Building codes and standards

What the official sources say

• • Government Requirement
  • Status not confirmed
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  Building Standards Policy (Department of Urban Planning)

  Status not confirmed: we have not found an official source that says whether it is in force today.

  Issued by

  Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction, Department of Urban Planning (Federal Government of Somalia)

  Applies to

  Somalia (federal)

  Type

  Ministry policy

  Published

  Undated; posted on the ministry's website on 11 June 2025

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  The policy carries no date and does not say whether or when it was adopted; we found no record of its adoption.

  What it covers

  States that Somalia has had no specific building codes since 1990 and that foreign codes and standards are used for buildings, roads, highways and bridges (section 1.0). It plans architectural, structural and urban development codes (section 2.0), says building standards should follow the International Building Code of 2012 (section 5.01.02), and gives the urban planning department duties such as a zoning plan and collecting existing codes (section 5.01).

  Official page

  mpwr.gov.so

  Document

  Open the document (mpwr.gov.so)

  Last checked

  26 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: Federal Government of Somalia, Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction, official policy document (PDF). What it does not establish: Undated, and it does not say whether or when it was adopted. It is a ministry policy, not a law.

• • Local Law
  • Status not confirmed
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  Urban Land Management Law (Law No. 17 of 2001, as amended in 2008) (Law No. 17/2001)

  Status not confirmed: we have not found an official source that says whether it is in force today.

  Issued by

  Somaliland

  Applies to

  Somaliland

  Type

  Law

  Published

  2001; amendments in force from 9 September 2008 (Presidential Decree 363/2008)

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  Somalilandlaw.com says the 2008 amendments came into force on 9 September 2008 by Presidential Decree 363/2008. We found no official page confirming whether the law, as amended, is the one in force today.

  What it covers

  The main law on land in towns. District councils grant title to urban land (through their executive committees or land sub-committees); Article 6 covers re-planning of townships; urban land disputes, under Article 28 as amended in 2008, go to administrative committees with appeal to the Supreme Court; and Article 32 sets up a committee of technical and public health officers that approves building plans, checking them against national building codes and health standards.

  Official page

  None found

  Document

  No official copy found

  Last checked

  25 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: Somaliland Law (somalilandlaw.com), a legal information website, legal information website with the law's text. What it does not establish: A private legal information site, not the official gazette. It keeps the unamended 2001 text and describes the 2008 changes. ECOLEX (FAOLEX record LEX-FAOC209608) lists the same law. Neither says whether the law has been replaced since 2008.

• • Local Law
  • Draft
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  Draft bill on urban planning, building development and land management (Hindise Sharciyeedka Nidaaminaya Naqshadeynta Magaalooyinka, Horumarinta Dhismooyinka iyo Maamulka Dhulka)

  A draft. We found no record that it was passed.

  Issued by

  Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing (Federal Government of Somalia)

  Applies to

  Somalia (federal)

  Type

  Draft bill

  Published

  20 August 2017 (Version 02, Mogadishu, 20 August 2017; posted on the ministry's website on 11 June 2025)

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  Every page is marked "QABYO-QORAAL-DRAFT". Article 34 says it takes effect once the House of the People approves it and the President signs it; the ministry reported its first reading on 8 October 2018 and we found no record of either step.

  What it covers

  Would set national rules for urban planning, building development and land management: a master urban regulatory framework and building code covering building codes and standards (Article 11), technical standards kept by each ministry for its own buildings (Article 12), a reformed land register (Article 15) and registration of construction companies with the ministry (Articles 16 to 18). The ministry's web page calls it an Act; the document is a draft.

  Official page

  mpwr.gov.so

  Document

  Open the document (mpwr.gov.so)

  Last checked

  26 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: Federal Government of Somalia, Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, official document (draft bill, PDF, in Somali). What it does not establish: The document is a draft. The ministry's news of 8 October 2018 reports its first reading in the Federal Parliament (https://mpwr.gov.so/2018/10/08/wasaaradda-hawlaha-guud-oo-baarlamaanka-horgaysay-hindise-sharciyeedka-nidaaminaya-naqshadeynta-magaalooyinka-horumarinta-dhismaha-iyo-maamulka-dhulka/). We found no record that it was passed or signed.

• • Government Requirement
  • Status not confirmed
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  National Building Permit Policy

  Status not confirmed: we have not found an official source that says whether it is in force today.

  Issued by

  Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing (Federal Government of Somalia)

  Applies to

  Somalia (federal)

  Type

  Policy

  Published

  Not seen; named in the ministry's request for proposals of 16 July 2026

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  The ministry's request for proposals MoPWRH/RFP/EBPMS/2026/001, issued 16 July 2026, says the ministry "is implementing the National Building Permit Policy". We have not seen the policy itself or its adoption date.

  What it covers

  According to the same request for proposals, the policy aims to modernise, standardise and digitise building permit administration across Somalia. The request seeks a firm to build a national electronic building permit system for the federal government, the Federal Member States, the Banadir Regional Administration and local governments, and describes today's permit process as largely manual and inconsistent between them.

  Official page

  None found

  Document

  No official copy found

  Last checked

  25 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: Federal Government of Somalia, Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, request for proposals (PDF). What it does not establish: A tender document that names the policy. It does not include the policy, its date or its legal basis.

