Building Bye-Laws 2026: The process of obtaining approval for building layout in Bihar will get easier with the state government approving the Bihar Building Bye-Laws 2026 and setting a 30 day limit for granting approvals.
On Tuesday, November 10, 2026 the Bihar Cabinet led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary passed the new building bye-laws. If no decision is reached by the competent authority within 30 days of submission of the building plan then it will be automatically deemed to be approved.
The new building bye-laws will replace the current Bihar Building Bye-Laws 2014. The new rules provide quicker approvals for building plans but also provide changes to building height, Floor Area Ratio (FAR), parking, setbacks and green buildings.
Bihar Building Bye-Laws 2026.
The biggest change to the building rules will be the introduction of a new time limit for building approvals. If a building plan is not responded to by the competent authority within 30 days then it will be deemed to be approved.
This means property owners will have to visit less often to the local council offices. For example, if you wanted to build a residential property in Patna then you wouldn’t have to wait for a response from the local council. As long as the conditions are met then the building plan will be approved due to the deemed approval rule.
Three Categories of Buildings Based on Height.
The new Bihar Building Bye-Laws 2026 have introduced categories based on risk. Buildings will now be grouped based on height and what safety requirements they require.
Low risk buildings: Up to 10m
Any residential or commercial buildings will be categorised as low risk if they are up to 10m in height.
A quicker approval process will be used for these buildings using a self-declaration. This will help those with individual properties.
Medium risk buildings: 10m+ up to 24m
Any buildings between 10m and 24m in height will be categorised as medium risk.
High risk buildings: 24m+
Buildings that are above 24m will be categorised as high risk.
These will require mandatory approvals from the local council.
Base Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 3.0
One of the most notable changes in the new building rules is the introduction of a standard Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 3.0. The Floor Area Ratio dictates how much of a property you can build on a certain piece of land.
Relaxation of Maximum Building Heights.
The fixed maximum building height has been removed. However, you will still have to meet any statutory provisions, road access, fire safety etc.
This could encourage more higher residential and commercial buildings to be built in urban areas like Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and other developing cities.
However, just because the building heights are relaxed it doesn’t mean you can build a high-rise building on every plot of land. The building will still have to meet requirements such as road widths, emergency access, building safety etc.
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Priority Given to Emergency Vehicles
One of the biggest changes to the building rules is the introduction of a new setback rule.
Traditionally buildings have had to meet setbacks to ensure they have open space around them. However, the new rules will mean only one side of the building will have to meet the setbacks.
New Parking Requirements.
The new building rules include new parking requirements. The new rules include:
- 1 car park per 100m² for educational, commercial and institutional buildings.
- 1 car park per 300m² for industrial and storage buildings.
Extra FAR for Green Buildings.
To encourage more eco-friendly cities the new building rules include extra FAR for properties that have a green building certificate. These certificates can include GRIHA, IGBC, ECBC.
The extra FAR will be:
- 3 Stars: 5% extra FAR.
- 4 Stars: 10% extra FAR.
- 5 Stars: 15% extra FAR.
This could encourage builders to utilise energy efficient features, sustainable materials and eco-friendly designs.
Fire NOC To Be Included
The new rules include a change to the Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC). The Fire NOC will be included in the building permission process.
This will help speed up the approvals whilst ensuring that fire prevention and life safety requirements are met.
