You will need a permit for all of it — a new house, an addition, an alteration, and also a deck, a shed, a retaining wall or a fence. That is the Buildings Regulations Act and it is not negotiable.
Architectural drawings must be signed by an architect registered with the Bahamas Professional Architects Board. Mechanical and electrical drawings must be signed by a registered engineer. A drawing signed by somebody not on the register does not start the clock — it stops it.
The application goes to the Ministry of Works & Urban Development, or on a Family Island to the local administrator. A deposit of 10% of the estimated permit fee is payable when you submit.
Civil Design checks drainage and road access. Physical Planning checks zoning. Environmental Health and the BEST Commission assess environmental impact. The Buildings Control Division checks structural, mechanical and electrical. Any one of them can send it back.
The stated processing time is six to eight weeks after all documents are submitted. Read 'complete' strictly: the clock starts when nothing is missing, not when you first hand something in. This is where most delay actually happens.
On a Family Island you collect the approved permit and settle the balance at the local government office rather than in Nassau.
A permit is valid for eighteen months from issue. An extension must be applied for BEFORE it expires — not after. On an island where a container can be late by a season, this is the deadline that catches people.
Checked 2026-09-10. Government process changes — confirm with the Ministry or your local administrator before you rely on a date. Nothing here is legal or professional advice.