Does a container need a building permit? Germany, Brandenburg
In Germany, Brandenburg the governing measure is gross volume. A container whose gross volume stays within 75 m3 falls into the simplified route and is handled as a no filing. Above that line the full building-permit procedure applies. The basis is Brandenburgische Bauordnung (BbgBO) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 15. November 2018 (GVBl.I/18, [Nr. 39]), § 61 Abs. 2, in the version of 2018-11-15. The statute is quoted word for word further down this page, in the original language and in translation, so you can check the figure without leaving the site. The authority to contact is Untere Bauaufsichtsbehoerde.
What are the thresholds?
| Measure | Value | When this number applies | Provision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross volume, no habitable rooms | 75 m3 | The same number as Bavaria but on a different condition. Brandenburg grants it only to a building WITHOUT habitable rooms, toilets or fireplaces, not in the Aussenbereich, and not serving as a garage, stable, or for sales or exhibition. A storage container fits; an office, sanitary or accommodation container does not, at any volume. | § 61 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 Buchst. a |
| Minimum boundary setback | 3 m | The depth of the setback area is 0.4 H but at least 3 metres; in commercial and industrial zones 0.2 H suffices, again at least 3 metres. At container wall heights 0.4 H falls well under three metres, so the floor is what governs. | § 6 Abs. 5 Satz 1 |
The statute, word for word
Gebäude ohne Aufenthaltsräume, Toiletten oder Feuerstätten mit nicht mehr als 75 Kubikmeter Brutto-Rauminhalt, die nicht im Außenbereich liegen; dies gilt nicht für Garagen, Ställe sowie Gebäude, die Verkaufs- oder Ausstellungszwecken dienen
buildings without habitable rooms, toilets or fireplaces with not more than 75 cubic metres of gross volume, which are not situated in the Aussenbereich; this does not apply to garages, stables or buildings serving sales or exhibition purposes
- Act
- Brandenburgische Bauordnung (BbgBO) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 15. November 2018 (GVBl.I/18, [Nr. 39])
- Provision
- § 61 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 Buchst. a
- Version of the act
- In force from
- Text retrieved
Die Tiefe der Abstandsflächen beträgt 0,4 H, mindestens 3 Meter.
The depth of the setback areas is 0.4 H, at least 3 metres.
- Act
- Brandenburgische Bauordnung (BbgBO) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 15. November 2018 (GVBl.I/18, [Nr. 39])
- Provision
- § 6 Abs. 5 Satz 1
- Version of the act
- In force from
- Text retrieved
Do you need a permit or is a notification enough?
Brandenburg, like Bavaria, has no notification step for these works: a project is either verfahrensfrei, meaning no procedure, or it needs a building permit. A storage container up to 75 m3 outside the Aussenbereich is verfahrensfrei. An office or accommodation container is not covered by that exemption and goes into the permit procedure.
Verfahrensfrei sind:
The following are procedure-free:
- Act
- Brandenburgische Bauordnung (BbgBO) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 15. November 2018 (GVBl.I/18, [Nr. 39])
- Provision
- § 61 Abs. 2
- Version of the act
- In force from
- Text retrieved
Who do you contact?
Untere Bauaufsichtsbehoerde. The lower building supervisory authority of the district or of a town with its own jurisdiction. The governing statute is the Brandenburgische Bauordnung, not a federal act.
What documents will you need?
- For a verfahrensfrei project nothing is filed. Responsibility for complying with the substantive rules stays with the developer under § 61(1).
- Evidence of conformity with the Bebauungsplan where one exists for the plot.
- A gross-volume calculation for the 75 m3 line and evidence that the unit has no habitable rooms, toilet or fireplace.
- A site plan with the § 6 setback areas where the works sit near a boundary.
How do the neighbouring jurisdictions compare?
| Jurisdiction | Built-up area | Gross volume | Height | Boundary setback | Do you need a permit or is a notification enough? | Does the exemption cover an office container? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany, Brandenburg | The statute states no fixed figure | 75 m3 | The statute states no fixed figure | 3 m | No filing | No |
| Slovakia | 50 m2 | The statute states no fixed figure | 5 m | 2 m | Notification | Yes |
| Czechia | 40 m2 | The statute states no fixed figure | 5 m | 2 m | Full permit | Yes |
| Poland | The statute states no fixed figure | The statute states no fixed figure | The statute states no fixed figure | Not yet verified | Notification | Yes |
What to watch out for
- The same number as Bavaria, a different condition. Bavaria’s Art. 57 simply says a building up to 75 m3 outside the Aussenbereich and says nothing about habitable rooms. Brandenburg’s § 61 grants the same figure only to a building WITHOUT habitable rooms, toilets or fireplaces. An office, sanitary or accommodation container has at least one of those by its nature, so in Brandenburg it is not verfahrensfrei at any volume, although in Bavaria it would be below 75 m3. Carrying the Bavarian answer across the border is a mistake the shared figure actively invites.
- The exemption also does not apply to garages, stables, or buildings serving sales or exhibition purposes. A retail container or an exhibition unit therefore falls outside § 61(2)(1)(a) regardless of size.
- This figure has a known change date. The statute page carries a notice that § 61, among other provisions, is amended by Article 1 of the Act of 29 June 2026 with effect from 1 January 2027. The value above is correct as at the retrieval date, but a project planned for 2027 needs it checked again.
Please note
This is guidance, not legal advice. The thresholds are quoted verbatim from the statute in force on the date shown, but an individual plot can be subject to a zoning plan, a protection zone or heritage rules that are not reflected here. Confirm your case with the named authority before you order.