Law on Architecture 2026 (revised), No. 19/2026/QH16

LAW

AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING A NUMBER OF ARTICLES OF THE LAW ON ARCHITECTURE

Pursuant to the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which had a number of articles amended and supplemented under Resolution No. 203/2025/QH15;

The National Assembly hereby promulgates the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Architecture No. 40/2019/QH14.

Article 1. To amend and supplement a number of articles of the Law on Architecture

1. To amend and supplement Article 5 as follows:

“Article 5. National cultural identities in architectural activities

1. National cultural identities in architectural activities are characteristics of spatial arrangement, architectural forms, construction techniques, landscapes, reflecting cultural and historical knowledge, living customs and natural conditions of residential communities, formed in society or in a specific area.

2. National cultural identities in architectural activities must be based on scientific foundations and actual investigation and survey with the participation of experts and communities and shall be determined and identified through the following factors:

a) Areas, streets, residential areas, valuable architectural works to be preserved and perpetuated;

b) Major characteristics of spatial arrangement, height, construction density, materials, colors, overall architectural forms and architectural forms in each area;

c) Requirements for perpetuating and promoting traditional architectural values in conformity with urban and rural development conditions.

3. People’s Committees competent to formulate and promulgate architecture management regulations shall determine and specify the national cultural identities in architectural activities of the locality in the architecture management regulations. Agencies, organizations and individuals shall protect, conserve and promote national cultural identities in architectural activities.”.

2. To amend and supplement a number of points, clauses of Article 11 as follows:

a) To amend and supplement Point a, Clause 1 as follows:

“a) Combining and inheriting national cultural identities in architectural activities and developing modern and advanced architectural styles and forms in harmony with the overall landscape architecture and spaces of the sites for construction of architectural works; connecting architecture of existing sites, newly developed ones, to-be-conserved areas and adjacent urban and rural areas, and natural scenery; creating distinctive values of the sites for construction of architectural works;”;

b) To amend and supplement Point a, Clause 2 as follows:

“a) Ensuring the inheritance of traditional architectural values and national cultural identities; ensuring harmony between tradition and modernity; prioritizing the use of local building materials and advanced engineering methods; ensuring harmony with the overall landscape architecture and spaces of the sites for construction of architectural works; conforming with natural scenery; encouraging green architecture and energy efficiency; creating distinctive values of rural areas;”;

c) To amend and supplement Point c, Clause 2 as follows:

“c) For areas at risk of being affected by natural disasters, encouraging to use architectural designs for public works and houses in rural areas and meeting requirements on adaptation to climate change and prevention and control of natural disasters.”.

3. To amend and supplement Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4 and add Clause 4a of Article 12 as follows:

“1. Architectural design must determine solutions for spatial arrangement and architectural forms in construction design, conforming to planning under the law on urban and rural planning, meeting practical utility, technical and artistic requirements, and concurrently ensuring the representation of national cultural identities in architectural activities. Construction design tasks must determine architectural requirements in accordance with the law on architecture and technical, fire and explosion prevention and fighting, environmental and energy use requirements in accordance with the law on construction and other relevant laws.

2. Architectural design must be carried out by an individual under an architecture practicing organization or an independent architecture-practicing individuals who satisfies architecture practice capacity standards in accordance with this Law.

3. Architectural design must take into account all requirements on socio-economic efficiency, practical utility, engineering, fire prevention and fighting, environment, economical and efficient energy use, traditional cultural identities and other requirements on architectural works; ensure gender equality in architectural activities and equal access for all users of the architectural work.

4. Architectural design dossier is a component of a construction design dossier and serves as a basis for carrying out design steps in accordance with the law on construction.

4a. Upon conducting architectural design, the architectural design dossier must be formulated using digital technology and the building information modeling (BIM) must be applied in accordance with the law on construction.”.

4. To amend and supplement Clause 1 and Clause 5, Article 13 as follows:

a) To amend and supplement Clause 1 as follows:

“1. Valuable architectural works that have been ranked as historical and cultural relics and works included in the inventory lists of relics shall be managed in accordance with the law on cultural heritages.”;

b) To amend and supplement Clause 5 as follows:

“5. The Government shall issue specific regulations on criteria for assessment and classification of valuable architectural works; the order and procedures for compiling, appraising, approving and adjusting the list of valuable architectural works and mechanisms and policies for conservation and promotion of the values of valuable architectural works.”.

