A new zoning plan (PUZ) in Bucharest: procedure, timing and what changed in 2026

When a zoning plan is required

A zoning plan (PUZ) sets, for a defined area, the permitted uses, building heights, site coverage (POT) and floor-area ratio (CUT, the Romanian FAR). In Bucharest, a PUZ is mandatory before building permits for plots larger than 3,000 sq m ^[6]. The same applies, whatever the size, to sites in areas that the General Urban Plan does not regulate in detail ^[9].

A previously approved PUZ does not remain valid indefinitely. The approving authority sets its validity; once it expires without the investment having started, the land returns to the general rules and a new plan is needed ^[4].

Stages of the procedure

In administrative practice to date, a PUZ has gone through the same main stages ^[10]:

• the urbanism certificate, which states that a PUZ is required and which approvals must be obtained;
• the opportunity approval, confirming that the initiative and the study area are accepted;
• supporting studies: topographic survey, geotechnical study, traffic studies and, where needed, environmental studies;
• approvals from authorities: environment, traffic, utilities, fire safety and, in special zones, defence or public order;
• public consultation, with a notice displayed for 25 days and an information report;
• the chief architect's approval, after review by the technical urban planning committee;
• adoption by council decision.

What the Urban Planning Code changes from August 2026

Law 169/2026 was promulgated on 5 August 2026 and applies from 25 August 2026, without waiting for implementing rules ^[1][2]. Applications filed by 24 August 2026 continue under the old legislation, zoning plans started earlier stay under the law in force when they began, and approvals already issued remain valid ^[1][2].

• Tacit approval: if an authority does not answer within the deadline, its approval is deemed granted. Exceptions are the initiation approval, the chief architect's approval and defence, public-order and national-security bodies ^[1].
• An integrated approvals committee handles outstanding approvals through a simplified procedure ^[1].
• Partial nullity: if only part of a zoning plan is unlawful, a court may annul that part alone ^[1].
• Plans are prepared in GIS format and published in the National Urban Planning Geoportal ^[11].
• From 1 November 2028, Bucharest City Hall takes over the issuing of urbanism certificates and building permits from the sectors ^[3].

How long it takes

Actual durations have varied widely. Developers' representatives cited about 18 months to approve a PUZ ^[5], while other accounts mention 12, 18 or 24 months ^[6]. There have also been periods of deadlock: in 2021 it was reported that since late 2020 no zoning plan had reached the General Council's agenda, despite dozens of favourable opinions from the chief architect ^[5].

The new Code targets about 7.5 months to approve a PUZ and about 65 days for a building permit ^[3]. These are stated targets, not measured durations; the first plans filed after 25 August 2026 will show how realistic they are.

The Bucharest context

The capital's General Urban Plan dates from 2000 and is extended periodically ^[12]. Work on a new plan advanced through supporting studies published in 2025 ^[13], but in summer 2026 an updated plan did not yet exist ^[14]. Until it is approved, the PUZ remains the tool that sets the rules for a large plot.

Costs

There is no public reference fee. The cost depends on the area, the complexity of the zone and the number of approvals. The budget covers the planning documentation itself, the topographic survey, the geotechnical study, traffic studies and approval fees. The practical recommendation is a written quote from an urban planning firm before signing a transaction.

How risk is shared between seller and buyer

In land transactions, investors frequently make closing conditional on obtaining the zoning plan or the building permit, through conditions precedent in the preliminary agreement ^[8][15]. The alternative is a price that reflects the land's current status, with the buyer keeping the value created through zoning.

This material is for information only and is not legal, tax or investment advice.