed?
The need for a replacement building permit usually comes up in these situations:
- When selling the property and transferring the permit's ownership. Read: How to transfer a building permit.
- When applying for an occupancy certificate for an old building.
- When issuing a commercial licence for a tenant who must attach the building permit.
- When applying for a restoration or modification that relies on the permit.
Common Mistakes
- Applying for a replacement of an electronic permit that can simply be printed.
- Starting a status correction before checking whether the permit can be added or its data corrected.
- Waiting until the day of the sale to discover that the permit is not available.
- Neglecting to update the title deed, which blocks linking the permit to it.
A related service from Abak: Restoration permit issuance.
Frequently Asked Questions
My permit is electronic and I lost the printed copy. Do I need a replacement?
No. An electronic permit can be printed from your Balady account at any time.
How much does a replacement building permit cost?
It depends on the service and the permit's status. To find out the cost for your case, contact Abak. For an overview of the fee items, read: Building permit fees.
Can I sell without the original paper permit?
What matters is that the permit's data is available and linked to the title deed; the office determines whether the transaction needs a replacement or a data update.
Who submits the request?
The owner, or someone the owner authorises, through Balady. An engineering office can help identify the correct service.
Can correcting the permit's data replace the need for a replacement?
For permits migrated with incorrect data, a correction may be the required procedure, depending on the permit's status.
Related Service: Handling Old and Lost Permits
Before you apply for a replacement building permit, Abak's team reviews your permit's status on Balady and determines whether you need a replacement, an addition, a data correction or a status correction, then handles the whole procedure. Learn about our building permit service and authorising an engineering office on Balady, or contact us.
Regulatory information is based on the official websites of the competent authorities, and procedures and fees may be updated by the competent authority. Last reviewed: October 2026.