5. To amend and supplement a number of points, clauses of Article 14 as follows:

a) To amend and supplement Clause 1 as follows:

“1. Architecture management regulations shall be issued for urban and rural areas as follows:

a) Urban architecture management regulations shall be issued for urban areas, new urban areas and communes and special zones planned for urban development;

b) Rural architecture management regulations shall be issued for communes and special zones, except communes and special zones planned for urban development. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall decide to separately formulate and issue rural architecture management regulations or integrate them into the contents of the general master plans for the commune and issue them concurrently with the approval of the general master plans for the commune;

c) For areas of an urban area or commune or special zone with specific requirements for management of landscape architecture and spaces, the formulation of architecture management regulations shall be decided by the provincial-level People’s Committee.”;

b) To amend and supplement Point b, Clause 2 as follows:

“b) Conforming with the approved planning in accordance with the law on urban and rural planning and applicable standards and national technical regulations;”;

c) To amend and supplement Point b, Clause 3 as follows:

“b) Determining criteria and requirements for national cultural identities in architectural activities of the locality on the basis of regulations in Clause 2 Article 5 of this Law;”;

d) To amend and supplement Clause 4 as follows:

“4. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall organize the formulation, appraisal and approval, and issuance of architecture management regulations in the province. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall decide to decentralize or authorize the commune-level People’s Committee to organize the formulation, appraisal and approval, and issuance of architecture management regulations applicable within 01 commune-level administrative unit when all conditions for organizational structure, officials and professional capacity are satisfied. In case rural architecture management regulations are integrated into the contents of the general master plans for the commune, the competent authority approving the general master plans for the commune shall concurrently issue the rural architecture management regulations.

The provincial-level People’s Committee shall transfer data, allocate resources, provide professional guidance, provide technical support and inspect the implementation of decentralization; decide on the scope and duration when authorizing the commune-level People’s Committee.”.

6. To amend and supplement a number of points, clauses of Article 15 as follows:

a) To amend and supplement Clause 1 as follows:

“1. The provincial-level and commune-level People’s Committees shall organize the review and evaluation of the implementation of architecture management regulations every five years or on an extraordinary basis before deciding on the revision of the architecture management regulations. Contents of review and evaluation of the implementation of architecture management regulations shall be prescribed by the Government.”;

b) To amend and supplement Point a, Clause 2 as follows:

“a) There is an adjustment in the planning in accordance with the law on urban and rural planning or an adjustment in the boundaries of an administrative unit that affects the characteristics, functions and size of areas covered by architecture management regulations;”;

c) To amend and supplement Clause 4 and add Clause 5 as follows:

“4. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall organize the adjustments, formulation, appraisal and approval, and issuance of architecture management regulations in the province. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall decide to decentralize or authorize the commune-level People’s Committee to organize the adjustments, formulation, appraisal and approval, and issuance of architecture management regulations applicable within 01 commune-level administrative unit when all conditions for organizational structure, officials and professional capacity are satisfied. In case rural architecture management regulations are integrated into the contents of the general master plans for the commune, the competent authority approving the general master plans for the commune shall concurrently issue the rural architecture management regulations.

5. The provincial-level People’s Committee shall decide to adjust a number of contents of the regulations, when necessary, at the proposal of the agency formulating the architecture management regulations or the commune-level People’s Committee and on the basis of the results of the review and evaluation of the implementation of the architecture management regulations. In case the commune-level People’s Committee is decentralized or authorized by the provincial-level People’s Committee in accordance with Clause 4 Article 14 and Clause 4 of this Article, the commune-level People’s Committee shall decide to adjust the regulations.”.

7. To amend and supplement Article 17 as follows:

“Article 17. Architectural plan contest and selection

1. Architectural plan contest means a contest held to select the optimal architectural option or architectural idea that meets requirements on planning, architecture, culture, socio-economic efficiency, national defense, security and environmental protection.

2. Architectural plan selection means selecting the optimal architectural plan that meets requirements on planning, architecture, culture, socio-economic efficiency, national defense, security and environmental protection from plans proposed by architecture practicing organizations and individuals with sufficient capacity and experience.

3. Except for works subject to requirements for protection of secrets, urgent and emergency construction works, and works implemented under special investment procedures not subject to mandatory architectural plan contest, the architectural plan contest is compulsory for the following works:

a) Special-class public works; special-class or class-I airport terminals (main terminals);

b) Works serving as symbols of local traditions, culture and history and class-I public works, important works and landmarks in urban areas and along main roads identified on the basis of planning in accordance with the law on urban and rural planning or in architecture management regulations approved by the competent authority;

c) Other architectural works as decided by the authority competent to decide on investment, ensuring requirements for management of landscape architecture and spaces.

