In January 2026, 1,768 residential building permits were issued, down 7.8% compared to January 2025, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The total authorized usable floor area reached 532,378 sqm, up 13.5%, suggesting larger-scale projects despite the lower number of permits. Of the total, 73.7% were issued for rural areas.
Regional declines and mixed developments
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Compared to the previous month, the number of residential permits fell by 150 units. Decreases were recorded in the West (-85), Center (-48), North-East (-43), South-East (-28), and Bucharest-Ilfov (-10). Increases were noted in South-West Oltenia (+33), North-West (+19), and South-Muntenia (+12).
In the non-residential segment, 377 permits were issued, up 9.3% year-on-year. However, the total authorized usable area declined sharply by 51.7% to 175,903 sqm.
On a monthly basis, non-residential authorized area decreased by 188,016 sqm, with major drops in South-West Oltenia (-180,494 sqm), North-West (-17,203), South-East (-16,634), Center (-16,260), and North-East (-6,817). Increases were recorded in South-Muntenia (+20,425 sqm), West (+15,025), and Bucharest-Ilfov (+13,942).
The figures point to a cautious start to the year for the residential construction sector, while non-residential construction shows mixed signals.
Photo: freepik.com
