Facade Finishing Passport in Kyiv and Major Cities: A Step-by-Step Guide to Obtaining Permits in 2026

The formation of modern urban space requires extremely strict compliance with architectural, building, technical, and aesthetic standards. In 2026, the process of facade passportization in large Ukrainian cities, particularly in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, and Odesa, has reached a maximum level of digitalization, transparency, and standardization. The facade finishing passport is no longer a purely formal, bureaucratic document. Today, it is a key tool for controlling the visual environment, energy efficiency, fire safety, and inclusivity of urban infrastructure. This analytical report provides a comprehensive overview of approval procedures, regulatory requirements, penalty mechanisms, and advanced technical solutions that are critically important for architects, design engineers, developers, and commercial real estate owners in the context of current legislation.

Legislative Framework and Regulatory Control in Urban Planning

The control system over the exterior appearance of buildings and structures is based on a complex, multi-level regulatory framework. This framework organically combines national standards, state building codes, and local landscaping rules approved by local councils. Carrying out any works on finishing, insulation, changing the color scheme, replanning entrance groups, or installing advertising structures on the facades of existing buildings requires mandatory prior approval from authorized local self-government bodies.

The administrative service for approving the passport for finishing the facade of a building or structure is identified in the state register under the single number 02055. An important feature of legal regulation is that the final decision on issuing a permit is made on an individual basis by each local self-government body within its territorial jurisdiction. This means that, despite the existence of nationwide state building codes, the municipalities of Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, or Lviv have the legal right to establish their own local design codes, zoning rules, and color requirements to preserve the unique historical and architectural identity of the city.

The fundamental regulatory acts governing this process as of 2026 are the laws of Ukraine in the field of urban planning regulation and landscaping of settlements. The technical side of preparing design documentation is based on DSTU B A.2.4-7:2009, which defines strict rules for executing architectural and construction working drawings. In addition, developers must be guided by local landscaping rules (for example, the Landscaping Rules of Kyiv City), which detail the procedure for conducting earthworks, construction, and installation works within the community, as well as establish format zones for the harmonious placement of information signs and outdoor advertising. A separate but equally important block consists of state building codes regarding the inclusivity of buildings, thermal insulation, and fire safety, non-compliance with which makes a positive expert conclusion and passport approval impossible.

Comprehensive Structure and Composition of the Facade Finishing Passport

The passport for finishing (or decorating) a facade is a comprehensive, highly detailed design document. Its main goal is to record the existing, current state of the building and define absolutely all future changes in its appearance, including the specification of building materials, color scheme according to international standards, structural solutions of engineering elements, and configuration of entrance groups. According to current legislation, this document can only be developed by a qualified design engineer or architect who has passed certification and holds a valid qualification certificate.

Creating a facade passport is a necessary measure to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the urban environment and track the dynamics of all urban and architectural transformations. The execution of this document is carried out once for each real estate object, regardless of the form of ownership. If in the future there is a need to change the tenant, update the corporate identity, repaint part of the wall, or install a new information sign, these actions are formalized as editing or an addition to the already existing, previously approved basic passport, which significantly optimizes bureaucratic procedures for business.

In accordance with state design standards and decisions of the executive committees of city councils, a full-fledged facade passport is a voluminous portfolio containing graphic and textual parts.

Under certain circumstances, especially when the object is located in a zone of special urban planning control, the central historical part of the city, or is an object of significant public interest, the protocol of the meeting (or an extract from it) of the architectural and urban planning council must be attached to the documentation. This document confirms that the project has undergone expert discussion and received the approval of the specialized professional community.

Detailed Approval Algorithm: From Idea to Implementation

In 2026, the procedure for approving facade passports became much more structured and predictable due to the deep integration of electronic management systems. The introduction of the Unified State Electronic System in the Construction Sector (e-Construction) and the public services portal drastically reduced corruption risks and accelerated data exchange between departments. However, despite the digitalization of document flow, the physical processes of inspecting objects and checking results on-site remain an integral mandatory part of the overall process.

