According to the existing legislation, Municipalities have a broad spectrum of competencies with regard to authorizing developments. In particular, within the area of their jurisdiction, Municipalities have the following competencies:

• Issuing of building permits for the construction or the alteration of a building/structure or the change of its approved use, the construction of roads as well as the division of land into plots
• Issuing of planning permits for the aforementioned developments, in the case of the Municipalities of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaka and Pafos, which are Town Planning Authorities as well as Building Authorities.
• Exercising of final control upon completion of works and the issuing of certificates of approval
• Exercising control and issuing of yearly licences of use for entertainment establishments and other establishments of similar use.

In this framework, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, as the collective Body that represents and coordinates Municipalities:

• examines common interest issues and problems affecting development and promotes relevant suggestions to the Government,
• expresses its views to the Government and the Parliament with regard to proposed Bills,
• promotes the adoption of uniform procedures and documents among Municipalities,
• informs municipalities on new legislation and,
• in general, it assists municipalities in the exercise of their competencies, duties and powers stemming from existing legislation (the Municipalities Law N.111/1985, the Town and Country Planning Law N.90/1990, the Streets and Buildings Regulation Law Cap. 96 etc).

With a view to facilitating Designers as well as interested citizens, regarding the issuing of permits according to the Streets and Buildings Regulation law, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities has developed, since 2004, Application Documents, that have been adopted by all Municipalities as well as by all District Administrations, which are competent authorities for issuing building permits outside of municipal areas.