DHA Lahore · Building Control
Clear spaces, covered area, height, porch, basement and fire safety limits for every residential plot size in DHA Lahore — each figure cited to its regulation number and printed page, so you can check it against the source yourself.
The DHA Lahore building byelaws are the Defence Housing Authority Construction & Development Regulations 2014, issued by the Executive Board of Defence Housing Authority Lahore and published in the Building Control 2026 edition. They set clear spaces, covered area, height, plinth, boundary wall and basement limits for every residential plot size in DHA Lahore. Before any construction, an owner must obtain written approval of the building plan from the DHA Building Control Directorate. Construction without an approved plan is not permitted and is liable to demolition.
Regulations 1, 21 and 22, printed pages 5 and 21.The document in force is titled “Byelaws — Construction & Development, Building Control 2026”, published by Defence Housing Authority Lahore. Inside it, Regulation 1(a) states that the regulations are formally called the Defence Housing Authority Construction & Development Regulations 2014. Both names refer to the same instrument: the 2014 regulations as consolidated, amended and reprinted in the 2026 edition. Anyone quoting a “2022 revised byelaws” figure to you is quoting a superseded print.
The regulations extend to the specified as well as the notified area of DHA Lahore and are read together with the DHA Projects / Joint Venture Regulations 2004.
Regulation 1(a), (b) and (c), printed page 5.
Under Regulation 70 the Executive Board is competent to amend these regulations at any time, and amendment expressly includes addition, deletion, substitution and modification. Figures change between editions. Every number on this page is reproduced from the edition named above and was checked against the printed page. Before you submit, confirm the current edition and any subsequent amendment with the DHA Building Control Directorate. This page is a reference, not a substitute for that confirmation, and it is not legal advice.
Regulation 70, printed page 43.
Regulation 1(d) is one of the most useful clauses in the document and one of the least known. Where a house or building has been constructed in accordance with drawings approved under previous byelaws, rules or regulations, and that construction contradicts the present regulations, the violation may not be objected to and the completion certificate is issued accordingly.
In plain terms: a compliant house does not become non-compliant because the byelaws changed after it was approved. What matters is the edition in force when your drawing was approved.
Regulation 1(d), printed page 5.
Eight stages, from drawing preparation to completion certificate. Each stage below names the regulation that governs it.
The building plan is submitted to the Building Control Branch signed by a registered architect. The regulations define a registered architect as an architect registered with the Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners (PCATP) and also registered with the Authority. Registration with PCATP alone is not sufficient. This is the first point at which a plot owner cannot proceed alone, and it is the point most often discovered late.
Regulation 15 opening paragraph, printed page 18. Definition 76, printed page 10.
Regulation 14 lists the documents that must accompany the application. This is separate from, and additional to, the drawing content requirements in Regulation 15.
Regulation 14, printed page 17.
Plan for item (p) early. The geotechnical report is valid for one year and is required at submission. It has to be commissioned, the field work carried out and the report issued before the application can be lodged. An owner who leaves it until the drawings are ready has added weeks to the programme for no design reason, and a report obtained more than a year before submission has to be redone.
Regulation 15 sets out what the drawings themselves must show, in twenty-two lettered requirements. The ones that most often decide whether a set is complete:
Regulation 15(a) to (v), printed pages 18–19.
The Authority scrutinises the drawings and documents within 21 working days, for all residential and commercial buildings. Five sets are scrutinised: building plans, structural drawings, fire protection drawings, MEP drawings and 3D views.
Regulation 16(a), printed page 19.
Note what that list means: fire protection and MEP are not post-approval fit-out matters. They are scrutinised sets, required at submission, and an incomplete or absent set is an incomplete application.
The Authority may reject the application and return the drawings and documents where plans are illegible, ambiguous or in contravention of the rules and regulations. When it does, it gives reasons in writing and returns the set together with guidelines for resubmission. The Authority also reserves the right to reject plans, or to suggest modifications, where the design does not contravene the regulations but is in its view injurious to the health, welfare, safety and comfort of residents.
Regulation 16(b) and (c), printed page 19.
The clause that changes the economics: on resubmission the application is deemed to be a fresh application, and a period of 21 working days commences again from the date of resubmission.
Regulation 16(d), printed page 19.This is why compliance checking belongs at concept stage rather than at submission stage. A clear space or covered area assumption that is wrong at concept costs a redraw. The same assumption discovered at scrutiny costs the redraw plus a fresh 21 working day clock — and it does so at the point in the programme where the owner has usually already agreed a start date with a contractor.
Has your map been returned with observations? Send the plot details and the observation list and we will tell you what has to change.
Discuss my resubmissionAfter approval, the applicant collects the documents in person or through attorney. That second route is what makes remote approval workable for an owner living abroad.
Regulation 16(e), printed page 19.
One clause worth reading carefully: any oversight in the scrutiny of documents and drawings at the time of approval does not entitle the person to violate the regulations or to claim damages. If a violation later comes to the Authority’s knowledge, it is pointed out to the applicant, who must rectify it in the given time at their own risk and cost. An approval stamp is not a warranty that the drawing is compliant.
Regulation 16(f), printed page 19.
Every registered person is bound to get construction verified from the Building Control Directorate at five stages, in order to avoid violations:
| Stage | When |
|---|---|
| 1 | When the layout has been completed, before starting the work |
| 2 | On construction of the main building up to DPC level |
| 3 | Upon raising the 1st floor structure by 1 foot from the ground floor roof slab |
| 4 | At post grey structure |
| 5 | On final completion before occupation, at the time of getting the sewer connection opened |
Regulation 18(a) to (e), printed page 20.