4. The decision to hold an architectural plan contest or conduct architectural plan selection shall be determined in the proposal for investment policies or pre-feasibility study reports.

5. Except for the case specified at Point a Clause 3 of this Article, the authority competent to decide on investment shall decide on the form of architectural plan contest or selection and the organization of the architectural plan contest or selection in conformity with the architecture management regulations.

6. Expenses for organizing the architectural plan contest or selection and prize expenses shall be determined when organizing the architectural plan contest or selection and included in the total investment of the project.

7. Through the form of architectural plan contest or selection, organizations and individuals having selected architectural plans or architectural ideas can take subsequent steps in projects if they meet the conditions prescribed in the construction and bidding laws.

8. Information on architectural plan contest and selection; the council for architectural plan contest and selection; and the results of architectural plan contest and selection must be publicly disclosed.

9. The Government shall detail this Article.”.

8. To amend and supplement Article 19 as follows:

“Article 19. Practice of architecture

1. Architecture practice means professional activities of organizations and individuals in architecture. Architecture practice activities shall be carried out during the process of construction design and urban and rural planning, including:

a) Construction architectural design;

b) Architectural design in planning in accordance with the law on urban and rural planning;

c) Landscape architectural design;

d) Interior design;

dd) Technical instructions on architecture;

e) Construction architectural assessment;

g) Architectural design appraisal.

2. Architecture practice activities of individuals shall be managed on the basis of architecture practice capacity standards.”.

9. To amend and supplement Article 21 as follows:

“Article 21. Architecture practice capacity standards

1. Architecture practice capacity standards shall be determined for individuals, in conformity with the scope and responsibilities of architecture practice; and shall serve as a basis for managing, inspecting and assessing architecture practice activities.

2. Architecture practice capacity standards shall be posted and updated by the specialized agency in architectural management under the provincial-level People’s Committee on the Information System and National database on construction activities, including:

a) For minimum architecture practice capacity standards applicable to individuals, the individuals must possess training levels in architecture or construction majors at training institutions established in accordance with the law on education, appropriate to the assigned work;

b) For architecture practice capacity standards applicable to individuals holding the title of architectural design manager for architecture practice activities specified at Points a and b of Clause 1 of Article 19 of this Law, architects holding the title of chief construction designer, and independent practicing architects, they must possess an architecture practice certificate. The competent authority specified in Clause 1 Article 27 of this Law shall grant architecture practice certificates to individuals when they satisfy requirements for undergraduate or higher training levels in architecture, experience in architecture practice and ongoing career development.

3. Architects who have been granted certificates of mutual recognition of architecture practice under a signed international agreement or an international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member shall be determined to satisfy architecture practice capacity standards equivalent to those applicable to individuals holding architecture practice certificates in accordance with this Law.

4. Architecture practice capacity standards posted on the Information System and National database on construction activities shall be legally valid for the management of architecture practice and serve as a basis and foundation for the performance of related works.

5. The Government shall detail this Article.”.

10. To amend and supplement Article 24 as follows:

“Article 24. Architecture practice database

1. The architecture practice database shall be integrated into the Information System and National database on construction activities in accordance with the law on construction, including:

a) Information on architecture practice capacity of individuals;

b) Information on architecture practice organizations.

2. The architecture practice database shall be collected and updated during the process in which state agencies grant architecture practice certificates and appraise construction designs, and shall be posted and updated by the specialized agency in architectural management under the provincial-level People’s Committee in accordance with regulations of the Government on the Information System and National database on construction activities.”.

11. To amend and supplement Article 25 as follows:

“Article 25. Independent practicing architect

1. Independent practicing architect means an architect possessing an architecture practice certificate or an architect determined to satisfy architecture practice capacity standards equivalent thereto in accordance with Clause 3 Article 21 of this Law, who does not work for any architecture practicing organizations.

2. Independent practicing architect may directly practice architecture under a contract entered into with an organization or individual in accordance with this Law and other relevant laws.”.

12. To amend and supplement Article 27 as follows:

“Article 27. Competence to grant, revoke and re-grant architecture practice certificates

1. The specialized agency in architectural management under the provincial-level People’s Committee is competent to grant, revoke and re-grant architecture practice certificates.

2. Architecture practice certificates shall be valid nationwide.

3. The Government shall detail this Article.”.

13. To amend and supplement Article 31 as follows:

“Article 31. Practice of architecture by foreigners in Vietnam

1. Foreigners holding the position specified at Point b Clause 2 Article 21 of this Law may practice architecture in Vietnam when they satisfy the following conditions:

a) Possessing an architecture practice certificate granted in Vietnam or a certificate specified in Clause 3 Article 21 of this Law, or having a valid architecture practice certificate granted by a competent foreign agency or organization and converted by Vietnam;

b) Complying with Vietnam’s law and code of professional conduct for practicing architects in Vietnam.

