Do you need a permit for a sauna in your garden?

For most garden saunas, you don't need a permit, as long as you meet a few national conditions. This is especially true for a portable sauna tent. Here's exactly when you do and don't need one.

When is a garden sauna permit-free?

Under the national rules for permit-free construction (IPLO, the official Dutch government portal for the Environment and Planning Act), an accessory structure like a garden sauna can be placed without a permit if it meets these conditions:

• It stands in the "achtererfgebied" (the part of your garden behind the front facade of your house, not on the street side).
• It's no higher than 5 metres, with stricter limits closer to the property line (max 2 metres within 1 metre of the boundary).
• It's more than 1 metre from publicly accessible areas, such as a pavement or park.
• It stays within the allowed building coverage percentage of your plot (this depends on the size of your garden).

These rules apply nationally, but municipalities can add local requirements. Not sure about your situation? Use the free permit check on omgevingsloket.nl (Dutch government portal) for certainty about your specific address.

Why a MOOSSE sauna tent usually stays well within the rules

A MOOSSE sauna tent measures 180 x 180 cm and stands 200 cm tall: just over 3 square metres of footprint. That's well under the national limits above, and well under what most municipalities allow for garden structures.

There's another factor in its favor: the tent is fully portable and can be set up or packed back into its carry bag within 5 minutes. Many municipalities treat this kind of temporary, demountable structure differently from a fixed garden building with a foundation. That's one reason a sauna tent is often even easier to place permit-free than a fixed garden sauna. The only way to know for certain is the permit check for your specific municipality.

When do you need a permit?

A few situations call for different rules:

• You want to place the sauna in the front garden. Permit-free construction only applies to the rear garden area.
• You live in a listed building or a protected townscape. Stricter requirements often apply here, even for temporary structures.
• You rent your home. You'll usually need your landlord's permission first, separate from any municipal rules.
• You live in an apartment with a homeowners' association (VvE). The VvE can set its own rules about the use of shared outdoor space.

Frequently asked questions about garden sauna permits

Do I need to inform the municipality even if I don't need a permit? Usually not, but it doesn't hurt to call if you're unsure. Some municipalities like to be informed, even when no permit is required.

Do these rules also apply to a balcony or roof terrace? No. The permit-free rules for accessory structures only apply to structures standing on the ground, not to balconies, roof terraces, or other elevated outdoor spaces.

How do I know for certain whether I can build permit-free? The only way to know for certain is to complete the permit check on omgevingsloket.nl for your own address. Rules can differ by municipality, and sometimes even by street.

In short

For most gardens, a sauna without a permit is simply possible, and a portable sauna tent makes that even more likely. Not sure? Do the permit check, so you know for certain before you order.

View the MOOSSE sauna tent →