The full NOC checklist
All 32 checks below. Get the NOC before you book a start date; a refusal after mobilisation is an expensive way to learn the rules.
1 · Documents to submit
- Application letter to the secretary stating scope, start and end dates
- Copy of the sale agreement or share certificate proving ownership
- Tenant's consent letter from the owner where the flat is rented
- Layout drawing of the proposed work, marked with what is structural and what is not
- Structural undertaking that no column, beam or slab is touched
- Architect or contractor letter with licence and contact details
2 · Contractor and labour
- Worker list with names, photographs and Aadhaar copies
- Police verification where the society requires it
- Labour insurance or workmen's compensation certificate
- Contractor's undertaking on working hours and common-area conduct
- Site supervisor name and mobile number displayed at the flat door
3 · Money and deposits
- Refundable renovation deposit amount and refund conditions in writing
- Non-refundable charges, if any, listed separately
- Debris removal charge or the society's nominated debris contractor
- Lift usage charge and any additional maintenance levy
- Written confirmation of what deductions the society may make
4 · Site conduct rules to confirm
- Permitted working hours, usually 10am to 6pm on weekdays
- Whether Saturday work is allowed and Sunday is prohibited
- Noisy work window — drilling, chipping and core-cutting hours
- Service lift booking method and daily time slots
- Debris route, storage point and collection frequency
- Material delivery timing and where a tempo may stand
5 · Protection and liability
- Lift car, lobby floor and staircase protection agreed before work starts
- Daily cleaning of the common passage written into the agreement
- Water and power source for the site and how it will be metered
- Liability for damage to common property stated in writing
- Contact protocol if a neighbour complains
6 · BMC and statutory
- Confirm nothing in the scope needs BMC intimation of change
- No change to the external elevation, grille line or window opening
- No alteration to the common plumbing stack or fire line
- Heritage precinct restrictions checked if the building is listed
- Written NOC obtained and a copy kept on site
How to get it approved first time
- Describe the scope accurately. Minimising it to get an easy approval guarantees a stop-work notice when the site looks bigger than the letter.
- Attach a marked drawing showing what is structural and what is not, with a structural undertaking beside it.
- Photograph the lift car, lobby and staircase before work begins. It is the cheapest insurance against a deposit deduction.
- Get the hours in writing, including whether Saturday work is permitted and what the noisy-work window is.
What the sheet prevents
- A stop-work notice in week two. Almost always caused by a scope that grew past the approval letter.
- A deposit withheld for damage you did not cause. Dated photographs of common areas settle it.
- Debris left in the compound on a Sunday. The route, the timings and the contractor are agreed in group four.
Download the checklist (PDF) →
Read the detail in society rules for renovation and BMC permissions for interior work.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a society NOC take?+
One to three weeks in most Mumbai buildings, depending on when the managing committee meets. Some committees decide by circulation within days; others wait for the monthly meeting. Ask at the first visit when the next meeting is and work backwards from it.
What is a typical renovation deposit?+
Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,00,000 in most Mumbai societies, refundable against damage to common property and debris clearance. Some buildings also levy a non-refundable charge for lift usage and additional housekeeping. Get both amounts and the refund conditions in writing before you pay.
Are the 10am to 6pm working hours negotiable?+
Rarely. Ten to six on weekdays with a restricted Saturday and no Sunday work is standard across Mumbai. The negotiable part is usually the noisy-work window within those hours, and occasionally permission for quiet finishing work on a Saturday afternoon. Plan the programme around the stated hours rather than hoping.
Does a tenant need extra documents?+
Yes. A tenant needs the owner's written consent, usually notarised, plus a copy of the registered leave-and-licence agreement. Many committees will also require the owner to countersign the application and, in some cases, for the deposit to come from the owner.
When is BMC permission needed rather than just a society NOC?+
When you touch anything structural, change the external elevation, alter a window opening or modify the common plumbing stack or fire line. Ordinary interior work — joinery, finishes, non-structural partitions, rewiring within the flat — needs the society NOC only. Heritage precinct buildings carry additional restrictions.