The note attached to Regulation 18 matters as much as the list. Permission granted after the inspection of any stage does not relieve the registered person from the responsibility of keeping the construction free of all violations. Separately, authorised officers may inspect the premises at any time, without prior notice. If a person denies inspection, the Authority may serve a notice and then disconnect water supply and sewerage services, and may impose violation charges.
Regulation 18 Note and Regulation 19(a), printed page 20.
On completion the member contacts the Authority for sewer and water connections before occupying the building. Occupying without those connections is liable to fine. The application requires two ammonia copies of the approved drawing and two photographs of 6 inch × 4 inch showing the front elevation — and two more showing the side elevation on a corner plot — with the requisite fee.
The certificate is normally issued within 20 days if no violation is observed and construction is found to be in accordance with the approved drawing. The date of sewer opening is treated as the date of completion. The member is bound to obtain it within 3 years of approval of the drawing, failing which a fine is levied monthly.
Regulation 48(a) to (e), printed page 34.
| Deadline | What it requires | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years from possession | Commence construction within 3 years from the date the area was opened for possession or construction by the Authority, failing which a non-construction penalty is payable as prescribed | Reg 17(a), p19 |
| 2 years from approval | Complete the building within 2 years reckoned from the date of approval of the drawing | Reg 17(b), p19 |
| 2 years drawing validity | The drawing remains valid for two years from approval. On lapse, fresh approval must be obtained | Reg 17(c), p19 |
| 3 years to completion certificate | Obtain the completion certificate within 3 years of approval of the drawing, failing which a fine is levied monthly | Reg 48(e), p34 |
| Purchasers and transferees | A purchaser or transferee, including Hibba, has three years for construction from the date of opening of possession. Sold within 3 years: penalty not levied until three years from opening of possession or 24 months from transfer, whichever is later. Sold after three years: 24 month grace period, penalty levied from date of transfer | Reg 13(d)–(e), p17 |
| Shuhada | Non-construction penalty is not imposed on Shuhada. Legal heirs are considered in the same status as the deceased member | Reg 13(f)–(g), p17 |
One further clause interacts with the drawing validity period. A site once excavated must not be kept open and idle beyond the validity period of the building plan; if it is, the Authority will not revalidate the plan. A building once started may not be left incomplete or abandoned for an indefinite period — in such cases the building plan becomes invalid for starting reconstruction.
Regulation 43(a) and (b), printed page 32.
A specified clear space is defined as the minimum part of a plot which is to be left completely and compulsorily open to sky, over which no structure — even temporary — or any integral part of the building is permitted.
Definition 91, printed page 11.
Select your plot size. The table below highlights to match.
Maximum residential height is 39 ft from the crown of the road, for all phases and all plot sizes.
The clear spaces below are minimums and, critically, they are stated as including boundary walls. Read the note beneath the table before using any of these figures in a design.
| Plot size | Front | Rear | Side (each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Kanal — 75′×120′ | 20′-9″ | 8′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 2 Kanal — 100′×90′ | 15′-9″ | 8′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 1 Kanal | 15′-9″ | 5′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 10 Marla | 10′-9″ | 5′-4½″ | 5′-4½″ |
| 9 Marla | 9′-0″ | 5′-4½″ | 4′-9″ |
| 8 Marla | 8′-0″ | 4′-0″ | 4′-0″ |
| 7 Marla | 7′-0″ | 3′-0″ | 3′-0″ |
| 5 Marla | 5′-0″ | 3′-0″ | 3′-0″ |
Regulation 22(a), printed page 21. The published table lists two SIDE columns; for 2 Kanal and 1 Kanal both are populated at 5′-4½″, and for 10 Marla and below a single dimension applies to each side.
The clear space is measured to include the thickness of the boundary wall, not from its inner face. A boundary wall is 9 inches thick and, where it is a common wall, is built using 4½ inches of the adjoining plot — so 4½ inches of a common side or rear wall sits inside your clear space.
Regulation 29(a), printed page 25.
Deduct the wall and the fractions resolve. On a 1 Kanal plot, the 15′-9″ front clear space less the 9 inch front boundary wall leaves exactly 15′-0″ of open ground between the wall and the building face; the 5′-4½″ side and rear clear spaces less 4½ inches of common wall each leave exactly 5′-0″. The same holds for 10 Marla and 2 Kanal. The odd half-inches in the published table exist because the wall thickness is included in the dimension. For 9 Marla and below the table states round figures that already include the wall, so the usable open ground on those plots is less than the headline number. Confirm this reading with Building Control before relying on it in a submission.
No construction, even temporary, may be carried out in the clear spaces, except:
Clear spaces cannot be covered by constructing pergolas. However, a 2 foot pergola or sunshade may be extended into the clear spaces at ground and first floor. At ground floor a sunken area may be extended into the clear spaces leaving a 2.5 ft wide clear passage, in the case of construction of a basement. A spiral steel stair is allowed in the rear side specified clear space for roof-top access; no platform may be provided with it, and concrete sun shades may not be used as a platform or landing.
Regulation 22(a), Notes 1 to 3, printed page 21. Sunken area also at Regulation 35(b), printed page 28.
