Vietnam Construction Law 2025 (Law No. 135/2025/QH15): Key Changes Effective 1 July 2026

Vietnam’s Construction Law 2025 – Law No. 135/2025/QH15 was passed by the 15th National Assembly on 10 December 2025 and takes effect on 1 July 2026, replacing the 2014 Construction Law (as amended in 2020). This overview highlights the reform directions and the most important changes that project owners, contractors, consultants and individuals should prepare for.

Note: The exemption from construction permits is covered in a dedicated article: Construction permit exemptions from 2026 under Law No. 135/2025/QH15.

Mục 011. Background and effective dates of the Construction Law 2025

Law No. 135/2025/QH15 comprises 8 chapters and 95 articles governing construction activities and the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the parties, as well as State management of construction. It applies to domestic and foreign organisations and individuals carrying out construction activities in Vietnam.

The Law generally takes effect on 1 July 2026. Certain provisions apply earlier, from 1 January 2026 (clauses 2 and 3 of Article 43, Article 71, and clauses 3, 4 and 5 of Article 95), to enable early application of selected procedural reforms during the investment-preparation stage.

Mục 022. Three overarching reform directions

• Substantial cut in administrative procedures: removing overlapping steps and reducing time and compliance costs for project owners.
• Decentralisation to local authorities: transferring many appraisal, licensing and management powers to the provincial level and specialised agencies, coupled with clear accountability.
• Digital transformation: digitising data, dossiers and management processes in construction.

Mục 033. Key new points of Law No. 135/2025/QH15

3.1. The “one project – one procedure” principle

From project preparation to commencement, each work or project generally undergoes a single corresponding procedure instead of multiple overlapping layers of appraisal, approval and licensing. This is the most significant procedural change and materially shortens implementation time.

3.2. Abolition of appraisal of post-basic design

The Law abolishes State appraisal of the construction design developed after the basic design and assigns design-control responsibility to the project owner once the project is approved. This increases autonomy but raises the bar for the management capacity and legal responsibility of owners, design consultants and verification consultants.

3.3. Wider exemption from construction permits

The Law expands the cases that do not require a construction permit; in particular, works already subject to appraisal by the specialised construction authority no longer need a separate permit, avoiding duplicated procedures. The detailed list is analysed in Construction permit exemptions from 2026.

3.4. Strong decentralisation to local government

Many powers over planning, appraisal, licensing and quality management are decentralised to provincial People’s Committees and specialised agencies, together with a post-inspection mechanism. Businesses should note that the competent authority for a given procedure may change.

3.5. Digital transformation and construction databases

The Law provides a legal basis for digitising dossiers, data and processes, moving towards electronic submission and processing and interoperable construction-management data.

Mục 044. Guiding decrees

The Government issued detailed decrees, two of which are especially important for owners and contractors:

• Decree No. 206/2026/ND-CP on construction investment cost management (replacing Decree No. 10/2021/ND-CP).
• Decree No. 210/2026/ND-CP on construction contracts (replacing Decrees No. 37/2015/ND-CP and 50/2021/ND-CP).

Mục 055. What owners and businesses should prepare

• Review ongoing projects to identify which procedures are cut and which shift to owner self-control.
• Strengthen design-management and legal-dossier capacity, as post-basic-design control now rests with the owner.
• Update contract templates and cost/price-escalation clauses in line with the new decrees before 1 July 2026.
• Re-confirm the competent local authority following decentralisation.

Mục 066. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

When does the Construction Law 2025 take effect?

Law No. 135/2025/QH15 takes effect on 1 July 2026, with certain provisions applying from 1 January 2026.

Which law does 135/2025/QH15 replace?

It replaces the 2014 Construction Law (as amended in 2020).

What is the biggest change?

The move to a “one project – one procedure” model, abolition of post-basic-design appraisal, and wider permit exemptions.

Do project owners bear more responsibility?

Yes. As the State reduces pre-checks, owners take on greater responsibility for design control and legal compliance, backed by post-inspection.

Mục 07HTIC by your side

HTIC Law Firm supports businesses and project owners in legal due diligence, advising on investment and construction procedures, standardising contracts and managing risk under the Construction Law 2025 and its guiding decrees. If you need an impact assessment of Law No. 135/2025/QH15 for a specific project, contact HTIC for timely assistance.