Bonn’s building regulation office now accepts building applications, requests for preliminary decisions and requests for deviations, exemptions or exceptions only in digital form. Each case is handled in a virtual project room that maps the entire process up to the completion of the project. For builders and planners, this means that apart from the initial form, all correspondence with the authority, including decisions, runs exclusively through the ITeBau (Dalux) platform.
Why the city is switching
When the city announced the change, the legislator still let applicants choose between digital and paper applications. However, the expected amendment to the state building code already includes mandatory digital submission. Some time ago, the office introduced new hardware and software to process building permit procedures digitally. After a test phase, it decided to roll out the procedure across the board. The city expects shorter processing times and more efficient procedures. The project room also lets clients and planners follow the progress of their case.
How the procedure works
- Applicants submit the online form “Digitales Baugenehmigungsverfahren”; everyone named in it receives a PDF copy by email.
- Within a few working days, the applicant and the design author receive an email invitation to the project room.
- After a one-off registration on the ITeBau platform, the documents are uploaded to folder 10, “Antragsunterlagen”.
- All communication and file exchange then run through the project room, where an approved permit is provided for download.
- After construction starts, staff and building inspectors carry out site inspections using mobile digital devices.
Deadlines and document rules
All required documents must be uploaded within three weeks of the invitation, in one continuous upload of no more than 24 hours. If the deadline passes, the project room is closed, and a new application must be submitted if needed. Wrongly named documents count as not received. Documents must generally be in PDF format, and replacement files must keep exactly the same file name. Once the documents are complete, applicants receive a formal confirmation of receipt. Documents are not stored permanently on the platform after the procedure ends.
Fees
Fees are calculated under the General Administrative Fee Ordinance of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the city may request an advance before examining an application.
| Type of project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New building or extension | 6 to 13 thousandths of the shell construction cost |
| Alterations to existing buildings | 6 to 13 thousandths of the construction cost |
| Change of use | additional €50 to €5,000 |