Two further restrictions sit elsewhere in the document and are easy to miss. No balcony may be made over clear spaces. And only one temporary shade of 6 ft × 4 ft is allowed in the mandatory rear clear space, for covering a washing machine or similar, subject to safety requirements — particularly fire safety and fire fighting — and after obtaining permission from DHA.
Regulation 27(a)(4) and Regulation 27 Note 2, printed pages 24–25.
Covering an open area or a pergola with fibre glass, steel structure, asbestos cement sheet or other similar material is counted as covered area. A pergola is defined as a structure with a perforated roof of which at least 50% is open to sky. Once you sheet it, it stops being a pergola and starts consuming your covered area allowance.
Regulation 27 Note 1, printed page 25. Definition 68, printed page 10.
Where a plot is irregular in shape, dimension or size, the open area required as clear spaces on each side is to be kept clear in totality, instead of as a uniform space measured from the boundary wall. The permissible area to be covered is built, leaving the rest open. On a non-standard plot, permissible covered area proportionate to the plot size may be covered.
The floor that applies to every plot: the width of clear space on any side, for any size of plot, shall not be less than 3 feet 9 inches.
Regulation 22(b)(1) to (4), printed page 21. Definition 61, printed page 9.
On a corner plot, if the owner intends to keep the frontage on the longer side, the specified front clear space must be left on both the sides. On a 1 Kanal corner plot taken frontage-long, that means 15′-9″ on two sides rather than one — a materially different envelope from the same plot planned the other way round, and a decision that has to be made at concept stage because it changes the entire plan.
Two further corner-plot rules: the gate may not be provided in the chamfered portion of the boundary wall, and a corner plot may have two porches resting on the boundary wall where a non-corner plot of the same size may have one.
Regulation 22(c), printed page 21. Regulation 29(d), printed page 26. Regulation 27(a)(8), printed page 24.
Not sure which figures apply to your plot? Send the size, phase, block and whether it is a corner plot. We will confirm the envelope before you commit to a plan.
Confirm my clear spacesRegulation 27(a)(1) and (2), printed page 24. Regulation 35(a), printed page 27.
| Plot size | Permitted first floor covered area |
|---|---|
| 5 Marla | 100% of ground floor |
| 7 to 10 Marla | 82% of ground floor |
| 1 Kanal | 80% of ground floor |
| 2 Kanal | 78% of ground floor |
| 3 Kanal | 78% of ground floor |
| 4 Kanal | 78% of ground floor |
Regulation 27(a)(3), printed page 24.
Regulation 4(a) sets the maximum size of a residential plot at 2 Kanal (9,000 sq ft). Three and four Kanal residential plots therefore exist only through amalgamation, which Regulation 8 permits for 1 Kanal and 2 Kanal plots up to a maximum amalgamated size of 4 Kanal. On amalgamated plots a second and separate cap applies: the footprint area of an amalgamated 4 Kanal plot must not exceed 63% of plot area, and a 3 Kanal plot must not exceed 65%. So an amalgamated plot is governed by a footprint percentage of the plot and a first floor percentage of the ground floor at the same time. Constructed houses may not be amalgamated; one house and one open plot can be.
Regulation 4(a), printed page 13. Regulation 8(a)(2) to (4) and 8(b), printed pages 14–15.The first floor limit is not a discount. It is an instruction about massing, and the larger the plot the more of the ground floor roof it forces you to leave unbuilt.
| Plot | Max ground floor envelope | First floor limit | Ground floor roof left unbuilt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Marla, 25′×45′ | 19′-0″ × 37′-0″ = 703 sq ft | 100% = 703 sq ft | Nil |
| 10 Marla, 35′×65′ | 24′-3″ × 48′-10½″ = 1,185 sq ft | 82% = 972 sq ft | approx. 213 sq ft |
| 1 Kanal, 50′×90′ | 39′-3″ × 68′-10½″ = 2,703 sq ft | 80% = 2,163 sq ft | approx. 540 sq ft |
| 2 Kanal, 100′×90′ | 89′-3″ × 65′-10½″ = 5,879 sq ft | 78% = 4,586 sq ft | approx. 1,293 sq ft |
| 2 Kanal, 75′×120′ | 64′-3″ × 90′-10½″ = 5,839 sq ft | 78% = 4,554 sq ft | approx. 1,285 sq ft |
Avenir calculation from the plot dimensions at Regulation 4(a), the clear spaces at Regulation 22(a) and the percentages at Regulation 27(a)(3). Figures are gross envelope areas before wall thickness, porch, projections and any sunken area, shown to illustrate the scale of the constraint. They are not DHA-issued figures and are not a substitute for a schedule of areas prepared for your plot. The 75′×120′ buildable depth of 90′-10½″ is confirmed by DHA’s own Annex A sub-division drawing at printed page 44.
On a 2 Kanal plot roughly 1,300 square feet of ground floor roof cannot be built on. That area is not spare — it is a design problem with a deadline, because the byelaws constrain what you can do with it. No balcony may be made over clear spaces. A 2 foot sun or rain shade may not be combined with an open terrace except on the front and road side of a corner plot. So the unbuilt roof has to be resolved as a usable terrace served from inside the first floor, a courtyard void, or a double-height volume — and each of those changes the ground floor plan underneath it. Decide it at concept. Discovering it when the first floor plan is drawn means replanning the ground floor.
A 2 foot wide sun or rain shade and roof projection with a 6 inch drop down is permitted. A sun or rain shade is defined as an outer-side 2 foot wide projection from the building, over a minimum height of 7 feet from plinth level.