Obtaining permits requires passing consecutive stages. Violating this chronology or attempting to start work before obtaining all papers required by law will inevitably lead to a refusal to provide the administrative service or the imposition of substantial penalties with subsequent forced dismantling of the mounted structures.

The first stage is the preparatory process and documentation development. The applicant, who can be the owner of the real estate object or its legal tenant (with the official consent of the owner), contacts a certified design engineer or architectural bureau. To start design works, the customer is obliged to provide a copy of the title document that legally confirms the fact of ownership or use of the premises or the real estate object as a whole. Specialists conduct field measurements, perform photofixation from different angles, and form a project album in accordance with state standards. Considering the volume of drafting work and the need to create three-dimensional visualizations, developing a high-quality and complete facade passport takes an average of fifteen working days.

The second stage is submitting an application for official approval. The fully formed passport signed by the designer, along with a formalized application, is submitted to the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture of the respective city or town council. Under modern conditions, legislation provides several convenient channels for submitting documents: the applicant can do it in person through the Administrative Services Center (ASC), delegate powers to a legal representative through a notarized power of attorney, send paper copies by mail (by registered letter with a description of the enclosure), or submit the documentation electronically through official state web portals. If the project complies with all urban planning norms and there are no comments regarding the design code, the applicant receives an officially approved copy of the facade finishing passport, which becomes the legal basis for further steps.

Control Card (Order) for Landscaping Disturbance: Issuance Procedure

An extremely common mistake among business owners is the belief that having an approved facade passport automatically gives the right to immediately bring construction crews to the site and start installation work. From a legal point of view, the passport only approves the architectural concept and materials. To directly carry out works involving the installation of scaffolding, protective fencing, storage of building materials on the sidewalk, or earthworks for arranging an entrance group, it is necessary to obtain a special permit document — a control card (order) for the temporary disturbance of landscaping and its subsequent restoration.

In the capital of Ukraine, the issuance of this document is handled by the Department of Urban Landscaping of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council, and the direct processing of applications is assigned to the municipal enterprise “Kyivblagoustrii” or the Department of Territorial Control of the City of Kyiv. The control card records the very fact of the legality of builders being on municipal land and guarantees that after the completion of the work, the territory will be brought to a proper sanitary and technical condition.

For the legal issuance of the order, the applicant must collect and submit the following document package: An official letter of appeal addressed to the director of the specialized Department of Territorial Control. Attached to the letter is an application for obtaining a control card, which meticulously specifies the technical characteristics of the object, exact real estate address, name of the contracting organization (the company that will directly perform construction and installation works), its bank details, and the contact information of the official who will bear personal responsibility for compliance with safety and landscaping rules during the works. A mandatory point is indicating precise calendar deadlines within which the works will be guaranteed to be completed. Additionally, copies of documents confirming the applicant’s identity and the already approved facade finishing passport are provided.

The submission procedure is maximally simplified: documents can be transferred through physical correspondence boxes located in the premises of specialized departments (for example, in Kyiv on Dehtiarivska or Bohdan Khmelnytskyi street), sent to the designated email of the agency, or submitted via the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services “Diia” or a local ASC. The standard review period for submitted documents by officials is up to seven working days, after which an official decision on issuing the control card is made.

Direct construction and installation works on finishing the facades of a building or structure are allowed to be performed exclusively after receiving the control card for temporary landscaping disturbance from the local self-government body. A special case is the occurrence of emergency situations (for example, the collapse of a part of the cornice) that threaten the lives of citizens. In such extreme situations, liquidation works can be started immediately without an order, but the law requires mandatory written notification to controlling inspections about the fact of starting work within twenty-four hours.

After the complete finishing of the facade repair and dismantling of scaffolding, the final stage comes — the restoration of the landscaping of the adjacent territory. The contractor is obliged to restore the damaged asphalt pavement, relay the paving stones, and restore the lawns. Only after checking the quality of these works by an inspector is the control card subject to mandatory documentary closure, which means the successful and completely legal completion of the reconstruction project.

