⚖️ What changed in the law
General urban plans (PUG) and the transitional regime — what happens to procedures under way
This is a translation. The Romanian version of the article is the reference text.
⚠️ These guides apply only to buildings in Romania. The laws, standards, deadlines, fees and values quoted (Law 169/2026, P 118, CR 1-1-3, the O.A.R. guides) are Romanian; in your own country other rules apply.
The last piece in the series on Law no. 169/2026 (the Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction): what happens to existing general urban plans and to files already in progress when it came into force.
Old general urban plans — update deadline: 3 years
Local public authorities have 3 years from the entry into force of the Code to approve the update of general urban plans (PUG) that, at that time, are more than 7 years old.
Until they are updated, the general urban plans in force — including those whose validity was previously extended — remain valid, without the need for new extension acts, but no later than the 3-year deadline.
⚠️ Sanction for non-compliance
A local authority that does not update its general urban plan on time is barred from applying for or receiving repayable or non-repayable funds, from the date the finding issued by the State Construction Inspectorate (I.S.C.) becomes final.
Relevant for communes and towns in the Vaslui area with general urban plans more than 7 years old: it is a firm deadline, with direct financial consequences for the town hall, not just a recommendation.
Procedures started before the entry into force
Procedures for preparing, approving and adopting urban and spatial planning documents started before the Code came into force remain subject to the old legislation — Law 350/2001, Law 50/1991 — until they are completed.
Partial acceptance
Partial acceptance of works can be carried out under the new Code, including for works already under construction when it came into force — not only for works started later.
Deadlines for setting up the institutions
- 45 working days from the publication of the Code: the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration must set up the National Commission for the integrated approval of spatial planning and urban planning documents.
- The same 45 working days: local authorities must set up the local integrated approval commission and the single-agreement commission.
- 120 days from the publication of the Code: all authorities issuing approvals, agreements and permits whose procedures refer to Law 350/2001, Law 50/1991 and Law 10/1995 must update their internal procedures.
- 31 December 2026: the deadline for central and local public authorities to revise their organisation and operating rules and adopt the administrative measures needed to apply the Code.
What it means in practice
For a file already submitted to the town hall before the Code came into force, the procedure continues under the old law — the documents do not have to be redone. For new files, especially in the first months, it is realistic to expect differences from one town hall to another: some will already have the integrated approval commissions up and running and updated procedures, others will keep working for a while with the old forms and workflows, until the deadlines in the Code (45 and 120 days respectively). It is worth checking, case by case, how far the town hall where we file has adapted.
Informational article, not legal advice. Always check your specific situation with the local town hall and a specialist.
Do you have a file in progress and don't know whether the old law or the new Code applies?
We check together the stage of your file and the procedures that apply at your town hall.
Contact us