The shade may not be combined with an open terrace, except on the front and road side in the case of a corner plot. It may not be used as a balcony, walkway or passage. No construction, parapet or railing is permitted on the shades — with one exception: a railing or parapet up to 36 inches in height may be provided on the front or road-facing side sun shade or roof projection of the ground and first floor. No balcony may be made on clear spaces.
Regulation 27(a)(4), printed page 24. Definition 90, printed page 11.
This is, in our practice, the single most misread clause in the residential section, and it shows up in elevations rather than plans. The default reading is “railings up to 36 inches are allowed on shades”. The clause says the opposite: railings on shades are prohibited, and are then permitted only on the front or road-facing side. An elevation showing a continuous railed projection wrapping the side and rear of the house does not comply, and because it is an elevation issue it survives every plan check until scrutiny.
Working out how much you can actually build? Send your plot size and dimensions and we will return the permitted envelope and first floor area for your plot.
Check my covered areaRegulation 23(a), printed page 22.
Height of building is defined as the vertical measurement from the crown of the front road to the highest part of the roof — not from your plinth, and not from your finished ground level.
Definition 49, printed page 8.
The 39 foot cap is almost never broken by the house. It is broken by the overhead water tank. Regulation 15(m) requires the drawings to show the overall height of the building including the overhead water tank, staircase, machine room for lift and parapet walls — so the tank is inside the 39 feet, and it is the one element that is routinely sized and positioned after the section has been drawn. The only element the regulations allow above 39 feet on a residential building is a lift machine room, capped at 75 square feet and 45 feet; the rest of the mumtee stays at 39 feet 0 inches. Set the tank level in the section at concept stage, not when the plumbing is designed.
Two further constraints on the mumtee: where plots are amalgamated, the area of the stair or lift mumtee remains the same as that of the original plot. And the stair mumtee must be designed to cover the stair area only — no living space may be created within it.
Regulation 33 Notes 1 and 2, printed page 27.
A car porch is defined as a shelter or shed for a car which is permanently open on at least two sides.
Definition 27, printed page 7.
Regulation 27(a)(6) states that the porch roof shall rest on columns or beam and not on the boundary wall. Regulations 27(a)(7) and 27(a)(8) then set a height limit and a per-plot-size count for porches “resting on boundary wall”. Regulation 29(g) adds that the common boundary wall may not carry porch columns, that columns must sit adjacent to it, and that the porch roof may extend to the plot limit. Read together, the practical position appears to be that the porch is structurally independent of the wall while spanning over it, but the clauses are not worded consistently. Confirm the current position with the DHA Building Control Directorate for your specific plot before finalising the porch structure.
Checking a constraint mid-design? Send your drawings and we will check them against the current byelaws before they go to Building Control.
Get my drawings checkedSeven sets of residential limits, grouped so you can open the one you need. Every panel is expandable and all content is on the page.
Regulation 35(a) and (b), printed pages 27–28. Regulation 32(c), printed page 26. Regulation 27(a)(1), printed page 24.
The basement decision is not a basement decision. It sets the ground floor plinth at 3′-6″ on plots up to 10 Marla, which sets the entrance step count and the driveway ramp — and the top of the ramp and the clear spaces may not be more than 12 inches higher than the crown of the front road. Change your mind about a basement after the ground floor plan is fixed and you are not adding a floor below, you are replanning the approach, the porch level and the entry sequence. Take the decision before the ground floor plan is finalised, not at excavation.
The plinth level of the building shall not be less than 1 foot 6 inches from the crown of the adjoining road and a maximum of 3 feet 6 inches. It can be increased up to 5 feet 6 inches on one Kanal and above plots. The top of the ramp and clear spaces shall not be more than 12 inches higher than the crown of the front road, and the ramp shall be made as per the approved plan. Plinth is defined as the finished floor level of the building.
Regulation 28(a) and (b), printed page 25. Definition 71, printed page 10.
Regulation 29(a) to (h), printed pages 25–26.
Inter-floor spaces. An inter-floor having not more than 40% of the area of a liveable space, at ground or first floor, is allowed for residential units, subject to:
Regulation 32(a) to (d), printed pages 26–27. Definitions 48 and 50, printed page 8.
For residential buildings the maximum area of the machine room for a lift is 75 square feet and its height shall be 45 feet from crown of road level. The height of the rest of the mumtee, other than the machine room, remains 39 feet 0 inches. The area of the stair mumtee is 175 square feet up to 10 Marlas and 300 square feet for 1 to 4 Kanals. Where plots are amalgamated, the mumtee area remains the same as that of the original plot. The stair mumtee must be designed to cover the stair area only and no living space may be created.
Separately, the thickness of all walls enclosing a staircase shall not be less than 9 inches in brick masonry, and 6 inches in RCC.
Regulation 33(a) and Notes 1 and 2, printed page 27. Regulation 41(c), printed page 32.
The person shall construct underground and overhead water tanks in the house and make the necessary arrangements for pumping water from the underground tank to the overhead tank. The Authority is responsible for ensuring that water reaches the underground water tank.
No person is permitted to bore a well, tube well, water pump or hand pump for an alternative supply of water, or to install a motor or pump directly on the water supply line in any way. A person who does so is liable to fine, penalty or both, in addition to detachment and confiscation of the motor or pump. The Authority may allow boring of a shallow pump for construction purposes only, and on completion the bore must be destroyed.