Historical Areas and Cultural Heritage Protection

The facade passportization process becomes an order of magnitude more complicated if the real estate object is located in central historical zones, areas of preserving the traditional character of the environment, or, most importantly, has the official status of a cultural heritage monument of local or national significance. Any interference with the authentic appearance of such buildings falls under the specialized heritage protection legislation. In the capital, approval of scientific and design documentation for such objects requires the mandatory involvement of the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the KMDA, and in cases with monuments of national significance — an examination by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

By 2026, the procedure for interacting with cultural heritage protection authorities underwent a revolutionary digitalization. Approval of complex scientific and design documentation, as well as obtaining permits to perform restoration or repair works on monuments, can now be carried out entirely online using the user’s electronic cabinet in e-Construction. For this, the subject of appeal authorizes in the system, selects the required document type, and fills out detailed digital forms. The system is loaded with information about the exact address of the object, details of the developed scientific and design documentation, expert conclusions, as well as copies of property valuation reports, floor plans of premises produced by the technical inventory bureau, and copies of security agreements that determine the usage modes of the corresponding monument.

Legislation strictly limits the review period for such an application to thirty calendar days from the moment of its registration in the relevant structural unit. An important legal guarantee that significantly protects the rights of developers and minimizes corruption risks is the introduction of the tacit consent principle: if the cultural heritage protection body for any reason did not provide official approval or did not form a justified refusal within the thirty days specified by law, the submitted design documentation is automatically recognized as approved by default, allowing the customer to proceed to the next stages without delays.

City Design Code: Placement of Advertising Means and Signs

One of the most frequent reasons for developing or modifying a facade passport is the need to integrate a commercial sign or an advertising structure. The visual appeal of the exterior directly correlates with the commercial success of a business; however, chaotic and uncontrolled placement of advertising can cause visual pollution and destroy the city’s architectural ensemble. Given this, the facade finishing passport regarding the placement of advertising means is regulated by extremely strict zoning rules and city design codes. As of 2026, control over outdoor advertising and information signs in Kyiv has reached the maximum level of monitoring automation.

To streamline this process, the territory of Kyiv was conventionally divided into several format zones, each dictating its own very specific requirements for dimensions, materials, and types of structures allowed to be mounted on facades.

Regardless of which zone the object is located in, there are universal technical requirements. The sign must be placed parallel to the building’s facade plane, while the technological gap of the structure from the wall cannot exceed 200 millimeters. It is categorically forbidden to design and install signs in such a way that they overlap engineering communications (especially gas pipes), balconies, or are located directly on the window plane, blocking natural lighting access to the premises. An information sign containing the company name or registered trademark is traditionally placed at the first-floor level, and its total area must not exceed 3 square meters.

An extremely important legislative norm that is strictly controlled by inspectors is the language aspect. According to the Law on Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language, texts of all signs must be executed exclusively in Ukrainian. The use of Latin characters or other languages on the facade is allowed only in one case: if the business entity is the owner of an officially registered trademark and can provide the corresponding “Certificate for Trademark for Goods and Services” when drawing up the passport. Furthermore, in 2026, strict restrictions on energy efficiency and brightness of facade lighting were introduced. The use of dynamic, flashing backlighting (for example, running tickers) on residential building facades is prohibited, as it creates light pollution for residents. The only exceptions are specialized pharmacy crosses and critical information boards.

Architectural Inclusivity in Facade Solutions (DBN V.2.2-40:2018)

Developing and approving the facade passport of a commercial or public building in 2026 is absolutely impossible without meticulous compliance with state building codes on creating a barrier-free and accessible space. The design of the entrance group is regulated by the strict requirements of DBN V.2.2-40:2018 “Inclusivity of Buildings and Structures”. Inclusivity in this context means a comprehensive design approach where the entrance node can be safely and comfortably used by absolutely all people, regardless of their age, health condition, or disability status.

A fundamental regulatory rule dictates that in new construction, absolutely all entrances to a building intended for public use must be fully accessible (designed flush with the sidewalk level, without the need for a porch). When it comes to major repairs or reconstruction of an existing building, the standard allows a compromise: if there are two or more entrances, at least 50% of them must be inclusive, but the main central entrance must be accessible under any circumstances.

