Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Building permits are the granting of permission by the competent local authority to carry out a building project in which a living area or other useful area is created or altered.
3.2. Classification system
German adaption of the Classification of types of construction (CC).
3.3. Coverage - sector
This indicator is compiled for building construction only. The activities covered are residential and non-residential building construction. There are no size classes covered.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
A building permit is granted in the form of a certificate notifying that a building project complies with legal regulations. A building permit can also be a building permit that is provisional or subject to conditions or even partial. Building notifications that have not been rejected and consent to building projects by the state or the Länder also count as granted building permits.
The following figures are collected: number of buildings, number of dwellings, the habitable floor area [m²], the useful floor area [m²], the volume to be constructed [m³], the number of rooms in dwellings and estimated costs of the building work.
3.5. Statistical unit
The reporting units are building inspectorates and building owners. Observation units comprise residential and non-residential buildings requiring building permits.
3.6. Statistical population
Residential and non-residential buildings requiring building permits which is about 250.000 cases.
3.7. Reference area
Country as a whole.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Since the 1950s.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Absolute figures.
Month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The laws regulating the collection, treatment and dissemination of statistical data are the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation),concerning short-term statistics with implementing acts (e.g. Commission Regulation 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 concerning the definitions) as well as the Federal Statistics Act (1987) and the law on building statistics (HbauStatG of 1998).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data sent to Eurostat may contain confidential data to compile the European aggregate.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Confidentiality is guaranteed by section 16 of the Federal Statistics Act. It requires that respondents must be informed about their rights and obligations in providing statistical information. This rule is strictly followed. It also applies to the notification that individual data are only used for statistical purposes and - subject to protection procedures - for scientific purposes.
Furthermore, Chapter V “Statistical Confidentiality” of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council applies.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
As regards the confidentiality of data, methods of primary and secondary confidentiality checking have been developed and are being used.
8.1. Release calendar
A release calendar containing the precise release dates for the reference periods in the following twelve months is published on the website of destatis.
Indices are simultaneously released to all parties. The data are available at the database “GENESIS-Online” for all users at the same time. Identification of internal government access to data before release in accordance with Principle 6.7 of the European Statistics Code of Practice is not applicable.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not available.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Printed publications have been substituted by online-publications.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Indices are also published at the time series database “GENESIS-Online”
The building permits variables (number of buildings, number of dwellings, habitable floor area [m²], useful floor area [m²], volume to be constructed [m³], number of rooms in dwellings and estimated costs of the building work) are published for residential and non- residential buildings and for the breakdowns by type of building or by type of ownership.
Regional figures are published by the statistical offices of the Länder at a more aggregated level.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not available.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data (i.e. Variable 411”Number of permitted dwellings in new residential buildings” and Variable 412 “Useful floor area or equivalent”) are monthly transmitted to Eurostat. Other international institutions receive data upon request.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Information on methodology related to statistics on building permits can be found in “Informationen zur Bautätigkeit“
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Standardized quality reports are published in German language on the website of destatis:
The data of German official statistics enjoy a reputation of high reliability in Germany and abroad. Destatis has committed itself to assure and further enhance the level of quality already attained. In order to achieve this task – also in the ESS – the activities of destatis are based on quality guidelines. To assure quality in the long term, destatis applies a variety of systematic quality assurance measures, among others the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Information on the quality assessment of building permits is provided in “Informationen zur Bautätigkeit”. The overall assessment is satisfactory.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Information on building permits is significant to national and international users which are in particular Eurostat, business associations, economic research institutes, universities, the media and also the interested public.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Destatis conducts user satisfaction surveys in various sectors of statistics. The Statistical Advisory Committee (Statistischer Beirat) represents the interests of the users of federal statistics and regularly consults with destatis.
Additionally, user satisfaction is measured by the number of monthly visits on specialized publications on the website of destatis and the respective number of printed products sold or downloads, quarterly downloads from the on-line database “GENESIS”, downloads of the Statistical Yearbook sorted by chapters and the number of external queries via the costumer management system.