Regulation 36, printed page 28. Regulation 11(f), (g) and (h), printed pages 15–16.
Swimming pool. Construction is not permitted in a residential building having an area less than one Kanal, nor on the roof top. To ensure privacy, a 10 foot high wall or any other arrangement as directed by the Authority must be provided. Separate charges are levied for a house having a swimming pool.
Guard post. Inner size 6 feet × 6 feet with a maximum height of 8 feet from the road level adjacent to the main gate, towards the lawn. On production of an authorisation letter from the Federal or Provincial Home Secretary, a guard post may be placed for the prescribed duration adjacent to the boundary wall near the main gate, not utilising more than 8 feet × 12 feet of the berm area. No permanent or temporary guard post, including tents or cabins, may be provided outside the boundary wall.
Rockery and water features. A rockery or water feature up to the height of the boundary wall may be constructed with the front boundary wall. Along a common boundary wall a minimum 6 inch gap must be provided. In clear spaces, leave a clear passage of 2.5 feet between the building and the feature.
Surface water. A water channel of 3 inch × 3 inch size shall be constructed outside the house as approved in the drawing, connected to the internal septic tank through a “P” trap.
Regulation 34, printed page 27. Regulation 11(i), printed page 16. Regulation 37, printed page 28. Regulation 46(g), printed page 33. Regulation 31, printed page 26. Regulation 30, printed page 26.
Fire protection drawings are one of the five sets DHA scrutinises. Annex-C to the regulations sets the mandatory provisions for houses by plot size. This is the section of the byelaws least covered elsewhere and the one that most often collides with a construction programme, because the wiring has to be cast into the structure.
Regulation 16(a)(3), printed page 19. Regulation 41(e), printed page 32. Annex-C, printed page 46.
| Measure | 5 Marla | 10 Marla | 1 Kanal | 2 Kanal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke / heat detectors — ground floor | 05 | 09 | 17 | 37 |
| Smoke / heat detectors — first floor | 06 | 07 | 14 | 29 |
| Smoke / heat detectors — basement | 01 per 150 sq ft | 01 per 150 sq ft | 01 per 150 sq ft | 01 per 150 sq ft |
| Detectors — compartments | At least 01 in each compartment, at least 01 per 150 sq ft | At least 01 in each compartment, at least 01 per 150 sq ft | At least 01 in each compartment, at least 01 per 150 sq ft | At least 01 in each compartment, at least 01 per 150 sq ft |
| Manual call points | 01 per floor | 01 per floor | 01 per floor, 01 in servant quarter | 02 per floor, 01 in each servant quarter |
| Fire alarm sounders | 01 per floor in living area, 01 in garage / gallery | 01 per floor in living area, 02 in garage / gallery (front / rear) | 01 per floor, 01 in servant quarter, 02 in garage / gallery (front / rear) | 01 per floor, 01 in each servant quarter, 02 in garage / gallery (front / rear) |
| Emergency lights | 01 per floor | 01 per floor | 02 per floor, 01 in servant quarter | 02 per floor, 01 in each servant quarter |
| Fire extinguishers | 02 DCP (6 kg) on each floor, 01 CO₂ (6 kg) in each house | 02 DCP (6 kg) on each floor, 01 CO₂ (6 kg) in each house | 02 DCP on each floor, 01 CO₂ in each house, 01 DCP in servant quarter, 01 CO₂ in servant quarter | 03 DCP on each floor, 01 CO₂ in each house, 01 DCP in each servant quarter, 01 CO₂ in servant quarters |
| Fire blankets | 02 in each house | 02 in each house | 02 in each house, 01 in servant quarter | 02 in each house, 01 in each servant quarter |
| Emergency first-aid box | 01 in each house | 01 in each house | 01 in each house | 01 in each house |
| Fire alarm control panel box | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor |
| Electrical DB installation | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor | Close to main entry / exit at ground floor |
Annex-C, “Fire Safety Requirements for Houses”, printed page 46. The published table also covers 8 Marla, where the ground and first floor detector counts are 08 and 06. Additional requirements applying to all plot sizes: a wet chemical fire extinguisher, at least one per kitchen (recommended); and heat detectors at least 01 per kitchen in kitchens, pantry or cooking area, plus 01 per 150 sq ft for additional space.
Two requirements printed beneath the Annex-C table apply to every plot size and are not optional:
Electrical wiring for the fire protection system must be run in separate conduits.
Because wireless devices are prohibited and everything must be hard-wired back to a panel in fire-resistant cable in separate conduits, the fire system is a grey structure item, not a finishing item. Those conduits are cast into slabs and chased into walls while the structure is going up. Treat fire protection as something to specify after plaster and the choice narrows to surface-mounted conduit in a premium house, or chasing finished walls. On a 2 Kanal house the table requires 37 detectors at ground floor and 29 at first floor — that is a distribution problem for the electrical layout, and it needs to be coordinated with the reflected ceiling plan before the slab is poured.
These sit in Part IV of the regulations and are the rules owners most often ask about late in design, when changes are expensive.
Reg 57 · p38
Regulation 57(a) to (d), printed page 38.
Reg 65 · p41
Regulation 65(a) to (e), printed page 41.
Reg 61 · p40
In the area of the Authority adjacent to the Civil Aviation Airport, the following are strictly prohibited on rooftops to avoid bird hazard and reduce the risk of bird strike: keeping birds or pet animals on the rooftop; throwing or spreading food articles, foodstuff, meat and other eatable articles; and roosting and breeding facilities.
