Permits to Build a House in Chile: Step by Step Guide 2025
From the Building Permit to Final Reception. Learn the necessary procedures so your turnkey house is 100% legal.
Quick Summary
The Bureaucratic Route: From Idea to Legal Home
Many clients come with the fear of municipal procedures. "I've heard they take years," they tell us. And yes, if done poorly, it can be a nightmare. But at Canadian Houses, as a Turnkey construction company, we transform this process into an ordered checklist that we execute.
Here we explain the legal lifecycle of your house:
Step 1: Preliminary Project (Optional but Recommended)
A "general idea" is presented to the Municipal Works Directorate (DOM).
- Objective: Freeze current urban planning regulations. If the Regulatory Plan changes tomorrow, you keep your acquired rights.
Step 2: Building Permit (Mandatory)
It is the "green light" to build. Without this, any brick you lay is illegal.
- The File: We prepare a complex technical folder that includes:
- Architecture Plans (floor plans, sections, elevations).
- Technical Specifications (what the house is made of).
- Structural Calculation (signed by structural engineer).
- Patent of the responsible professional (Architect).
- Payments: You must pay Municipal Rights (approx. 1.5% of the official project budget).
Step 3: Construction and Modifications
During the work, if we decide to move a window or enlarge the terrace, we must present a Project Modification. It is vital that what is built matches the final plans 100%.
Step 4: Service Processing (Certifiers)
Before finishing, specialists authorized by the SEC enter:
- TE1: Interior Electrical Installation Certificate.
- TC6: Gas Installation Certificate.
- Water and Sewerage Endowment Certificate: Issued by the utility company or Health Service resolution (on plots).
Step 5: Final Reception (The Goal)
It is the final procedure. We request the DOM to visit the site. A municipal inspector checks that the house matches the approved plans.
- Approval: If everything is OK, they issue the Certificate of Final Reception.
- Legal Effect: Only now does your house "exist" legally. You can register it in the Real Estate Conservator, appraise it commercially at real value, and sell it with a mortgage loan.
Our Promise: We don't leave you alone halfway. Our service includes full management until Final Reception, protecting your assets.