Required certification · Egypt
New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA)
Planning and building-permit authority for Egypt's new cities, needed per site rather than per company
Market position
The New Urban Communities Authority is the state body for Egypt's new cities. Under the Unified Building Law 119/2008 (Art. 4) it is the competent planning and organization body for new urban communities, so building permits for sites in new cities such as New Cairo and New Obour come from NUCA rather than a governorate. It is also one of the licensing bodies represented at GAFI's Investors Services Centers.
Egypt-specific note
Check where the site is before planning permits: inside a new city such as New Cairo or New Obour, NUCA is the competent planning and permit body under Law 119/2008 (Art. 4); outside new cities, the local administrative body issues building permits. No building work may start without a permit (Art. 39).
Pros
- + One authority handles planning and building permits for sites inside the new cities
- + Represented at GAFI's Investors Services Centers
- + Issues licensing rule changes and facilitations for new cities, as in its September 2026 decisions
Cons
- − Per project and per site, not a company-wide licence
- − Only applies inside new urban communities; elsewhere the local administrative body issues permits under Law 119/2008
- − Building without a permit is prohibited under Law 119/2008 (Art. 39)
- − Fees and requirements were not readable on NUCA's website
Typical Egypt pricing
Official fees per project for permits and related services; NUCA's website was unreachable and no fee schedule was confirmed.
Why this matters for Egypt trades
The ETA administers income tax and VAT (general rate 14%) and runs the e-invoicing and e-receipt systems; e-invoicing is mandatory for taxpayers named in its phased decisions, and ETA offers an online tool to check whether a business is covered. Under Law 104 of 1992, no contracting work worth more than EGP 50,000 per operation may be assigned to or carried out by anyone who is not a working member of the EFCBC, which classifies members by specialization and capacity. Under Law 66 of 1974, engineering posts and works may only go to engineers or consulting offices registered with the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate. Companies are incorporated through GAFI’s Investor Services Centers or online; employers pay social insurance contributions on each insured worker’s wage under Law 148 of 2019, administered by NOSI; and inside new cities such as New Cairo, NUCA is the competent planning and building-permit body under Law 119/2008.
Egyptian construction and trades software selection is shaped by the Egyptian Tax Authority’s (ETA) e-invoicing and e-receipt systems, made mandatory in phases by ETA decisions, which require electronically signed invoices sent through integration with ETA’s system. Add VAT at a general rate of 14% (which press reports in October 2025 describe being applied to contracting works), membership of the Egyptian Federation for Construction and Building Contractors (EFCBC) for contracting work above EGP 50,000, Engineers Syndicate registration, social insurance contributions under Law 148 of 2019, and NUCA building permits for sites in the new cities. Some tools listed here price in USD, so their EGP cost moves with the exchange rate.
Frequently asked
Is New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) a good fit for Egypt trades?
The New Urban Communities Authority is the state body for Egypt's new cities. Under the Unified Building Law 119/2008 (Art. 4) it is the competent planning and organization body for new urban communities, so building permits for sites in new cities such as New Cairo and New Obour come from NUCA rather than a governorate. It is also one of the licensing bodies represented at GAFI's Investors Services Centers. Check where the site is before planning permits: inside a new city such as New Cairo or New Obour, NUCA is the competent planning and permit body under Law 119/2008 (Art. 4); outside new cities, the local administrative body issues building permits. No building work may start without a permit (Art. 39).
What does New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) cost in Egypt?
Official fees per project for permits and related services; NUCA's website was unreachable and no fee schedule was confirmed. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Egypt pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Other Egypt vendors
Egyptian Federation for Construction & Building Contractors (EFCBC)
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Egyptian Engineers Syndicate
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Commercial Registry & Tax Card (via GAFI)
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Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA)
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National Organization for Social Insurance (NOSI)
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Daftra
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