Do you need a permit for a skylight?

Thinking of installing a skylight? With a skylight, you bring extra light and air into a room, so you can easily turn a dark, stuffy space like an attic into a bedroom for work, recreation, or kids.

The installation of a skylight is part of the modification of a dwelling. Sometimes a permit from the municipality is required. Before you want to install (or have installed) a roof window, it is therefore a good idea to first check whether or not you need an environmental permit for this. In this article, you can read when you need a skylight permit, how to apply, and how long it takes to apply.

To answer the most pressing question: in most cases, a skylight can be installed without a permit. Do you live in a protected town or village or in a monument? Then you still have to apply for a permit. If you don’t live there, there’s a simple step-by-step plan to see if you need a permit for a skylight.

Step-by-step plan for the question “do you need a permit?” »

Does it sting skylight less than sixty centimeters from the surface of the roof and is it more than fifty centimeters from the edge of the roof? Then you don’t need a permit. Is it less than fifty centimeters from the skylight and/or does it protrude more than sixty centimeters from the roof surface? Then this is often considered a skylight instead of a skylight and you need to apply for an environmental permit.

Are you placing the skylight on a flat roof? Then you don’t need a permit. This also applies to a roof window which is placed in a rear roof.

Are you placing the skylight in a side roof area? Then you need to apply for an environmental permit.

Are you placing a skylight in a front roof area and does the window construction protrude above the roof area? Then you need a permit. If it does not exceed, you can build without a permit.

Where to apply for a permit?

Sometimes you need a permit to install a skylight. You can apply for this permit via the municipality. Exactly how the request is processed may vary from municipality to municipality, but you usually submit the request digitally or via a paper form. Most municipalities charge a fee (leges) for the application. How much these amounts depend on the municipality.

After submitting the application, the municipality publishes it, for example on the website and in the newspaper. Residents then have the opportunity to respond to them in a statement of opinion.

The municipality examines whether the request fits into the zoning plan of the municipality, whether the request complies with the rules of the construction decree and whether it falls within the aesthetic rules (for example, does it have the shape and the color that correspond to these rules).

How long does it take to apply for a permit?

The municipality must generally make a decision within eight weeks. If the municipality decides to grant you a permit, it will be made public in the newspaper and on the municipality’s website.