How long building approval lasts, and building differently from approved plans
Physical and Land Use Planning Act · sources read 2 Oct 2026
County building approval (development permission) lapses if you do not start building within 3 years, though the county can extend it by 1 year. Building works that do not match the approved plans are an offence, so apply to the county again for any material change.
- Deadline
- 3 years from approval to start building, or the permission lapses.
- Deadline
- 5 years to complete the building works before the county may add conditions or a fine.
- Deadline
- 14 days from being served with an enforcement notice to appeal.
- Where
- Your county government's physical planning office; appeals to the County Physical and Land Use Planning Liaison Committee.
Steps
- If you cannot start within 3 years, apply to the county planning office to extend the permission by 1 year.
- If you want to change the design materially, apply to the county for development permission for the variation before building it.
- If you get an enforcement notice, you can appeal to the County Liaison Committee within 14 days of being served.
Watch out
- Building works inconsistent with the approved plans, or ignoring approval conditions, is an offence with a fine of at least KSh 1 million or at least 5 years in jail.
- The county can serve an enforcement notice requiring you to alter or demolish the works within a set time.
Who this covers
- Anyone who has been granted development permission by a county.
- Anyone can inspect the county's register of development permissions, for example to check a neighbour's approval.
Official sources (1)
- Physical and Land Use Planning Act (No. 13 of 2019, Cap. 303) new.kenyalaw.org · read 2 Oct 2026