Prior approval has to be obtained from the Building
Authority before carrying out any building works (such
as construction, repair, demolition, alteration and drainage
works), otherwise the works shall be deemed unauthorized.
Any person who carries out building works without prior
approval shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable
on conviction to a fine of $400,000 and to imprisonment
for 2 years, and to a fine of $20,000 for each day during
which the offence has continued.
Owners may engage building professionals to check whether
existing building works are lawful. Building professionals
may also be entrusted with access on behalf of, for example
the owners' corporation, to the approved building plans
and occupation permits kept by the Buildings Department.
Unauthorized building works include:
altering the fire escape or carrying out unauthorized
building works on rooftop and podium;
opening an exit or vent, etc. at the staircase
behind the smoke lobby door;
erecting additional metal cages, canopies, flower
racks, etc. without prior approval;
installing swing-out gates which obstruct the
fire escape;
illegally connecting drain pipes/drains, such
as foul water drain pipes/drains to storm-water
drain pipes/drains, etc.
Should any unauthorized building works be found, the
matter should be reported to the Buildings Department
for investigation and action as soon as possible.
The Buildings Department's Hotline: 2626 1616
Hotline for Complaining Against Unauthorized Building
Works in Progress: 2626 1313
(The hotlines are answered by the Government's "1823
Citizen's Easy Link")
