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Moldova · Building a shelter

Can I build a private shelter in Moldova? What the law says

No shelter-specific permit in Moldova: the 2023 Construction Code applies. Shelter duties fall on authorities and companies, not households.

Updated 2026-10-21· 9 official sources

Short answer. Moldova has no permit specific to a home shelter. The Urban Planning and Construction Code 434/2023 applies: building works without a building permit are unauthorised, except the works listed in article 150 12. The Civil Protection Law 271/1994 puts the duty to build and keep protective structures ready on local authorities and economic units, not households 345. Some texts could not be read in full, so this page is still being verified.

The final text of Government Decision 1012/2023 and the consolidated Law 271/1994 could not be read (legis.md blocked automated access). The page is marked for verification.

Do I need a permit to build a shelter at home in Moldova?

There is no shelter-specific permit or declaration. The Code 434/2023 applies to all constructions, whatever their owner or purpose (art. 2(2)) 1. Works carried out without a building permit are considered unauthorised, "cu excepțiile prevăzute de prezentul cod" (art. 163(1)) 1. The building permit is issued within 30 days of the application (art. 148) 1.

Article 150, in force since 30 January 2024, lists the works that need neither a planning certificate nor a building permit 12. Those closest to a home shelter are:

Works without a building permit (art. 150) Source
Works that do not change the load-bearing structure, the exterior or the original characteristics of the building 1
Auxiliary buildings or annexes up to 15 m² at individual houses on private land, outside protected areas, respecting setbacks, sanitary and fire rules 1
Earthworks (trenches, excavations) on private land next to individual houses in rural localities, outside protected areas and utility protection zones 1
Single-storey individual houses under 150 m² and their outbuildings in rural localities, outside protected areas 1

Any shelter that changes the structure of an existing building, or a new underground structure outside these cases, therefore needs a building permit 1. Ask your town hall (primăria) which case applies.

Who must provide shelters in Moldova?

Law 271/1994, art. 16(g), requires heads of local public administration and of economic units "să acumuleze fondul necesar de construcţii de protecţie, să le menţină în stare de pregătire permanentă pentru adăpostirea persoanelor supuse pericolului" 3. The Ministry of Internal Affairs restated this wording in 2022 4, and its 2026 draft law amends this exact letter, which confirms it is still in force 5. No duty for households appears in that article 3.

The draft law 578/MAI/2026 would move the readiness duty into a new letter (h) and require IGSU to be notified before civil protection structures are handed over for use; it is a draft, not adopted law 5.

Are new buildings required to have a shelter?

We found no such duty in the Code 434/2023. Its only references to civil protection shelters exclude them from the building footprint (art. 81(6)) and from the floor-area ratio (art. 82(6)(d)) 1. A 2026 proposal for minimum sheltering standards in new buildings was reported in the press, but we could not confirm that it was adopted 9.

Which rules govern operating a shelter?

Government Decision 1012 of 13 December 2023 approves the Regulation on the operation of protective structures, in force since 11 January 2024 6. It covers civil protection shelters and "simple shelters" such as basements, cellars and underground car parks 67. The National Inspectorate for Technical Supervision (INST) enforces it 8.

We could read only the 2022 draft. That draft let managers and owners of civil protection shelters ask once for a subsidy to cover maintenance costs, under a procedure set by the government 7. Whether the adopted text kept this is not confirmed, and we found no subsidy for private household shelters.

Who designs and builds a shelter?

Qualified engineers. Phaenyx gives no structural instructions. For background, read protection factor, shelter ventilation, NBC filtration and radon underground.

Frequently asked questions

Is a household required to have a shelter in Moldova?

No such duty was found. Law 271/1994 places shelter duties on local authorities and economic units 34.

Can I dig a shelter in my garden without a permit?

Only if the works fit an article 150 exception, such as earthworks next to an individual house in a rural locality or an annex up to 15 m² 1. Otherwise a building permit is needed 1.

Which laws apply?

The Urban Planning and Construction Code 434/2023 for building 1, Law 271/1994 on civil protection 3, and Government Decision 1012/2023 on operating protective structures 6.

Who inspects shelters?

The National Inspectorate for Technical Supervision (INST), which carries out state supervision of civil protection 8.