Key parameters that inspectors of the Architecture Department pay attention to when checking the facade passport: Entrance and interior doors must be designed without thresholds. This requirement is critical for moving in wheelchairs. If structural or engineering necessity unavoidably requires a threshold, the height of each of its elements must not exceed 0.015 meters (i.e., only 1.5 centimeters). It might seem like a minor detail, but a threshold 4-5 centimeters high becomes an insurmountable obstacle that completely nullifies building accessibility. Near such a minimal threshold, the designer is obliged to provide a bevel (mini-ramp) up to 0.3 meters long with a slope of no more than 8%, and the threshold element itself must be highlighted with contrast color marking for visually impaired people.

The minimum clear width of the doorway for unhindered passage should be at least 0.9 meters. If a ramp is arranged, its longitudinal slope must not exceed 8% (1:12 ratio) for reconstruction, and for new construction, the recommended norm is an even gentler 5% (1:20). The ramp width is calculated from 0.9 meters for safe one-way traffic. In addition, platforms in front of the entrance and the surface of the ramp itself must necessarily have a hard, rough anti-slip coating, ensuring a transverse slope of 1–2% for effective rainwater drainage, and be equipped with standard handrails on both sides.

All these millimeter parameters must be graphically displayed and confirmed by text footnotes in the corresponding section of the facade passport. Ignoring the requirements of DBN V.2.2-40:2018 is an absolute ground for refusing to approve project documentation.

Energy Efficiency and Fire Safety (DBN V.2.6-31:2021 and V.1.1-7:2016)

The selection of finishing materials recorded in the facade passport is dictated not only by aesthetic considerations but also by strict technical requirements for heat preservation and fire protection of structures. Modern architectural design standards heavily rely on hinged ventilated facade (HVF) systems, which allow achieving the best operational performance.

From an energy efficiency standpoint, facade design relies on DBN V.2.6-31:2021 “Thermal Insulation and Energy Efficiency of Buildings”. According to standards, ventilated air gaps are critical for removing excess water vapor from the thickness of enclosing structures and preventing condensation. The regulatory document clearly states that air gaps must be located exclusively between the outer protective and finishing screen (facade panels or metal cassettes) and the mineral thermal insulation layer. At the same time, the thickness of the ventilation gap must be designed within strict limits from 40 millimeters to 60 millimeters. Such space is necessary to create sufficient thermal draft that vents moisture outward, ensuring the insulation remains dry, which, in turn, maximizes energy savings during the winter period and prevents overheating of premises in summer. To ensure air inflow and outflow in the structure, the passport provides for a system of ventilation holes, the area of which is calculated by engineers in accordance with the roof and facade surface area.

In parallel with thermal insulation, designers must satisfy fire safety requirements regulated by standard DBN V.1.1-7:2016 “Fire Safety of Construction Objects”. The use of hinged systems with an air gap creates a potential hazard for the rapid spread of flames in case of fire (the so-called chimney effect). Therefore, the standard establishes a strict fire-technical classification of building materials used in the exterior. For high-rise buildings (from 26.5 meters to 47 meters) and skyscrapers (over 47 meters), the law unalternatively requires the use of exclusively non-combustible materials for both the frame subsystem and the external cladding panels. Metal facade structures are the benchmark solution in this context, as they do not burn, do not support flame spread, and maintain mechanical stability even under the influence of extreme temperatures during a fire. It is important to remember that other by-laws or customer decisions are categorically forbidden from lowering the minimum fire safety requirements set by this DBN.

Integration of Modern Systems by Mehbud Plant into Finishing Projects

To satisfy the complex combination of design code requirements, strict thermal and fire safety standards, architects developing facade passports are en masse switching to the use of metal facade systems from verified domestic manufacturers. A prime example of an industrial enterprise whose products perfectly integrate into modern architectural requirements of 2026 is the Ukrainian plant “Mehbud”, located in Kyiv on Akademika Krymskoho Street, 4a.

