DPUM in Monaco: role, permits and property procedures
Understanding the project’s administrative framework. AI-generated conceptual illustration; an imaginary model, not an official plan.
The DPUM is frequently involved in property projects in Monaco, yet its role is not always clear. When should you contact it? Who prepares the application? Is approval from the building manager enough? And what does submitting a file actually mean? Understanding this department helps you prepare a purchase involving building works, a renovation or the sale of an altered apartment.
The Direction de la Prospective, de l’Urbanisme et de la Mobilité, Monaco’s department for forward planning, urban planning and mobility, processes applications for works within its remit. It operates under specific regulations, working with other departments and bodies whose opinions may be required.
What does DPUM mean and what are its responsibilities?
Sovereign Ordinance No. 1.463 sets out the DPUM’s responsibilities. They include urban development policy, planning documents, project assessment, planning public developments, mobility and the management of topographical, land and property data. Its work therefore extends well beyond apartment renovations. Source: Ordinance No. 1.463, Article 2.
For owners and buyers, the main task is to identify the rules and procedure applicable to their project. The address, building, previously authorised works and proposed alterations provide a useful starting point.
The DPUM does not determine a property’s sale price or its owners’ inheritance rights. Those issues involve other professionals, whose work should be coordinated with the property project.
When is the DPUM involved in building works?
Ordinance No. 3.647 requires authorisation for, among other things, changes to the internal layout and external features of existing buildings. Projects may involve rearranging rooms, altering a façade or more extensive changes to a building. The applicable procedure depends on the actual works proposed. Source: Ordinance No. 3.647, Article 1.
A precise description is more useful than asking generally whether you can “renovate the apartment”. Identify what will be removed, moved or added, together with any effects on the structure, utilities, floor areas and exterior.
For guidance by type of work, see Renovating an apartment in Monaco: procedures and permits. It complements this administrative overview with the technical and co-ownership checks to arrange.
Owners, architects, building managers and DPUM: who does what?
| Party | Role in preparing the project |
|---|---|
| Owner or authorised applicant | Define the project and provide the necessary information and consents |
| Architect | Design the project, draw up plans and prepare the appropriate application |
| Building manager and co-owners | Handle co-ownership decisions and conditions for working in the building |
| DPUM | Assess the application and obtain the required technical opinions |
| Notary and legal advisers | Check title, rights and the project’s contractual implications |
The Mon Service Public guidance states that works requiring authorisation need an application signed by an architect registered with the Ordre des Architectes de Monaco. Article 5 specifies the required signatures, including the building manager’s in cases covered by co-ownership legislation. Source: official procedure.
Coordinate these parties from the preparation stage. Co-ownership approval does not replace administrative authorisation, and administrative authorisation does not remove the need to check private rights affected by the works.
Preliminary approval and authorisation are different stages
The preliminary approval provided for in Article 4 of Ordinance No. 3.647 is optional. It allows certain aspects of a construction project—its location, nature, volume and scale—to be established before the corresponding authorisation application is submitted.
Following a favourable preliminary decision, the ordinance provides one year to apply for the corresponding authorisation and supply the required documents, subject to its conditions. Preliminary approval should therefore not be treated as permission to start work immediately.
For an apartment renovation, the architect identifies the relevant procedure. Seeking preliminary approval for every internal alteration would add a stage without first establishing whether it is useful. Source: Ordinance No. 3.647, Article 4.
How do you prepare and submit an application?
The official guidance distinguishes internal alterations to homes, internal alterations to other premises, external or combined alterations, new construction and demolition. The accompanying tables identify the documents required for each category.
Prepare the property details, evidence of the applicant’s capacity to apply, plans and a description of the works. The architect determines which additional studies and documents are needed. All documents should refer to the same units, layout, floor areas and project version.
At the consultation date, internal alterations to residential premises require two paper copies—an original and a copy endorsed by the architect—plus a digital copy. Other categories require more copies. Check the section relevant to your project and the current submission arrangements before filing.
How long does it take and who grants authorisation?
Article 8 sets a general period of four months from the receipt referred to in Article 2. For internal works alone falling within the procedure described there, authorisation is issued directly by the DPUM director within forty-five days. Certain limited external alterations also follow that period, which may be extended to four months if consultations are required.
These periods are not a guarantee of the total time from your first enquiry. Allow for preparation and acceptance of a complete application. Articles 2 and 8 govern the receipt, assessment and consultations; particular circumstances may affect the process.
Authorisation may take different forms: a letter from the director in the specified cases or a Ministerial Order for other works. A lack of response at the deadline should not automatically be treated as approval: Article 9 sets out a specific procedure. Have its applicability checked before acting. Source: Ordinance No. 3.647, Articles 2, 8 and 9.
After authorisation: retain the decisions and complete the procedure
The authorised plans become the reference for the works. If the project changes, the need for fresh authorisation must be examined under Article 1. Keep the approved plans and give them to the professionals concerned.
The official guidance then provides for a completion inspection, known as a visite de récolement, to obtain final authorisation to occupy the premises. Owners should plan for administrative completion as well as physical completion of the works.
On a sale, these documents explain the apartment’s layout and alteration history. Before buying an apartment in Monaco, ask for the available documents; before selling your apartment, gather them and identify anything missing.
How to contact the DPUM
The official guidance lists the offices at 5, promenade Honoré II, Hall A, 6th floor, since 17 June 2025. The general number is +377 98 98 22 99. Listed opening hours are 8:30 am–12 pm and 1:30 pm–5:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Check the official DPUM directory entry before visiting. Have the property address, unit details, purpose of your enquiry and any existing file reference ready.
Prepare your property project with Monaco Properties
Planning to buy a property requiring works or sell an altered apartment? Discuss your project with Monaco Properties to organise the relevant property information and communication with your advisers. Technical feasibility and permissions should be prepared with your architect, co-ownership representatives and the competent departments.
Official sources checked on 16 September 2026: consolidated Ordinances Nos. 1.463 and 3.647, Mon Service Public authorisation guidance and the official DPUM directory.
