Guidelines for ST Plan Applications

As the appointed Qualified Person (QP) for structural works, you are responsible for obtaining approval for structural plans and securing a building permit before construction begins. 

Familiarise yourself with the relevant procedures, legislation, guidelines, and design guides below.

Procedures

The Guidelines on Submission of Applications to Commissioner of Building Control [PDF, 236 KB] outline the requirements for:

• Preparation and submission of different types of plans and lists requirements.

• Construction and completion of building works for the purpose of obtaining the certificate of statutory completion (CSC) or temporary occupation permit (TOP).

Legislation

All requirements are governed by the following regulations:

• Building Control Act (Chapter 29)

• Building Control Regulations

• Building Control (Accredited Checkers and Accredited Checking Organsations) Regulations

Guidelines

General

• Appointment of Single Qualified Person for Landed Property Developments and Non-AC Projects (1 Apr 2017)

• BCA/URA Joint circular - A&A WORKS TO OR NEAR CONSERVED BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE OF CONSERVED BUILDINGS (1 Mar 2023)

• Joint BCA/REDAS/ACES/IES/SCAL Circular – Appointment of (A) One Qualified Person (Design) for Main Structural and other Simple Elements, and (B) One Qualified Person (Supervision) and One Site Supervision Team for All Projects (23 Oct 2023)

• Advisory on the Duties and Responsibility of Developers (2 Dec 2024)

• Joint BCA/REDAS/ACES/IES/SCAL Circular – Clarification on Appointment of (A) One Qualified Person (Design) for Main Structural and other Simple Elements, and (B) One Qualified Person (Supervision) for All Projects (20 Dec 2024)

Site Investigation, Preconstruction Survey and Geotechnical Parameters to EC7

• GeoSS Guide on Ground Investigation and Geotechnical Characteristic Values to EC7 [PDF, 986 KB]

• Guidelines on Pre-Construction Survey Prior to Carrying out Construction Works [PDF, 903 KB]

• Reminder for QP Design to Carry Out Site Investigations [PDF, 203 KB]

• Circular on Announcement on the release of a New Geological Map for Singapore

• Submission of Site Investigation (SI) Data in Standardised Electronic Format to comply with the Implementation of New Stratigraphic Framework

• Guideline on requirements for site investigation reports

Earth Retaining and Stabilising Structures (ERSS) and Slope (include soil nailing and ground anchors)

• Advisory Note 1_09 on ERSS [PDF, 188 KB]

• Earth Retaining or Stabilising Structures – Requirements for Professional Engineers (Geo) and Accredited Checkers (Geo) [PDF, 663 KB] 

• Examples on Determining Excavation Depth for Geotechnical Building Works [PDF, 417 KB]

• Framework on Risk-Based Slope Design [PDF, 1.6 MB]

• Geotechnical Building Works Requirements for Professional Engineers (Geo) and Accredited Checkers (Geo) [PDF, 1.4 MB] 

• Observational Method for ERSS and Ground Water Control for Deep Excavation [PDF, 2.2 MB]

• Performance Based Impact Assessment Associated with ERSS and Tunnelling Works [PDF, 1.1 MB]

• Requirements on Submission of Plans for Approval for Works Involving Sewer, Water and Other Utility Pipes [PDF, 18 KB]

• Requirements to Mitigate Risk Associated with Utility Gap within ERSS (2 Dec 24)

• Guidelines for Use of Drainage Blanket Beneath Base Slab

• Guideline on ensuring integrity of sheet pile wall to prevent ground loss

Tunnelling Works

• Requirements on Bored Tunnelling Works (2017) [PDF, 12.0 MB]

• Requirements on Bored Tunnelling Works for Large Diameter TBM [PDF, 187 KB]

• Specific Conditions of Permit for Bored Tunnelling Works [PDF, 341 KB]

• Guidelines for Cutter Head Intervention (2 Sep 2024) 

• Reminder for Design QPs, Supervising QPs, Developers and Builders to Carry Out Their Duties to Achieve Safe Tunnelling Works (2 Sep 2024)

Foundation Works

• Guidelines on Identification of Rock during Bored Piling Works [PDF, 3.4 MB]

• Performance-Based Pile Design for Bored Piles [PDF, 2.8 MB]

• Piling Works- requirements on piling plan submission [PDF, 3.5 MB]

• Requirements on Ground Investigation, Load Test and Quality Control Test for Foundations [PDF, 322 KB]

• Requirements and Guidelines for Design and Construction of Raft and Piled-Raft Foundation (2 Sep 24)

• Good Practice for Installation of Jacked Foundation Piles in Singapore (8 Oct 2015)