The enterprise specializes in manufacturing high-tech hinged ventilated facades for commercial and administrative real estate objects, residential complexes, and cottages. Using Mehbud panels significantly facilitates passing the examination and approving the passport in the Architecture Department, as these products are supplied with a complete package of DBN compliance certificates, guaranteeing fire safety, high mechanical strength, resistance to the corrosive impact of an aggressive urban environment, and 100% moisture resistance. Additionally, the plant provides full engineering project support, including technical consultations, development of complex abutment nodes, providing sketches and material samples for creating architectural mood boards, which is an invaluable resource for the designer when drawing up the passport.

The main nomenclature of Mehbud facade systems, massively included in finishing passports, comprises the following solutions:

The formation of the color table, an integral part of the passport, is also simplified thanks to the plant’s capabilities to paint metal with high-quality polymer mixtures in any shade according to the RAL scale, as well as create imitations of premium stone or wood textures. Basic architectural shades in highest demand in 2026 that perfectly fit into urban design codes include: pure white (RAL 9003), deep black (RAL 9005), modern light grey metallic (RAL 9006), austere graphite (RAL 7024), and elegant chocolate (RAL 8017). The shades of the graphite line create a disciplined, solid corporate atmosphere, focusing the viewer’s attention on the verified geometric proportions of the building.

Legal Liability, Control, and Penalties

Conducting any construction and installation works on the facades of existing buildings, unauthorized changing of their color, insulating wall fragments using the “patchwork” method, as well as placing signs or air conditioners without an approved facade passport and an open control card is a direct, gross violation of state standards, norms, and landscaping rules of settlements. Monitoring compliance with these requirements is carried out on a daily basis by municipal landscaping inspectors.

The legal foundation for bringing offenders to justice is Article 152 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (CUAO). The influence mechanism provides for issuing prescriptions with a demand to eliminate violations, and in case of ignoring them — drawing up administrative protocols.

Analysis of penalty amounts under Article 152 of the CUAO as of 2026:

Upon superficial analysis, the amounts of administrative fines may seem disproportionately small compared to the budgets allocated for facade repairs. However, an analysis of judicial and municipal law enforcement practice shows that paying a fine of 1,700 hryvnias in no way relieves a person from the legal obligation to compensate for the damage caused to the urban environment and, at their own expense, bring the facade back to its design or historical condition. If the premises owner refuses to voluntarily comply with the requirements of the prescription, city utility companies apply the mechanism of forced dismantling. Work crews remove illegal signs, disassemble unauthorized insulation, or cut off air conditioners at the expense of the city budget. After that, the legal department of the city council files a lawsuit against the violator for full reimbursement of the cost of the performed dismantling and transportation works of the structures to the impound lot. Thus, an attempt to save on developing a facade passport in 2026 inevitably leads to colossal financial losses, lengthy litigations, and the complete loss of investments in illegally mounted exterior elements.

Conclusions

The development and official approval of a facade finishing passport in large Ukrainian cities as of 2026 have evolved from a simple bureaucratic formality into an extremely complex, comprehensive engineering and architectural process. This process is deeply integrated with the concepts of strategic urban development, energy efficiency, and social inclusivity. A positive shift is the massive digitalization of administrative services: the use of the e-Construction portal and the application of the tacit consent principle when interacting with cultural heritage protection authorities have made permitting procedures much more transparent and predictable for businesses.

At the same time, requirements for the quality of design documentation and its compliance with design codes have tightened unprecedentedly. The slightest deviations from the norms — for example, exceeding the threshold height of 1.5 centimeters, using combustible materials on a high-rise object, or an incorrectly selected shade of a sign in a historical zone — guaranteed lead to the rejection of the project. The municipal control system works efficiently, and violations are punished not only by administrative fines but also by the forced dismantling of expensive structures.

Under these conditions, the use of modern certified materials, such as hinged metal ventilated facades from the Ukrainian Mehbud plant, becomes the most rational step for developers and investors. These facade systems allow simultaneously solving a whole complex of problems: they one hundred percent satisfy fire safety standards, provide proper thermal insulation ventilation, and create a flawless aesthetic appearance that is easily approved by the strictest urban planning councils. A comprehensive approach to developing a facade passport involving high-quality engineering solutions is the unalternative path to the successful and legal operation of any real estate object in a modern Ukrainian city.