Regulation 61, printed page 40.
Reg 66 · p41
Cameras at both ends of the front boundary wall need power and data at those positions. That is a conduit run in the boundary wall and along the front elevation, and it belongs on the MEP drawing rather than on a security contractor’s quotation after handover.
Regulation 66(a) to (d), printed page 41.
Reg 67 · pp42–43
Solar systems shall only be procured and installed by vendors approved or authorised by the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB), including work eligibility in Punjab. A complete proposal must be submitted to DHA for scrutiny and approval before installation.
Regulation 67(a) to (d), printed pages 42–43.
Reg 58 · p39
A generator shall not be used as a prime source of electric supply. It may be used as standby, subject to:
Regulation 58(a), printed page 39.
Two clauses pull against each other and both have to be satisfied. Permanent structures integrated into the grey structure are not permitted for the solar mounting, yet concrete footings must be designed and constructed to strengthen the structural steel columns, and the structure must be anchored to the roof with stainless steel anchors only. In practice that means the roof slab has to be designed for a solar load and detailed for anchor positions and waterproofing at the design stage, while the mounting structure itself stays demountable. A slab designed without that load, later drilled for anchors, is a waterproofing failure waiting to happen on a roof you have already finished.
Stated as the regulations state it, without embellishment.
No construction, addition, alteration, renovation or demolition is allowed without prior approval of the Authority. Construction without approval of the building plan is not permitted and shall be demolished at the risk and cost of the owner.
Regulation 13(c), printed page 16. Regulation 21, printed page 21.
A revised drawing is required for approval by the Authority before execution of any addition or alteration in the structure of the building. Renovation not affecting the structure may be carried out after obtaining approval from the Authority.
Regulation 20, printed page 21. Definition 82, printed page 11.
Regulation 46 states that construction violations shall include, but are not limited to:
Regulation 46(a) to (l), printed pages 32–33. The regulations also note that since the area outside the boundary wall is liable to be dug by the Authority for connections or maintenance without intimation, a person should not construct costly ramps.
If on inspection the building work is found to be in contravention of any of the regulations, the Authority gives due notice with the object of bringing the works into conformity with the approved plan, or of stopping the work until the approval of an amended or revised plan. In the event of non-compliance the work shall not proceed further, and the Authority may order the demolition of that much of the construction as contravenes the regulations, at the cost of the person. The Authority reserves the right to disconnect or refuse services and to impose a fine; water supply and sewerage services are restored on payment of the fine, if any, and restoration charges.
Where the Authority finds a violation it serves a notice in writing indicating the nature of the violation. Where violations are not removed or regularised within the stipulated period, the Authority may disconnect the services of the member. Services are restored after removal or regularisation and payment of restoration charges.
Regulation 19(b) and (c), printed page 20. Regulation 47(a) to (c), printed page 33.
If the person is dissatisfied with a notice issued under the regulations, they can file an appeal before the Administrator within 15 days to reconsider the case, provided that work is suspended on filing of the said appeal and until the decision of such appeal. The Authority decides the appeal after hearing the applicant within such period as consented or agreed upon. If the appeal is rejected, the appellant is bound to rectify the violation within the period specified in the decision.
Regulation 19(d) and (e), printed page 20.
Received a violation notice? There is a 15 day window to file an appeal. Send the notice and your plot details and we will tell you what your options are.
Discuss my noticeWhere building works are commenced or carried out contrary to the provisions of the regulations or the approved building plan, the Authority may by written show cause notice require the person to stop all works forthwith. If the person fails to show sufficient cause, the Authority may require the person to demolish the whole building or part thereof; and in case of failure to demolish, the Authority shall demolish such works at the risk and cost of the person. In case of non-compliance, registration may be cancelled and the premises may be taken over by the Authority.
Regulation 69(a) and (b), printed page 43.
If at any time after permission has been granted the Authority is satisfied that it was granted in consequence of any defective title, material misrepresentation, or a fraudulent statement contained in the application, plan, elevations, sections or specifications, the permission may be cancelled and any work done thereunder shall be deemed to have been done without the permission of the Authority.
Regulation 62(a), printed page 40.
Regulation 42(a) and (b), printed page 32. Regulation 44, printed page 32. Regulation 68(a) to (c), printed page 43. Regulation 43(c), printed page 32.
“Construction supervision and quality assurance shall be the sole responsibility of the member and his appointed architects / engineers.”Regulation 45, printed page 32.
Read that clause alongside two others. The note to Regulation 18 states that permission granted after inspection at any stage does not relieve the registered person of the responsibility of keeping the construction free of all violations. Regulation 16(f) states that any oversight in the scrutiny of documents at the time of approval does not entitle the person to violate the regulations or claim damages.
Three separate clauses place the risk on the owner. DHA’s stage verifications are compliance checkpoints, not a quality service, and an approval stamp is not a defence. This is why an unsupervised contractor arrangement in DHA Lahore is a regulatory exposure rather than only a quality risk: if a violation is built, the notice, the rectification cost and the demolition liability sit with the owner, not with the contractor who built it. The regulations name the architect and engineer appointed by the member as the parties who carry supervision with the owner — which is an argument for appointing them, in writing, with a defined supervision scope.
No frequency, percentage or ranking is stated because we do not hold published data on DHA’s returns and will not invent it. Each item names the regulation the observation relates to, so the underlying requirement is checkable even though the observation is ours. DHA decides every submission on its own merits.
