Building permit in St. Gallenfor pergolas, louvred roofs, carports, garden sheds and pools
Small structures in St. Gallen are subject to the building law of the canton of St. Gallen plus the municipality's building and zoning regulations. We prepare the complete application, submit it to the competent building authority and support you through to the decision: fixed price from CHF 690.
Digital service by SL Handel GmbH, based in Zug, for your project in St. Gallen.
Go to the officially documented submission route for St. Gallen
What needs a permit in St. Gallen
| Structure | Classification (canton of St. Gallen) | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Pergola | Building permit required | The administrative court classified a roofed pergola as a building; open pergolas are assessed case by case: a preliminary assessment is recommended. |
| Louvred roof | Building permit required | Covered patios require a building permit. |
| Patio cover | Building permit required | Patio covers and large shade sails require a building permit. |
| Carport | Building permit required | Carports require a building permit. |
| Garden shed | Depends on size and location | Small garden sheds may fall under Art. 136 para. 2 PBG; larger ones need a building application to the municipality. |
| Pool | Building permit required | Permanently installed pools require a building permit. |
| Heat pump (outdoor unit) | Depends on size and location | Outdoor units: notification with a noise certificate, or a building application. |
| Solar installation (special case) | Depends on size and location | Solar installations under the RPG: notification (cantonal notification form 2026). Protected properties, open land, solar carport: building application. |
This table shows the cantonal rules. The municipality of St. Gallen can set additional requirements in core zones, in areas protecting the local townscape and through its building regulations. We check the zoning plan and regulations for your plot. Cantonal information source.
St. Gallen at a glance
- Competent office
- St. Gallen building permits office (Amt für Baubewilligungen)
- Submission
- To prepare the building application, the city of St. Gallen lists the guide, the application form, the site plan and the project plans. Complete signatures are part of preparing the submission. Official submission guide
- Building and zoning regulations
- Regulations and zoning plan of St. Gallen
- Municipal fees
- Under the fee regulations of St. Gallen, paid directly to the municipality.
- Cadastral plan
- From the geoportal of the canton of St. Gallen; we obtain the extract.
- Plan author
- No formal professional qualification required.
Official sources checked on 24 October 2026. The municipality's information is authoritative.
How much does a building application in St. Gallen cost?
| Preliminary check: is a permit needed? | CHF 149credited |
| Complete application for a pergola, louvred roof, carport, garden shed, pool or heat pump | CHF 690fixed price |
| Solar special case (core zone or protected building) | CHF 1'290fixed price |
| Fee charged by the municipality of St. Gallen | as per tariffyou pay the municipality |
Example: a 20 m² louvred roof on your house in St. Gallen. You pay us CHF 690 for the dossier, submission and follow-up queries. The municipality invoices its permit fee separately. We tell you the expected amount in the preliminary check.
Request a fixed price for St. GallenDocuments for your building application in St. Gallen
You provide little, we handle the rest. Here is how it is split:
To the building application checklist with official submission examples
What you send us
- Address of the property in St. Gallen
- 3 to 5 photos of the site (façade, patio, towards the boundary)
- Dimensions or the manufacturer's drawing of the product
- Signature of the building owner and the landowners
- For condominium ownership: consent of the owners' association
What we obtain and prepare
- Cadastral plan from the official survey
- Site plan with the structure, dimensions and boundary distances
- Application form for the canton of St. Gallen, fully completed
- Construction description, elevations and list of enclosures
- Check of the zoning plan and regulations of St. Gallen
- Depending on the structure: noise certificate (heat pump), neighbours' consent
The local submission route in St. Gallen
To prepare the building application, the city of St. Gallen lists the instructions, the application form and the site and project plans. Complete signatures are part of preparing the submission.
- Use the city's instructions and the forms that apply to the project.
- Compile the site and project plans and obtain the required signatures.
Source: City of St. Gallen: preparing a building application, accessed on 24 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions about building applications in St. Gallen
How do I submit a building application in St. Gallen?
To prepare the building application, the city of St. Gallen lists the instructions, the application form and the site and project plans. Complete signatures are part of preparing the submission.
Do I need a permit for a louvred roof in St. Gallen?
Covered seating areas require a building permit. Legal basis: Art. 136 PBG.
Is a garden shed in St. Gallen permit-free?
Small garden sheds may fall under Art. 136 para. 2 PBG; larger ones need a building application at the municipality. Legal basis: Art. 136 Abs. 2 PBG.
How much does a building application in St. Gallen cost?
With us, a fixed price of CHF 690 for the complete application including submission and follow-up queries; the preliminary check (CHF 149) is credited. The authority's fees are added and are based on the fee regulations (Gebührenreglement) of the municipality of St. Gallen. We tell you the expected amount in the preliminary check.
Who may draw up the building application plans in St. Gallen?
No formal professional qualification required.
How long does a building application in St. Gallen take?
We prepare the application file within 5 working days of receiving all required documents. The authority's processing time depends on the procedure, completeness and any objections.
Already built in St. Gallen?
If the municipality of St. Gallen requires a retrospective building application, the deadline is decisive. We confirm it on the same working day, check whether the project can be approved and submit within 3 working days. Retrospective building application
How to sign a building application in St. Gallen
Who signs, whether a scan is sufficient and what simplifications apply. We apply this information automatically in your dossier.
- Submission
- Formular G1 (electronic submission in preparation)
- Who signs
- The landowner, the applicant and the project author; the form has a separate field for the tenant or installation operator.
- Form of signature
- Paper original required
Submission on paper, usually in triplicate, with original signatures. Electronic procedural steps are planned from 2027. - Small projects
- Simplified procedure (Art. 82bis PBG). Solar installations: notification form no later than 30 days before construction starts.
- Power of attorney
- We submit as your authorised representative. We enclose the power of attorney with the application, so we need it with your handwritten signature.
- Tenancy, condominium ownership
- Tenants need the landlord's written consent (Art. 260a CO); as landowner, the landlord also signs the application. With condominium ownership, structural changes to common parts (façade, roof, patio with exclusive right of use) generally require the consent of all condominium owners or a resolution of the owners' meeting (Art. 647d, 647e and 712g CC). The condominium regulations are decisive.
- Neighbours
- Neighbours' consent is usually voluntary but often speeds up the procedure. If boundary or building distances are not respected, it is required, depending on the canton as an easement entered in the land register.
- Good to know
- Plan colours: existing black, demolition yellow, new red.
As of October 2026. Practice differs between municipalities; the municipality and canton are authoritative. Sources: Canton of St. Gallen: notification of solar installations.
More municipalities in the canton of St. Gallen
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Building application in St. Gallen, from CHF 690.
Assessment in 2 working days. Non-binding.