Open-plan room after an internal wall hacking project.

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HDB Renovation Permit: Which Works Need One and How to Apply (2026)

Which HDB renovation works need a permit and which do not, who applies for it, the completion window, neighbour notice, noise hours and the penalties for unauthorised works.

TL;DR

Hacking walls, replacing floor or wall tiles and toilet finishes after 3 years need an HDB permit.
Tile overlays up to 13mm, vinyl flooring, false ceilings and countertops do not.
Your DRC contractor applies; works must finish within 1 month (3 months for new blocks).

Homey Furnishing 21 October 2026 4 min read

An HDB renovation permit is HDB's written approval for works that change the structure or finishes of your flat. Your renovation contractor applies for it on your behalf, and some common jobs, like overlaying tiles or putting up a false ceiling, do not need one at all. This guide sorts the works into "permit" and "no permit", then walks through the application, the deadlines and the rules that apply once work starts.

Works that need an HDB renovation permit

According to HDB's renovation guidelines, you need a permit for:

Any demolition or hacking of walls, partial or complete, including lightweight partitions and openings between two flats. Structural walls cannot be removed at all.
Replacing floor finishes, such as ceramic, homogeneous, marble or parquet tiles. Floor finishes and screed together must not exceed 50mm.
Replacing internal wall finishes up to ceiling level.
Replacing toilet floor or wall finishes, which is only allowed after the first 3 years from the block's completion.
Topping up floors with lightweight screed.
Moving an internal door opening.
Replacing the main door on a fire-escape route. The new door must be half-hour fire-rated with a self-closing device.
Window replacement and new windows, applied for by a BCA Approved Window Contractor.
A new 15A power point or 20A isolator in flats with a 30A main switch, applied for by a licensed electrical worker.

Works that do not need a permit

The guidelines still apply, but no permit is needed for:

Overlaying floor tiles with adhesive over one existing layer, up to 13mm thick.
Overlaying wall tiles, up to 13mm, with no third layer.
Vinyl or parquet flooring laid over the existing floor.
False ceilings, with at least 2.4m clearance.
New 63mm hollow-block or gypsum partition walls.
Replacing internal doors and the main gate.
Lighting points and 13A power points.
Kitchen countertops, and a ceiling clothes-drying rack in the kitchen or yard.

Small repairs, like patching screw holes, fixing doors or installing a drying rack, are not structural works. HDB still requires renovation works to be done by a contractor in its Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC), so check how your job is classed before you book. Our guide to HDB registered contractors explains the DRC.

How to apply for an HDB renovation permit

Pick a DRC contractor. Only contractors in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors can apply. For HomeySG hacking jobs, our DRC-listed partner V On Construction Pte. Ltd. handles the permit.
Authorise the contractor. You sign an acknowledgement form, and the contractor submits the application through HDB's e-service. HDB sends you an SMS when it receives the submission.
Provide a floor plan for wall works. The plan from your sales brochure can be used.
Open your SP utilities account first if it is a new flat. HDB will not grant a permit until it is open.
Electrical and air-con works are applied for separately by the licensed electrical worker.

HDB does not publish a fixed processing time, so ask your contractor to build approval time into the schedule.

After the permit: deadlines, notice and noise hours

Finish on time. Works must be completed within 1 month of the permit date for existing blocks, or 3 months for newly completed blocks.
Tell your neighbours. Give written notice to neighbours within 2 units of your flat at least 5 days before work starts. The contractor also puts up a Notice of Renovation outside your flat.
Noise hours. No work before 8am or after 6pm. Noisy works, such as hacking and drilling, are allowed only on weekdays from 9am to 5pm, and not on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays.
Hacking tools. Only 2 HDB-approved handheld power tools may be used at a time, and that hacking must be completed within 3 consecutive days.

What happens if you renovate without a permit

HDB can fine owners and contractors up to $5,000 on conviction. Unauthorised works must be stopped, corrected or removed, and the flat reinstated. If HDB allows the works to stay, the owner pays an administrative fee.

Planning to hack a wall? Check it first with our Can I hack this wall? checker, read the HDB wall hacking rules, and get a price range from the hacking cost calculator.

FAQ

Do I need an HDB renovation permit to hack a wall? Yes. All demolition and hacking of walls, partial or complete, needs HDB's prior written approval, and structural walls cannot be removed.

Do I need a permit to overlay floor tiles? No, as long as you overlay one existing layer with adhesive and the overlay is no thicker than 13mm. Replacing (hacking) floor tiles does need a permit.

Who applies for the HDB renovation permit? Your DRC-listed renovation contractor applies through HDB's e-service after you sign an acknowledgement form. Licensed electrical workers apply for electrical works, and BCA Approved Window Contractors apply for window works.

How long do I have to finish renovation works? Within 1 month of the permit date for existing blocks, or 3 months for newly completed blocks.

Can I renovate on Saturdays? Quiet works can run between 8am and 6pm, but noisy works like hacking and drilling are only allowed on weekdays from 9am to 5pm.

Sources: HDB Renovation Guidelines (Building Works, Electrical Works, Window Works), HDB Important Information on Renovations, and HDB Application for a Renovation Permit, checked 21 October 2026.