Starting from December 1, 2026, updated building norms come into force in Belarus: a notarially certified neighbor's consent will no longer allow construction at distances set by the regulations.

The changes were approved by a decree of the Ministry of Architecture and Construction dated August 25, 2026, No. 70.

What distances are now mandatory

For new residential house construction, the dwelling must not be located less than 3 meters from the boundary of an adjacent plot.

Commercial buildings—garages, sheds, baths, and others—must not be located less than 2 meters from the boundary.

Previously, one could deviate from these norms by obtaining a notarially certified consent from a neighboring landowner. Starting from December 1, such consent ceases to be grounds for rejecting the established distances.

From what counts as distance

An important nuance: the distance is measured not from the fence, but from the wall or foundation (basement) of the structure to the legal boundary of the land plot.

A fence may be offset from the actual boundary, so visual "3 meters from the fence" does not guarantee compliance with the norm.

Before designing and beginning construction, it is advisable to consult specialists in geodetic and cadastral works: they will establish boundary coordinates and help calculate the correct offset.

What to do for those already constructing

If an object is in the construction stage and there is a notarially certified neighbor's consent for a smaller distance, changes to the project documentation must be made by December 1, 2026.

After the new norms enter into force, making such changes will be impossible.

If there is a deviation from the project documentation, a fact of unauthorized construction may be recorded in the technical characteristics register of BRTI (Building Regulation Technical Information). This will become an obstacle to putting the object into operation.

What about already built houses

Demolishing existing houses and constructions located closer than the normative distances is not required.

They can be repaired and reconstructed, but their dimensions cannot be increased toward the neighboring plot.

Order No. 253 dated July 25, 2022, "On Simplified Procedure for Acceptance into Operation of Construction Objects," remains in effect.

At the same time, constructions located less than one meter from the boundary may be put into operation without notarial consent.