12.3. Completeness
STS requirements according to EU regulations and national laws are fulfilled.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Data on building permits are collected by census without sampling errors and biases.
13.2. Sampling error
Sampling errors do not occur as data are collected by exhaustive use of administrative information.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The response rate is 100%. The response is obligatory. Otherwise, fines can be imposed up to EUR 5,000.
14.1. Timeliness
Results are published 60 days after the end of the reference month (t+60).
14.2. Punctuality
All publication deadlines are met.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Consistent time series of the recent base year are available since 1994 since Germany is covered as a whole. Time series prior to 1994 refer to the former territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Consistent time series of the recent base year are available since 1994 since Germany is covered as a whole. Time series prior to 1994 refer to the former territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Statistics implemented in the law on building statistics (HBauStatG) are combined. In this context, building permits represent the basic output parameter which connects other statistics on building activities. The statistics on building completions, for example, is connected to building permits via an identifier. Further characteristics of building permits are taken unless they are modified. The statistics on building completions are the basis for updating housing stock as well as statistics on building demolitions. Statistics on unfinished building projects, in turn, link building permits to statistics on building completions.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Variable 411 (number of permitted dwellings in new residential buildings) and Variable 412 (useful floor area or equivalent) are coherent.
Costs amount to approximately EUR 15,000 per month.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The general revision policy of the Federal Statistical Office is published under the following URL:
This policy applies to national publications and data sent to Eurostat.
There are no data revisions on building permits. Publication errors are corrected in accordance with the general destatis policy on non-scheduled revisions which deals with publication errors.
Vintage data starting from 1952 to 2000 are printed only. All data are processed electronically from the year 2000 onwards.
17.2. Data revision - practice
There are no routine revisions on building permits (MAR=MR=0).
18.1. Source data
The data set is based on the exhaustive use of administrative data. Collected raw figures come from administrative source used to deliver building permits.
Since the type of source is administrative data, criteria for stratification and threshold values/percentages are not applicable.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data on building permits are collected monthly.
18.3. Data collection
All data is taken from the administrative forms used to deliver building permits. The questionnaire used is the building permits survey form. It was most recently changed for the 2012 reference year.
18.4. Data validation
Data validation is carried out via self-made tools.
18.5. Data compilation
Estimating non-response is not relevant since the response rate is 100%.
Moreover, estimates for grossing up to population levels are not available.
Building permits are expressed in absolute values. There is no index calculation.
Methods of weighting and chaining are not relevant either.
18.6. Adjustment
no adjustment.
None.
Building permits are the granting of permission by the competent local authority to carry out a building project in which a living area or other useful area is created or altered.
23 May 2024
A building permit is granted in the form of a certificate notifying that a building project complies with legal regulations. A building permit can also be a building permit that is provisional or subject to conditions or even partial. Building notifications that have not been rejected and consent to building projects by the state or the Länder also count as granted building permits.
The following figures are collected: number of buildings, number of dwellings, the habitable floor area [m²], the useful floor area [m²], the volume to be constructed [m³], the number of rooms in dwellings and estimated costs of the building work.
The reporting units are building inspectorates and building owners. Observation units comprise residential and non-residential buildings requiring building permits.
Residential and non-residential buildings requiring building permits which is about 250.000 cases.
Country as a whole.
Month.
Data on building permits are collected by census without sampling errors and biases.
Absolute figures.
Estimating non-response is not relevant since the response rate is 100%.
Moreover, estimates for grossing up to population levels are not available.
Building permits are expressed in absolute values. There is no index calculation.
Methods of weighting and chaining are not relevant either.
The data set is based on the exhaustive use of administrative data. Collected raw figures come from administrative source used to deliver building permits.
Since the type of source is administrative data, criteria for stratification and threshold values/percentages are not applicable.
Monthly.
Results are published 60 days after the end of the reference month (t+60).
Consistent time series of the recent base year are available since 1994 since Germany is covered as a whole. Time series prior to 1994 refer to the former territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Consistent time series of the recent base year are available since 1994 since Germany is covered as a whole. Time series prior to 1994 refer to the former territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.
