Building permit

To find out whether you need to apply or not, you must familiarize yourself with the regulations that apply to the property you own. You can either do this yourself or contact the Longyearbyen Local Authority (LL) for guidance.

Only parts of the Planning and Building Act apply in Longyearbyen's planning area. The External link. building regulations for Longyearbyen External link. must be followed, and a guide pdf, 197 kB. has been prepared that provides information about the provisions in the building regulations.

You must also familiarize yourself with the Longyearbyen Area Plan and the relevant sub-plan.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (NFD) is the landowner within the Longyearbyen planning area. In order to carry out a project on their land, you must therefore be able to show that you have permission to use the land if requested by the local council. This could be a land lease agreement, for example.

If you conclude that your project does not require a permit, the project must be reported. For guidance on this, see the section below: Specifically for Svalbard – is the activity subject to reporting?

If you would like a thorough clarification of plans and applicable regulations for your property, as well as information about the case processing procedure, you can book a preliminary conference External link. with us.

When you fill out and submit the form, a case officer will contact you to arrange a meeting time. After the preliminary conference, LL will write a summary, which will be sent to you.

For minor clarifications, you can also contact us by email or phone. Please note that no minutes will be taken for such inquiries.

1. Check the plan and rules that apply to your property.

• Contact the building department if you are unsure about the rules and/or plans for your property.
• Here you will find the building regulations for Longyearbyen External link. with guidelines pdf, 197 kB.
• You can look up and find your property on the map External link..
• In the planning portal, you can find the provisions of the area plan, as well as all adopted sub-plans for Longyearbyen.

2. Create a site map

• Order a map section for your property.
• Draw what you want to build on the map section, remembering to draw in the distance to the property boundary.

3. Attach drawings

• Attach detailed drawings of the facade, floor plan, and cross-section.

4. Notify your neighbors

You must notify your neighbors before applying for a building permit.

• Order a list of neighbors.
• Send the notification to your neighbors.

5. Complete and submit your application

Small construction projects

If you have a minor construction project on your property, you can submit the building application yourself. If you apply yourself, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the regulations and providing the information required in a building application.

You will find both digital and paper application forms on the Norwegian Building Authority External link. (DIBK) website.

Larger construction projects

For larger construction projects that require an application, you must have a responsible applicant to prepare and submit the building application for you.

Submitting your application

• Digitally: You can use digital services External link. via DIBK to complete and submit your application. There you will also find an overview of various providers of such digital services.
• Email: post@lokalstyre.no. Remember to attach the documents as separate PDF files.
• Post: Longyearbyen Local Council, PO Box 350, 9171 Longyearbyen
• In person: You can submit your application at the information desk in the business building.

Completion certificate

If you have applied for a building permit for the project yourself, you must also apply for a completion certificate when the work is completed. However, if you have received assistance from a responsible applicant earlier in the building project, it is the responsible applicant who must submit the application for a completion certificate.

How to apply for a completion certificate

• Fill out the application form for a completion certificate External link..
• Attach the necessary attachments.

Temporary occupancy permit

If minor work remains and there is no danger associated with using the building, you can apply for a temporary use permit. The application must specify the work that remains to be done and a deadline for completion of the building. A temporary use permit gives you the right to use the building before the completion certificate has been issued.

How to apply for a temporary occupancy permit

• Fill out the application form for a temporary use permit External link..
• Attach the necessary attachments.

If you wish to use the area around Longyearbyen for various activities, such as setting up a lavvo, this must be reported in accordance with Section 58 of the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act. You must then fill out the form Notification of activity pdf, 177 kB., and you will find instructions for completing it pdf, 306 kB. here.

Building projects that comply with the applicable plan, where supplementary provisions are in place and no statements from other authorities are required, are normally processed within three weeks of the application being complete.

Building cases that require processing in accordance with the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act or where statements from other authorities are required have a processing time of up to 12 weeks from the date the complete application is received.

When you submit a building application, there is a fee for this service. The amount of the fee depends, among other things, on what you are going to build, how big it will be, and what type of application you are using. In this link: Fee list for 2026, you will find an overview of the prices External link..