Sources

  1. Ministerul Infrastructurii și Dezvoltării Regionale — Codul urbanismului și construcțiilor nr. 434/2023 (text consolidat, modificat prin LP227 din 10.07.25) — https://midr.gov.md/files/shares/152949.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
  2. Inspectoratul General pentru Situații de Urgență (MAI) — Codul urbanismului și construcțiilor nr. 434 din 28.12.2023 — https://igsu.gov.md/sites/default/files/media/documents/cadrul_normativ/434_28.12.2023.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
  3. Parlamentul Republicii Moldova (copy hosted by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova; official register: legis.md) — Legea nr. 271/1994 cu privire la protecţia civilă — https://old.asm.md/galerie/Legea%20cu%20privire%20la%20Protectie%20Civila.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) — Notă informativă la proiectul hotărârii Guvernului cu privire la aprobarea Regulamentului privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție — https://particip.gov.md/ro/download_attachment/18143 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) — Proiect de lege pentru modificarea unor acte normative (Legea nr. 267/1994 și Legea nr. 271/1994), număr unic 578/MAI/2026 — https://particip.gov.md/ro/download_attachment/34561 (accessed 2026-10-21)
  6. Guvernul Republicii Moldova (particip.gov.md) — Hotărârea Guvernului nr. 1012 din 13-12-2023 cu privire la aprobarea Regulamentului privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție (dosar 842/MAI/2022) — https://particip.gov.md/ro/document/stages/proiectul-hotararii-guvernului-pentru-aprobarea-regulamentului-privind-exploatarea-constructiilor-de-protectie/9394 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  7. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) — Proiect: Regulamentul privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție (draft 842/MAI/2022) — https://particip.gov.md/ro/download_attachment/18142 (accessed 2026-10-21)
  8. Inspectoratul Național pentru Supraveghere Tehnică (Ministerul Infrastructurii și Dezvoltării Regionale) — Raport privind activitatea Direcției supraveghere tehnică și control în domeniul apărării împotriva incendiilor și protecției civile pe parcursul anului 2025 — https://inst.gov.md/public/files/Raport_activitate_DSTCDAIIPC_12_luni_2025.semnat.semnat.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  9. MOLDPRES (state news agency; press report) — Republica Moldova are 1.790 de adăposturi, cu o capacitate de peste 350 de mii de persoane. Nu toate corespund standardelor — https://www.moldpres.md/rom/societate/republica-moldova-are-1-790-de-adaposturi-cu-o-capacitate-de-peste-350-de-mii-de-persoane-nu-toate-corespund-standardelor (accessed 2026-10-20)

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Sources

  1. Ministerul Infrastructurii și Dezvoltării Regionale · Codul urbanismului și construcțiilor nr. 434/2023 (text consolidat, modificat prin LP227 din 10.07.25) checked 2026-10-21
  2. Inspectoratul General pentru Situații de Urgență (MAI) · Codul urbanismului și construcțiilor nr. 434 din 28.12.2023 checked 2026-10-21
  3. Parlamentul Republicii Moldova (copy hosted by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova; official register: legis.md) · Legea nr. 271/1994 cu privire la protecţia civilă checked 2026-10-20
  4. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) · Notă informativă la proiectul hotărârii Guvernului cu privire la aprobarea Regulamentului privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție checked 2026-10-20
  5. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) · Proiect de lege pentru modificarea unor acte normative (Legea nr. 267/1994 și Legea nr. 271/1994), număr unic 578/MAI/2026 checked 2026-10-21
  6. Guvernul Republicii Moldova (particip.gov.md) · Hotărârea Guvernului nr. 1012 din 13-12-2023 cu privire la aprobarea Regulamentului privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție (dosar 842/MAI/2022) checked 2026-10-20
  7. Ministerul Afacerilor Interne (particip.gov.md) · Proiect: Regulamentul privind exploatarea construcțiilor de protecție (draft 842/MAI/2022) checked 2026-10-21
  8. Inspectoratul Național pentru Supraveghere Tehnică (Ministerul Infrastructurii și Dezvoltării Regionale) · Raport privind activitatea Direcției supraveghere tehnică și control în domeniul apărării împotriva incendiilor și protecției civile pe parcursul anului 2025 checked 2026-10-20
  9. MOLDPRES (state news agency; press report) · Republica Moldova are 1.790 de adăposturi, cu o capacitate de peste 350 de mii de persoane. Nu toate corespund standardelor checked 2026-10-20

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