In our experience the observations that come back on returned submissions cluster around documentation and arithmetic rather than around design ambition. The recurring ones:
The regulations define a registered architect as registered with PCATP as well as registered with the Authority. A drawing signed by an architect who is not on DHA’s register is not a valid submission, and the point is usually discovered at the counter.
Regulation 15 opening paragraph, p18; Definition 76, p10.Regulation 14(p) requires an original soil testing or geotechnical report with a validity of one year. Owners who commissioned a report early in the plot-purchase process sometimes find it has expired by the time the drawings are ready.
Regulation 14(p), p17.The section has to show the overall height including all of these, measured from the crown of the front road. A section drawn to the roof slab is incomplete and, once the tank is added, sometimes non-compliant.
Regulation 15(m), p18; Regulation 23(a), p22.Regulation 15(c) requires a schedule of open, covered and permissible areas. Where the first floor percentage has been calculated on a different ground floor figure from the one the plan actually shows — usually because a porch, projection or sunken area has been treated inconsistently — the arithmetic fails on inspection even though the design would have complied.
Regulation 15(c), p18; Regulation 27(a)(3), p24.Steps, planters, covered side passages, storage, pergolas covering the clear space, or a platform at the spiral stair. The permitted list is short and closed: basement stair 2.5 ft wide, underground water tank, drains, septic tanks, sewer line, rear spiral steel stair where the servant quarter is at first floor, plus the 2 ft pergola or sunshade extension and the ground floor sunken area with a 2.5 ft passage.
Regulation 22(a) Notes 1 to 3, p21.An elevation issue rather than a plan issue, which is why it survives internal checking.
Regulation 27(a)(4), p24.Maximum width 9 feet; depth not less than 12 feet and not more than 18 feet, both excluding the 2 foot projection; one porch resting on the boundary wall on a non-corner 1 Kanal or 10 Marla plot.
Regulation 27(a)(8) and (9), p24.Fire protection is one of the five scrutinised sets. A submission carrying architectural, structural and MEP drawings but no fire protection set is incomplete.
Regulation 16(a)(3), p19; Annex-C, p46.Plan and elevation at 1 inch = 8 ft; cross-sections and longitudinal sections at 1 inch = 4 ft.
Regulation 15(q) and (r), p18.A small omission with the same consequence as a large one.
Regulation 15(n), p18.The architect’s certificate confirming that all components of the building were designed by them, and the structural stability certificate from a registered structural engineer, are both required. So are the separate electrical and mechanical engineer’s certificates listed in Regulation 14.
Regulation 15(s) and (t), p18; Regulation 14(e) to (h), p17.A basement is 100% of the allowable covered area excluding porch for a house without a dead wall, and 5 feet must be left where a dead wall exists. The sunken area is the element permitted to extend into the clear space, leaving a 2.5 foot passage — not the basement itself.
Regulation 27(a)(1), p24; Regulation 35(b), p28.Division of a duplex house other than corner follows the sketch at Annex-A; sub-division of corner plots follows Annex-B. Sub-division of a duplex house is only allowed when both portions have been constructed at minimum up to plinth level, and the clear spaces of one Kanal apply to the sub-divided units of a two Kanal plot.
Regulation 7(a)(6), 7(b)(2), 7(c) and 7(d), p14; Annex-A and Annex-B, pp44–45.Rather find these before DHA does? Send your drawings and we will check them against the current byelaws before they go to Building Control. A resubmission restarts the 21 working day clock; a pre-submission check does not.
Get my drawings checkedStated factually. Nothing here is intended to discourage an owner from doing what they can do.
Collect approved documents — the applicant in person, or through attorney (Reg 16(e), p19). Submit applications, pay charges and undertake construction — a person authorised under a special power of attorney issued by the Authority (Reg 63, p40).
The mechanism is in the regulations, not in a service brochure. A registered person may execute a special power of attorney issued by the Authority, in the manner specified by the Authority, authorising a person to submit applications, receive or pay any charges or penalty, and undertake construction on his or her behalf. Separately, after approval the applicant may collect the documents in person or through attorney.
Regulation 63, printed page 40. Regulation 16(e), printed page 19.
Two consequences worth planning around. First, the special power of attorney is issued by the Authority in the manner it specifies, so its execution and attestation need to be arranged in advance rather than in the week the drawings are ready. Second, several documents in the Regulation 14 list are physical originals — tracing cloth prints, an original paid challan, an original geotechnical report, an undertaking on stamp paper, a CD — which means the person holding the attorney has to be physically present at the Building Control Branch. The parts of the process that can be handled remotely are design approval, drawing review and decision-making. The parts that cannot be are counter submission and collection.
Stated as scope, not as a promise of outcome. DHA decides every submission. Avenir’s role is to submit a compliant and complete drawing set and to correct anything the Authority raises.
[Confirm this scope list against Avenir’s actual standard architecture and Design + Build scope. Any item Avenir does not provide as standard must be removed or marked as an additional service. Verification Register item 58.]
For how remote coordination, approvals and progress reporting work in practice, see our page for overseas Pakistanis building in Pakistan. This page does not repeat that material.
Building from the UK, US, Canada or the Gulf? Send your plot details and we will explain how submission and approval can be handled through attorney without you travelling.
Discuss remote submissionAnswer-first, each with the regulation it comes from.
