The Approval Path for a New Factory
Factory building approval in Selangor follows three checks in a fixed order. The council looks at the use of the land, then the building design, then whether the finished building matches what was approved.
The names can sound bureaucratic, but the logic is simple. Each stage depends on the one before it.
At Factory Builder Malaysia, the factory and warehouse building arm of QDB Ventures Sdn Bhd, we build in Selangor as a Cheras-based contractor. The sequence below is the one we plan every programme around.
If you are planning factory construction in Selangor, knowing this path early helps you set a realistic programme. It also helps you ask your contractor the right questions.
We’ll walk through planning permission, building plan approval, OSC submissions, what can start early, and the CCC, in that order.
Stage 1: Planning Permission (Kebenaran Merancang)
Planning permission confirms that the proposed development suits the land. The council looks at zoning, plot ratio, site coverage, setbacks, access, parking and how the project fits the local plan. For a factory, the proposed industrial use must match the zoning of the lot.
It comes first because there is no point designing a building in detail if the land cannot take it. Our guide on building a factory on your land explains the zoning and plot ratio checks.
Kebenaran Merancang is not reviewed by the council alone. MBSJ’s April 2026 checklist routes applications through other bodies as well, including PLANMalaysia@Selangor (the state planning department), the drainage department and the state water authority.
MBDK’s February 2026 checklist also refers to a new OSC initiative called the Industrial Green Lane (IGL). We haven’t seen the eligibility rules, so ask the council’s OSC whether your project qualifies.
Stage 2: Building Plan Approval
Once the layout is accepted, the building plans go in for approval. These show the architecture, structure and key services in detail. Technical agencies review the parts they are responsible for:
- Bomba for fire safety, escape routes, hydrants and sprinklers where required
- TNB for the power supply and any substation
- Air Selangor for the water supply
- Indah Water for the sewerage connection
- The council’s own engineering departments for roads and drainage
Your process and machinery details matter here. MBSJ’s April 2026 checklist treats Air Selangor reviews differently for water demand below and above 1 MLD (one million litres a day). Your consultant should know your expected demand before the submission goes in.
How OSC Submissions Work
In Selangor, development applications usually go through the council’s One Stop Centre (OSC). The OSC coordinates the planning and building plan submissions and passes them to the technical agencies, so you don’t deal with each agency separately.
An OSC submission in Selangor is normally filed online through the OSC 3.0 Plus system. That system requires a Principal Submitting Person or Submitting Person, such as a certified town planner, architect, engineer, surveyor or building planner. In practice, your consultant files for you.
The OSC does not remove the need for complete, well-prepared drawings. Incomplete submissions are the most common cause of delay, because each round of comments adds time.
Timing is another thing to plan around. FactoryHub’s 2026 factory approvals guide notes that there is no Selangor-wide processing time, so ask the council’s OSC for an estimate when you submit.
| Stage | What is checked | Typical input from you |
|---|---|---|
| Planning permission | Land use, layout, plot ratio, setbacks | Land title, intended use, site plan |
| Building plan approval | Building design and services | Machinery and process details |
| Construction | Work matches approved plans | Decisions on time, written variations |
| CCC | Completed building complies | Final clearances from agencies |
Council Differences: MBSA, MBDK, MPKj, MBSJ
The general sequence is the same across Selangor, but each council has its own forms, checklists and timing. Here is who covers which area:
- MBSA covers Shah Alam
- MBDK covers Klang
- MPKj covers Kajang, Bangi and Semenyih
- MBSJ covers Subang Jaya and Puchong
Plans go to the council for the site, so build your submission strategy around that council. Councils also update their paperwork. MBDK’s planning permission checklist took effect on 20 February 2026 and MBSJ’s on 1 April 2026, so download the current version instead of reusing an old form.
Can Work Start While Approvals Are in Progress?
Some work can, some cannot. Surveys, soil investigation, design development and detailed engineering can all proceed while applications are processed. In fact, doing the detailed engineering early often makes the building plan submission smoother.
Main building works should wait for the approvals they depend on. Section 70(1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133) says nobody may erect a building without written approval from the local authority. Starting early risks stop-work orders and fines, and it can make the final CCC difficult.
| Can proceed now | Should wait for approval |
|---|---|
| Land survey | Main building works |
| Soil investigation | Earthworks, until your consultant confirms the approval route |
| Design development and detailed engineering | Anything that depends on a pending agency clearance |
Earthworks deserve a quick check. Act 133 deals with them in a separate section (70A), so ask your consultant whether they need their own approval before any soil moves.
There are no reliable shortcuts here. A contractor who suggests one is worth questioning.
Build the programme around approvals, not against them
Your target start date is a useful input, but approvals timing is set by the council. Plan design and engineering so that submissions go in complete.
The CCC at Completion
When the building is finished, the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) confirms that it was built according to the approved plans and that the required clearances are in place. Occupation should wait for the CCC. Our guide on what a CCC is for a factory explains who issues it and what feeds into it.
The penalty for ignoring this is serious. FactoryHub’s 2026 CCC guide notes that occupying a building without a CCC is an offence under section 70(27) of Act 133, with a fine of up to RM250,000, up to ten years’ jail, or both.
Two practical points help here:
- Stage certification: Industrial Malaysia explains that the CCC system uses stage certificates, running from Form G1 to G21, covering parts of the building such as foundations and drainage.
- Fire certificate: Premises classed as designated under section 28 of the Fire Services Act 1988 need a separate Bomba fire certificate, renewable annually. Ask your consultant early whether your factory falls into that group.
The CCC is not the last step before production. MBDK’s checklist for a temporary industrial and signboard licence, for instance, asks for confirmations from 10 agencies, and a complete file is processed within 30 days.
Who Handles the Submissions?
That depends on how the project is set up. Under design and build, the contractor’s design team often prepares and submits the plans. If you appointed your own architect and engineers, they usually handle it.
What matters is that it is agreed and written down. Under Act 133, only a Principal Submitting Person can issue the CCC, after supervising the work and confirming it matches the approved plans. So the person who submits your plans should be the one who carries the project through to completion.
Our quotations list who is responsible for submissions, consultants and agency applications, so there are no gaps. If you want to understand how approvals fit into the overall programme, read how long it takes to build a factory.
Own industrial land in Selangor and want to build on it? Ask us for a quotation, and we’ll map out the factory building approval route for your council and your lot.