2. The conversion of architecture practice certificates for foreigners is prescribed as follows:

a) Foreigners who possess valid architecture practice certificates granted by competent foreign agencies or organizations and have participated in architecture practice in Vietnam shall carry out procedures for conversion of architecture practice certificates at the specialized agency in architectural management under the provincial-level People’s Committee;

b) The conversion of architecture practice certificates between Vietnam and countries and territories must comply with the provisions of the signed international agreements or treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party.

3. The Government shall promulgate specific regulations on the method of counting the period of participation in architecture practice in Vietnam; dossiers, order and procedures for conversion of architecture practice certificate of foreigners practicing architecture in Vietnam.”.

14. To amend and supplement Article 32 as follows:

“Article 32. Rights and obligations of architects with architecture practice certificates

1. Architects possessing architecture practice certificates shall have the following rights:

a) To conduct architecture practice activities;

b) To enjoy protection of intellectual property rights in accordance with the law on intellectual property;

c) To request project owners to provide information and documents related to their assigned works of making architectural designs;

d) To request project owners and construction contractors to properly implement the approved architectural design;

dd) To refuse to fulfill any illegal requests of project owners;

e) To refuse to accept construction works and items that are inconsistent with approved architectural designs, standards or technical regulations;

g) To request project owners to properly perform signed contracts.

2. Architects possessing architecture practice certificates have the following obligations:

a) To observe the code of professional conduct for practicing architects;

b) To secure ongoing career development;

c) To carry out author’s supervision during the process of building works;

d) To strictly implement contractual commitments to project owners.”.

15. To annul certain clauses and articles to and replace or remove certain phrases as follows:

a) To annul Clause 6 Article 3 and Articles 26, 28, 29 and 39;

b) To remove the phrase “taking examinations,” from Clause 8 Article 9;

c) To remove the phrase “, renewal” from Point a, Point b Clause 1 Article 30 and Clause 4 Article 36;

d) To replace the phrase “self-employed practicing architects” with the phrase “independent practicing architects” in Clause 1 Article 35;

dd) To replace the phrase “been eligible” with the phrase “satisfied the standards” and to remove the phrase “as prescribed in Article 28 of this Law” from Point a Clause 1 Article 30;

e) To remove the phrase “only when the conditions prescribed in Clause 1, Article 28 of this Law are met” from Clause 3 Article 30.

g) To remove the phrase “district-level People’s Committee,” from Clause 2 Article 38.

Article 2. Implementation provisions

1. This Law takes effect on March 1, 2027.

2. To amend and supplement Clause 4 Article 40 of the Law on Urban and Rural Planning No. 47/2024/QH15, which has a number of articles amended and supplemented under Law No. 71/2025/QH15 and Law No. 144/2025/QH15, as follows:

“4. The time limit for appraisal is 15 days, for planning tasks, or 20 days, for master plans, from the date the appraising agency receives a complete dossier.”.

Article 3. Transitional provisions

1. Architecture management regulations and list of valuable architectural works promulgated by competent authorities before the effective date of this Law shall continue to serve as grounds and bases for architectural management until they are adjusted in accordance with this Law.

2. Architecture management regulations and the list of valuable architectural works that are being submitted, appraised or approved for promulgation before the effective date of this Law shall continue to be implemented in accordance with the Law No. 40/2019/QH14.

3. Architecture practice certificates granted to individuals in accordance with the Law No. 40/2019/QH14 shall remain valid until their expiration, except where they are revoked in accordance with this Law; in case of loss or damage, the request for re-grant shall be made in accordance with this Law.

4. Architectural design dossiers in construction design that are under appraisal before the effective date of this Law, if falling under the case specified at Point b Clause 3 Article 1 of this Law, shall continue to be implemented in accordance with the Law No. 40/2019/QH14.

5. Individuals holding the position of chief construction designer or architectural design manager under cases not subject to the mandatory issuance of architecture practice certificate as prescribed in Resolution No. 66.18/2026/NQ-CP dated May 18, 2026 of the Government on decentralization of authority, reduction and simplification of administrative procedures and business conditions may continue to perform their responsibilities under architectural design contracts until the expiration of such contracts.

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This Law was adopted by the 16th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its First Extraordinary Session on August 24, 2026.