The Authority scrutinises the drawings and documents within 21 working days, for all residential and commercial buildings. That period covers the building plans, structural drawings, fire protection drawings, MEP drawings and 3D views. It is a scrutiny period, not a guaranteed approval date — the outcome may be approval, rejection or a request for modification.
Regulation 16(a), printed page 19.The Authority returns the drawings and documents with reasons given in writing, together with guidelines for resubmission. You may resubmit after making the necessary modifications, corrections and rectification of the observations. On resubmission the application is deemed to be a fresh application and a further period of 21 working days commences from the date of resubmission.
Regulation 16(b) and (d), printed page 19.Two years from the date of its approval. On the lapse of that two year period you are under an obligation to obtain fresh approval. Separately, a site once excavated must not be kept open and idle beyond the validity period of the building plan — if it is, the Authority will not revalidate the plan.
Regulation 17(c), printed page 19; Regulation 43(a), printed page 32.You must commence construction within 3 years from the date the area was opened for possession or construction by the Authority, failing which a non-construction penalty is payable as prescribed. You must complete the building within 2 years reckoned from the date of approval of the drawing.
Regulation 17(a) and (b), printed page 19.For a 1 Kanal plot the minimum clear spaces, including boundary walls, are 15 feet 9 inches at the front, 5 feet 4½ inches at the rear and 5 feet 4½ inches on each side. On a corner plot where the owner keeps the frontage on the longer side, the specified front clear space must be left on both sides.
Regulation 22(a) and (c), printed page 21.The permitted first floor covered area is a percentage of the ground floor: 100% on 5 Marla, 82% on 7 to 10 Marla, 80% on 1 Kanal, and 78% on 2, 3 and 4 Kanal. Three and four Kanal plots arise only through amalgamation, where a separate footprint cap of 65% and 63% of plot area also applies.
Regulation 27(a)(3), printed page 24; Regulation 8(a)(3) and (4), printed page 15.39 feet from the crown of the road, for residential buildings of any type, in all phases. A residential building without mumtee and parapet is limited to 32 feet, and in that case a second floor is not permitted. Height is measured from the crown of the front road to the highest part of the roof, and the drawings must show the overall height including the overhead water tank, staircase, lift machine room and parapet walls.
Regulation 23(a), printed page 22; Definition 49, printed page 8; Regulation 15(m), printed page 18.A single storey basement is permitted in the residential area. It may cover 100% of the allowable covered area excluding the porch area for a house without a dead wall, leaving 5 feet where a dead wall exists. Where a basement is built the plinth of the ground floor shall be 3 feet 6 inches from the crown of the front road up to 10 Marlas, relaxable to normal plinth level where a sunken area is provided. Basement ceiling height must be not less than 9 feet and not more than 14 feet.
Regulation 35(a), printed page 27; Regulation 27(a)(1), printed page 24; Regulation 32(c), printed page 26.The building plans must be signed by a registered architect, which the regulations define as an architect registered with the Pakistan Council of Architects & Town Planners and also registered with the Authority. The architect must additionally certify that all components of the building have been designed by them. The structural stability certificate for a residential building must come from a registered structural engineer.
Regulation 15 opening paragraph and (s) and (t), printed page 18; Definition 76, printed page 10.Yes. A registered person may execute a special power of attorney issued by the Authority, in the manner specified by the Authority, authorising a person to submit applications, receive or pay charges or penalty, and undertake construction on their behalf. Approved documents may also be collected in person or through attorney.
Regulation 63, printed page 40; Regulation 16(e), printed page 19.It is the certificate issued by the competent Authority on completion of construction as per the approved plan. You must contact the Authority for sewer and water connections before occupying the building, and occupation without those connections is liable to fine. The certificate is normally issued within 20 days if no violation is observed and the construction is found to be in accordance with the approved drawing, and the date of sewer opening is treated as the date of completion. You are bound to obtain it within 3 years of approval of the drawing, failing which a fine is levied monthly.
Regulation 48, printed page 34; Definition 28, printed page 7.Yes, where the change affects the structure. A revised drawing is required for approval by the Authority before execution of any addition or alteration in the structure of the building. Renovation that does not affect the structure may be carried out after obtaining approval from the Authority.
Regulation 20, printed page 21.Yes. An original soil testing or geotechnical report must accompany the application, and the validity of the report is one year. Because it is required at submission rather than at excavation, it needs to be commissioned early enough to be issued before the application is lodged.
Regulation 14(p), printed page 17.Not on account of the change itself. Where a house or building has been constructed as per drawings approved under previous byelaws, rules or regulations which are contradictory to the present regulations, the violation may not be objected to and the completion certificate is issued accordingly. What governs is the edition in force when your drawing was approved.
Regulation 1(d), printed page 5.Send these five things on WhatsApp and you will get a specific answer rather than a general one:
DHA decides every submission. Avenir’s role is to submit a compliant and complete drawing set, and to correct anything the Authority raises.
Typically replied to within working hours, Monday to Friday, 10:00–19:00 PKT.
Discuss My Project on WhatsApp Prefer a form? Fill the design brief insteadThis page reproduces figures from the Defence Housing Authority Construction & Development Regulations 2014, as published by DHA Lahore in the Building Control 2026 edition. Regulations are amended from time to time under Regulation 70. Confirm the current edition and any subsequent amendment with the DHA Building Control Directorate, Main Office Complex, Sector-A Commercial Area, Phase VI, Lahore Cantt, before submission. This page is a reference for plot owners and is not legal advice. Last reviewed against the source document: [INSERT DATE].