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THE GUIDE

Building in Madagascar

Laws, standards, procedures, stakeholders and natural hazards: everything you need to know before building on the Big Island, and why working with professionals makes all the difference.

80 %
of buildings in Antananarivo are built without a building permit, according to the Order of Architects.
1st
most cyclone-exposed country in Africa, and the 4th most climate-vulnerable country in the world, according to UNDP.
15 %
approximately: the extra cost of a building that complies with hazard-resistance standards, according to the CPGU.
16 steps
and 185 days on average to obtain a building permit, according to L'Express de Madagascar (2023).

The laws to know

The main texts governing a construction project. Our job is to apply them for you, without you having to master them.

Law No. 2015-052 of 16 December 2015
Urban planning and housing
The reference text: 240 articles in six books. Book IV governs the building permit, which is mandatory before any construction. The law also increased penalties for violations.
Decree No. 2019-1957 of 16 October 2019
National standard for buildings resistant to natural hazards
Sets the rules for siting, design and structural sizing against cyclones, floods and other hazards. It replaces the former 2010 cyclone-resistance rules and applies nationwide.
Law No. 2005-019 of 17 October 2005
Land status
Distinguishes titled land, untitled private property, State land and the public domain. Knowing which category your plot belongs to is the first check.
Law No. 2006-031, recast by Law No. 2021-016
Untitled private land ownership
Establishes the land certificate issued by the municipal land office, alongside the land title issued by State services.
Decree No. 2025-080 (MECIE)
Environmental and social assessment
Sets the rules for making investments compatible with the environment. Some projects must obtain an environmental permit before starting.

Technical standards

Malagasy standards set the expected level of resistance. International codes provide the design methods. We combine the two.

Malagasy standards

National building standard (Decree 2019-1957)
Resistance of buildings to cyclones, floods and landslides; buildable or non-buildable zones depending on the hazard level.
Road flood-protection guide (GPRCIM, Decree 2013-330)
Design of flood-resistant roads.
NIHYCRI standards
Irrigation infrastructure protected against floods and inundation.
National directive for drinking-water infrastructure
Drinking-water networks and structures resistant to climate hazards.

International codes applied

Eurocodes 0 to 8
Structural design: actions, concrete, steel, timber, geotechnics, seismic.
BAEL and DTU
French rules for reinforced concrete and workmanship, still widely used.
NF P 94-500
Sequence of geotechnical assignments, from preliminary study to diagnosis.
CEBTP 1984, AASHTO, GTR
Pavement design and classification of earthworks materials.
Neufert
Reference for programming and sizing spaces.

The procedure, step by step

The typical path of a construction project. The documents required and processing times vary depending on the municipality and the type of project.

  1. 1
    Check the plot
    Land status (title or certificate), boundaries, easements. A disputed plot blocks the entire project.
  2. 2
    Know the planning rules
    What is allowed on the parcel: use, height, footprint, setbacks, hazard zone.
  3. 3
    Investigate the soil
    Nature of the soil and risks: the choice of foundations depends on it.
  4. 4
    Design the project
    Drawings, structural calculations and quote, compliant with planning rules and standards.
  5. 5
    Prepare and submit the application
    Permit application submitted to the municipality, with an architect where regulations require one.
  6. 6
    Obtain other authorisations
    Environmental permit or specific approvals, depending on the type and size of the project.
  7. 7
    Build under supervision
    Works compliant with the approved drawings, inspection of materials and workmanship.
  8. 8
    Accept and regularise
    Acceptance of the structure, as-built records, compliance.

With our packages, we handle each of these steps for you. See the packages →

The stakeholders involved

A construction project involves many services. We know whom to approach, and when.

The municipality
Processes and issues the building permit, inspects sites and can halt unauthorised works.
Ministry of Regional Planning and Land Services
Urban planning and housing policy, and oversight of land services.
Land Registry and Topography Services
Land titles, plans and boundary marking of titled plots.
Municipal land office
Land certificates for untitled private plots.
National Office for the Environment (ONE)
Environmental assessment and issuance of environmental permits.
National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC)
Prevention, early warning and management of natural disasters.
APIPA
Flood protection for the Antananarivo plain.
Order of Architects of Madagascar
Regulates the architecture profession and the signing of architectural projects.
Order of Engineers of Madagascar
Regulates the engineering profession; both our directors are members.
LNTPB
National public works and building laboratory: materials testing and inspection.
JIRAMA
Connections to water and electricity networks.
And us
Your single point of contact with all these stakeholders.

Natural hazards

Madagascar faces cyclones, floods, landslides, moderate earthquakes and droughts. Every plot has its own risks: knowing them means building to last.

Cyclones and high winds
Season from November to April, especially on the East and North coasts.
What we do: Anchored roofs, ring beams, protected openings, wind design.
Floods and high water
Plains, lowlands, riverbanks, the Antananarivo plain.
What we do: Siting outside flood zones, raised floors, drainage.
Landslides and rockfalls
Highlands and hillsides, made worse by heavy rain.
What we do: Soil and slope investigation, retaining structures, water management.
Earthquakes
Moderate activity, more frequent in some central areas (Miarinarivo, Betafo, Soavinandriana).
What we do: Braced structure, ring beams, seismic design where needed.
Drought and heat
Particularly in the South and West, intense heat in the dry season.
What we do: Bioclimatic design, water storage, suitable materials.
Erosion and unstable ground
Lavaka (erosion gullies), fill, compressible or marshy soils.
What we do: Suitable foundations, stabilisation, planting.

Why work with professionals

Most buildings in Madagascar are still built without a permit or a study. The results can be seen after every cyclone season. Building to standard costs only about 15% more, and protects a lifetime's investment.

Building without a professional means risking

  • Works stopped, fines, or even demolition of a building without a permit
  • Foundations unsuited to the soil: cracks, settlement, collapse
  • A building that does not meet standards: vulnerable to cyclones and floods
  • A disputed or unbuildable plot discovered too late
  • Unforeseen extra costs and a site abandoned halfway
  • No guarantees, and a harder resale

With FANAMBINANTSOA, you get

  • A verified plot: soil, land title and planning rules
  • Drawings and calculations compliant with standards
  • A permit obtained by the rules
  • A detailed, controlled budget
  • A monitored and inspected site
  • A durable, documented structure that holds its value
Talk about your project Have my plot checked

Sources

This guide is general information, updated in November 2026. It does not replace a professional analysis of your project.

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