• Guidelines on Local Practices for Pile Foundation Design and Construction (18 Jan 2022)

• Guidelines on Adoption of Rapid Load Tests for Foundation Piles (1 Sep 2021) 

• Calibration of Equipment for Pile Load Test by SAC-Singlas Accredited Laboratories (1 Mar 2016)

• Requirements and Guidelines on the Use of Driven or Jacked Piles for Building Foundation (1 Sep 2022)  

• Guidelines on Reuse of Existing Piles (2 Sep 2019)

• MOM/BCA joint circular – Load Testing on piles  (5 Apr 2012)

• Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Bored Piles in Limestone Areas

• As-built Piling Record – Streamline submission process (31 Oct 2018)

• Guideline on submission of amendment and record piling plans (11 Jun 2009)

Structural Steel & Composite Structures

• BC4: 2021 – Design Guide for Steel-Concrete Composite Columns with High Strength Materials [PDF, 2.9 MB]

  • Example Calculations to the Requirements of BC4:2021 [PDF, 1.4 MB]

• Design Guide for Semi-rigid Composite Joints and Beams 2nd Edition

• Design Guide for the Use of Alternative Structural Steel to Eurocode 3 (BC1: 2023)

• Design Guide on Use of Alternative Steel Materials to BS 5950 (BC1:2008) [PDF, 684 KB]

  • Explanatory Notes for BC1:2008 [PDF, 297 KB]

• Design Guide on Use of Alternative Structural Steel to BS 5950 and Eurocode 3 (BC1:2012) [PDF, 745 KB]

• Handbook to BC1:2012 (Updated 02/11/2017) [PDF, 561 KB]

• Handbook to BC1: 2023

Reinforced Concrete

• BCA-ACES Design Guide for Use of Headed Bars to Eurocode 2

• Design Guide for the Use of Grade B600 High Strength Reinforcement in Reinforced Concrete Structures (BC5: 2019)

• Guide of High Strength Concrete to Singapore Standard CP65 (BC2:2008) [PDF, 8.2 MB]

• BCA-ACES Design Guide for Use of Headed Bars to Eurocode 2 2nd Edition

• BCA-ACES Practical Guide for Post-Installed Reinforcement

• Guidelines for standard performance tests for Concrete PPVC composite wall

Seismic Consideration

• BC3:2013 Guidebook for Design of Buildings in Singapore to Requirements in SS EN 1998-1 [PDF, 1.6 MB]

• Example Calculations to the Requirements of BC3:2013 [PDF, 3.6 MB]

Mass Engineered Timber & Fibre Concrete Structures

• BCA-ACES Design Guide for Fibre Concrete Structures to the requirements of SS674:2021 [PDF, 46.7 MB]

• Mass Engineered Timber (MET) Guidebook [PDF, 38.6 MB]

• BCA-ACES Design Guide (2025) for Fibre-Reinforced Concrete Structures to Singapore Standard SS 674:2021 (Practical Examples and Design Aids)

Construction Site Supervision and Records

• Guide Book for Remote Supervision [PDF, 413 KB]

  • Annexes for Remote Supervision [DOCX, 367 KB]

• Guide Book for Site Supervision Plan [PDF, 1.2 MB]

  • Template for Site Supervision Plan [DOCX, 315 KB]

• Guidelines for C-Form and Record Structural Plans Submissions [PDF, 12.2 MB]

Specialist Builder Requirements

• Requirements for Certification of Specialist Builders (In-situ Post Tensioning Works) [PDF, 1.8 MB]

Landed Houses and Container Structures

• Guidelines on Hoarding Provisions for Landed Projects [PDF, 1.6 MB]

• Advisory on Design, Supervision and Preventive Maintenance of Container Structures

Accreditation of Site Investigation Firms by SAC

BC Regulations 31(2) requires all site investigation works to be carried out by an accredited inspection body approved by the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC). Refer to the Singapore Accreditation Council website for the list of accredited site investigation firms by SAC.

Electronic transfer of site investigation data

Standardised Electronic Format: AGS(SG)

Previously, there was no common electronic format for submitting site investigation data in Singapore. To address this, BCA’s Singapore Geological Office (SGO) introduced AGS(SG) — a standardised format tailored to local needs while remaining compatible with internationally recognised formats for geotechnical and geophysical data.

The adoption of AGS(SG) enables data sharing across various systems and improves the efficiency and utility of geo-information.

Download resources:

• Guidelines for Electronic Transfer of Site Investigation Data

• AGS(SG) Excel Template

• AGS(SG) Sample file

Resources

• Structural Plans and Permit Approvals 

• Plan Fee 

• Requirements on Site Supervisors 

• Record Plans Approval 

• Pre-construction Survey