Licensing Self-certification Portal

Streamlined Digital Front Door

The Buildings Department (BD) launched a one-stop electronic communication platform, Licensing Self-certification Portal (LSCP), which enables paperless submissions of applications and processing of the requisite certificates and notice for registration of non-purpose built school and kindergarten. LSCP operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week all year round.

Beyond technology, LSCP’s key innovation is enabling a self-certification system. This system provides an option to the applicant to engage an Authorized Person (AP)/Registered Structural Engineer (RSE) to certify the compliance with building safety requirements, so as to expedite the issuance of the requisite certificates and notice for the registration. LSCP underpins the model with standardised e-forms and e-signatures, providing clean, machine-readable data, which reduces enquiries and resubmissions, speeds up processing, and ensures consistent, complete information from the start.

Smart Regulation Generates Business Values

From a business perspective, the benefits are clear:

• Shortened turnaround time: Digital submission and self-certification system shorten the processing time, enabling earlier operations.
• Lower compliance cost: No physical paperwork or repeated site visits, and submissions are handled online.
• Greater transparency: Case tracking improves visibility and certainty.
• Higher accuracy: Standardised forms reduce omissions and enhance efficiency.
• Instant notification: Receive the notification, reply letters, certificates and notices through LSCP.

From a policy perspective, LSCP is a model of smart regulation. It turns a technical “back-office” operation into a business enabler by prioritising digital channels, adopting a self-certification system by the AP/RSE with audit checking, and designing the application system around real business workflows.

For Hong Kong’s broader digital government agenda, LSCP is a compelling case study. It demonstrates that even backend technical processes, like building-safety requirements for licensing, can be re-engineered into digital assets that create value for both the economy and the public administration. In order to meet the aspiration of the public, development of e-licensing services should also be indispensable. BD is exploring the possibility of wider adoption of LSCP to further streamline the work flow and reduce the processing time.

Please click here to access more details of LSCP or click here to watch the video on LSCP.

[Acknowledgement to the BD for providing material for the story.]