Short answer: in a Singapore condominium, the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) controls renovation in your estate. You apply through the managing agent, follow the estate's by-laws (which set things like working hours, deposits and lift protection) and get approval before work starts. Anything that affects the building's appearance needs the MCST's authorisation under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA), and structural works need approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and a Qualified Person. Because by-laws differ between estates, always get your own condo's rules in writing.

Who sets the rules in a condo

When a strata development is completed, all the unit owners (called subsidiary proprietors) automatically form the management corporation. According to BCA's strata living guide, every MCST must follow a set of prescribed by-laws in the Act, and can make its own additional by-laws as long as they do not conflict with the prescribed ones or any other law. Estates commonly make by-laws on safety and security, use of common facilities, pets, parking, garbage disposal and noise after certain hours.

By-laws are enforceable. BCA notes that the MCST, any owner or any occupier can apply to the court or the Strata Titles Board to enforce a by-law or stop a breach.

What needs MCST approval

CASE's homeowner guidebook sums up the practical position: condominium renovations are overseen by the property's MCST, all works require an approved permit so they keep to the designated hours, structural changes typically need endorsement from a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), and because MCST rules vary, you should check with your property management.

BCA has also advised MCSTs how to control renovation involving demolition. Under section 37(4) of the BMSMA, the MCST can impose conditions before approving works inside a unit, to protect key structural elements such as beams, columns and shear walls. BCA's advisory recommends that:

  • Structural demolition needs plans approved by the Commissioner of Building Control and a permit to commence, with works supervised by a Qualified Person.
  • Demolition of non-structural elements (other than floor tiles) should come with renovation plans endorsed by a civil or structural PE certifying that no structural works are involved.
  • Demolition work should be carried out by contractors with trained workers certified by the BCA Academy.
  • If reinforcement bars are exposed, works should stop and a PE should be called in.

BCA also suggests MCSTs keep a set of the approved structural plans for owners to plan their renovation, and carry out spot checks during works.

Changes to the outside of your unit

This is where many condo disputes start. Under section 37(3) of the BMSMA, an owner needs the MCST's authorisation for an improvement to the unit that affects the appearance of any building in the development. In MCST Plan No 4123 v Pa Guo An (2020), the High Court found that a sliding glass door enclosing part of a ground-floor patio affected the development's appearance, and ordered the owner to seek the MCST's authorisation or remove the door.

Typical items to check with your managing agent before you design them in:

  • Balcony enclosures, screens and awnings.
  • Window replacements, frames and tints.
  • Main door and gate designs facing the common corridor.
  • Air-conditioner condenser positions.
  • Anything fixed to the facade.

What varies from condo to condo

There is no single set of renovation hours or deposit amounts for all condos. Each estate sets its own. Ask your managing agent for the renovation application form and by-laws, and check:

  • Working hours, including when noisy works such as hacking are allowed, and whether weekends are permitted.
  • Renovation deposit, how much, what it covers and how it is refunded.
  • Lift and common area protection, and who pays for any damage.
  • Contractor registration, passes, parking and loading arrangements.
  • Debris removal and where it may be stored.
  • Insurance the contractor must carry.
  • Documents required, such as layout drawings, PE endorsement and contractor details.

BCA approval versus MCST approval

These are separate. BCA says some minor works are "insignificant building works" that do not need plan submission to BCA, but building works in strata developments might still need MCST approval. BCA also advises private owners to engage a Qualified Person (a registered architect or PE) to advise on which clearances are needed, and to check whether other authorities such as URA are involved. For a new development, BCA suggests checking with the developer and project architect before major works.

A sensible order of steps

  1. Get the estate's by-laws and renovation form before you finalise the design.
  2. Design within those rules, and flag any facade or structural items early.
  3. Get a PE's endorsement if any demolition is involved.
  4. Submit the application with drawings and pay the renovation deposit.
  5. Share the approved conditions with your contractor and keep a copy on site.
  6. After completion, arrange the final inspection and deposit refund.

Our renovation timeline guide shows where approvals fit, and the renovation contract checklist covers who handles the MCST application.

How JIAHOME helps

We design your condo first, with 2D layouts and up to 10 3D views, which gives you clear drawings for the MCST application and a full item list any contractor can price. See our services.

*This article is general information, not legal advice. Your estate's by-laws and the MCST's written conditions apply.*

Last updated 14 October 2026