Other laws and draft bills on land, procurement and the environment are on the construction laws and regulations page.

Reference and international standards

A catalogue, not the standards themselves: their text belongs to the bodies that publish them and is sold or licensed by them. The status is the issuing body’s, where it states one.

• • International Standard
  • Status not confirmed
  • Verified by the desk

  Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary (ACI CODE-318-19(22))

  Used for reference. We have found no official text that makes it legally required in Somaliland, Somalia or Puntland.

  Issued by

  American Concrete Institute

  Applies to

  International

  Type

  Code

  Published

  2019 edition, reapproved in 2022

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  ACI's store lists this edition as reapproved in 2022; the page does not say whether a newer edition exists.

  What it covers

  Minimum requirements for the materials, design and detailing of structural concrete buildings and, where it applies, other concrete structures. ACI notes that earlier editions have often been adopted by reference in general building codes.

  Official page

  concrete.org

  Document

  Sold or licensed by the issuing body; not linked here

  Last checked

  1 October 2026, verified by the desk

  Source: American Concrete Institute, standards body catalogue page. What it does not establish: The page does not say whether a newer edition exists. The code's text is sold by ACI and none of it is stored here.

• • International Standard
  • Status not confirmed
  • Verified by the desk

  Eurocodes (EN 1990 to EN 1999)

  Used for reference. We have found no official text that makes it legally required in Somaliland, Somalia or Puntland.

  Issued by

  European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), under a European Commission mandate

  Applies to

  International

  Type

  European standards series

  Published

  Editions not given on the cited page

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  The European Commission's page describes the series but gives no editions; edition status was not checked because the Joint Research Centre's Eurocodes site disallows automated access.

  What it covers

  Ten European standards for the structural design of buildings and civil engineering works: basis of design (EN 1990), actions on structures (EN 1991), concrete, steel, composite, timber, masonry and aluminium structures (EN 1992 to EN 1996 and EN 1999), geotechnical design (EN 1997) and earthquake resistance (EN 1998).

  Official page

  single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu

  Document

  Sold or licensed by the issuing body; not linked here

  Last checked

  1 October 2026, verified by the desk

  Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, official information page. What it does not establish: Describes the series without editions or dates. The Joint Research Centre's Eurocodes site disallows automated access, so edition status was not checked.

• • International Standard
  • Status not confirmed
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  International Building Code, 2012 edition (IBC 2012)

  Used for reference. We have found no official text that makes it legally required in Somaliland, Somalia or Puntland.

  Issued by

  International Code Council

  Applies to

  International

  Type

  Model building code

  Published

  2012 edition

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  The International Code Council's page gives the title only; it does not say whether the 2012 edition has been replaced.

  What it covers

  Listed here because the federal Ministry of Public Works' Building Standards Policy says building standards should follow the International Building Code of 2012 (section 5.01.02). That policy is undated and we found no record of its adoption, so this does not show that the code is required.

  Official page

  codes.iccsafe.org

  Document

  Sold or licensed by the issuing body; not linked here

  Last checked

  26 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: International Code Council (Digital Codes), publisher's code page. What it does not establish: The page gives the code's title only; it does not say whether the 2012 edition has been replaced. None of the code's text is stored here.

• • International Standard
  • Current edition, per the issuing body
  • Sourced, not yet verified

  Standard Specification for Portland Cement (ASTM C150/C150M-24)

  Used for reference. We have found no official text that makes it legally required in Somaliland, Somalia or Puntland.

  Issued by

  ASTM International

  Applies to

  International

  Type

  Standard specification

  Published

  2024 edition (the -24 designation)

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  ASTM's page lists C150/C150M-24 as the Active edition and the 2022 edition as historical (checked 26 September 2026).

  What it covers

  Covers the types of portland cement and the ingredients a cement under the specification may contain.

  Official page

  astm.org

  Document

  Sold or licensed by the issuing body; not linked here

  Last checked

  26 September 2026, sourced, not yet verified

  Source: ASTM International, standards body catalogue page. What it does not establish: A catalogue page. The standard's text is sold by ASTM and none of it is stored here.

• • Industry Guidance
  • Status not confirmed
  • Verified by the desk

  Conditions of Contract for Construction (Red Book), Second Edition (FIDIC Red Book 2017)

  Used for reference. We have found no official text that makes it legally required in Somaliland, Somalia or Puntland.

  Issued by

  FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers)

  Applies to

  International

  Type

  Standard form of contract

  Published

  Second Edition 2017; FIDIC notes a reprint in November 2022

  In effect from

  Not stated in the source

  Status evidence

  FIDIC's page sells the Second Edition (2017), an update of the 1999 conditions, and notes a reprint in November 2022. It does not say in words that this is the current edition.

  What it covers

  Standard conditions of contract for building and engineering works designed by the employer, with guidance for writing the particular conditions of a contract and forms of tender and agreement. The Second Edition updates FIDIC's 1999 conditions.

  Official page

  fidic.org

  Document

  Sold or licensed by the issuing body; not linked here

  Last checked

  1 October 2026, verified by the desk

  Source: FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers), publisher's book page. What it does not establish: A book page. FIDIC's conditions are copyright and none of their text is stored here.