Kuwait to regulate subcontractors in private housing with new rules

• The revised license will include ‘service works and finishes’ and the issuance of special IDs for practicing the profession. These IDs will feature the name, civil number, and classification category, as well as a unique barcode linked to the contractors’ register in the municipality, enabling property owners to verify the validity of the license.

In an effort to curb the chaos caused by subcontractors in private housing and reduce instances of manipulation and misconduct in the construction sector, Kuwait Municipality is set to implement a new regulation to classify subcontractors. The move comes with the readiness to enforce the ‘Al-Baldi’ proposals, according to Q-8 Press.

Sources said that during its meeting with the Engineering Professions Committee in the Municipal Council, the municipality expressed support for a proposal to issue licenses for contracting companies in private housing only with its consent, ending the current practice of issuing licenses solely through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Kuwait Municipality to overhaul contractor licensing with new IDs and service work classifications

In response to Member M. Abdullatif Al-Dai’s query regarding the licensing and classification of subcontractors in private housing, Kuwait Municipality confirmed it is working on amending the regulation for subcontractor classification.

The provisions of the proposal will be considered after being presented to the Contractors Classification and Licensing Committee in its session No. 13 of 2024, which approved the addition of subcontractor classifications for construction works in private housing buildings.

The Engineering Professions Committee, led by M. Farah Al-Roumi, approved the executive branch’s response and called for amending the administrative decision on the classification and licensing of construction and demolition works in the municipality.

The revised license will include ‘service works and finishes’ and the issuance of special IDs for practicing the profession. These IDs will feature the name, civil number, and classification category, as well as a unique barcode linked to the contractors’ register in the municipality, enabling property owners to verify the validity of the license.

Need to coordinate with relevant authorities

In its recommendations, the committee emphasized the need for coordination with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Public Authority for Manpower, The Public Authority For Applied Education & Training, the Ministry of Interior, Residential Welfare, and other concerned agencies, to develop a mechanism for the rehabilitation, classification, and licensing of subcontractors handling finishes and services. It also highlighted the importance of establishing sanctions and enforcing penalties on violators.

It is worth noting that the proposal submitted by the caller recommended amending Administrative Decision No. 1612009, which addresses the classification and licensing of construction and demolition contractors within Kuwait Municipality. The amendment would include licensing and classification for subcontractors involved in various service and finish works.

Additionally, classified subcontractors would be issued special IDs for practicing their profession, including their name, civil number, classification category, and a barcode linked to the contractors’ register on the municipality’s website, enabling owners to verify the validity of their license and view previous work registered in the municipality.

The proposal stressed the need for coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Public Authority for Manpower, the Public Authority for Applied Education & Training, the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant authorities to establish a comprehensive mechanism for licensing, classifying, and monitoring subcontractors, as well as applying sanctions for non-compliance.

Objectives of the classification of contractors

• Voucher owners must have the option to contract with licensed and classified subcontractors.
• Subcontractors should be classified based on experience, efficiency, and material capabilities.
• Improving the quality of finishes and services.
• Protecting the rights of voucher owners and subcontractors.
• Organizing the residential contracting sector by maintaining a database of subcontractors, evaluating their efficiency and experience, and establishing a mechanism for their regulation.