Best Practices

S.No.	Reform (Brief Description)	Department	Legislation	Summary of Reform / Provision
1	Deemed approval for 11 NOCs	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 185, dated 09‑10‑2024	NOCs for multiple departments required for the Planning Permission application are now auto generated if not processed within 30 days—speeding up planning permission.
2	Block issuance of CTO/ROC	Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 144, dated 08‑10‑2021	The State will issue Consent to Operate (CTO) or Renewal of Consent (RCO) for the full validity period upon advance payment of the total consent fee, with validity fixed at 5 years for Red category industries, 10 years for Orange category industries, and 14 years for Green category industries.
3	Risk-based third‑party Fire License	Home, Prohibition and Excise Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 639, dated 21‑11‑2024	Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Act, 2025 was enacted in June 2025 with simplified licensing processes. The requirement for a Compliance Certificate prior to occupancy has been dispensed with. The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department issues licenses only for Category A buildings (high-rise, hazardous, or governed by special Acts) For other categories, the requirement is as given below: Category B - a fire safety certificate from fire safety audit agencies Category C - self-certification
4	Self‑certification for building plan and completion	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 133, dated (exact date not provided)	Enables self-certification of Building Plan approvals for residential buildings for G+1 floor, with a 2500sqft land extent upto 3500sqft built up area
5	No requirement for occupancy/completion certificate from industrial buildings	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 53, dated 16‑04‑2018	Industrial buildings are exempted from submitting completion or occupancy certificates.
6	Land‑use change from agriculture to non‑agricultural purposes in non‑planned areas	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 53, dated 28‑03‑2025	The process for issuing NoC for Change in Land Use of Agricultural Dry Land has been revamped – An automatic approval is now being generated if not processed within the prescribed time limit of 30 days
7	Reduced timeline for CTE/CTO issuance and process simplification	Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board	Circular memo, dated 20‑05‑2025	Processing time reduced from 30 to 20 days for CTE/CTO applications, with fewer procedural steps.
8	Shops registration deemed provision	Labour Department (Shops and Establishments)	Amendment (2023), dated 19‑05‑2025	Shop registrations under the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act are deemed approved automatically if there's no rejection within 24 hours
9	Auto‑renewal of consent via self‑certification (CTE/CTO)	Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board	Policy (2024‑25), dated notified in 2024‑2025 period	All Red‑Small, Orange and Green category industries can auto‑renew CTO online without inspection. Green Category Industries can auto-renew their CTE
10	Simplified procedure for obtaining sanitation certificate	Health and Family Welfare Department	G.O. (Ms). No. 276, dated 23.09.24	The sanitiation Certificate can now be obtained through a self-certification procedure available online.
11	Expansion of List of White Category Industries	Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 91, dated 13.06.25	The number of white category industries have been expanded from 37 to 609
12	License renewal for Old age homes	Social Welfare Department	G.O. (Ms). 64, dated 19.99.24	Auto-renewal provision has been introduced for the License for Old Age Homes
13	Introduction of Third-Party Inspections for Lifts and Escalators	Energy Department	Tamil Nadu Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2025.	Lifts and Escalators License can now be granted based upon the certification provided by an authorised third-party, with the license being valid for 5 years
14	Simplified approval process and deemed approvals for factory establishment and machinery installation in panchayat areas	Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department	G.O. (Ms.) No.170, dated 12.11.24	The process for securing permissions from the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department has been fully digitised, with approvals deemed granted if not processed within 45 days. Additionally, field inspections are no longer required for micro enterprises unless specifically requested by the Inspector of Panchayats. This enables faster setup and operation of factories in rural areas.
15	Appellate mechanism and decriminalisation of provisions for shops and establishments.	Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department	Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2025	The Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act (Chapter IX substituted) has been amended to replace criminal penalties with an administrative adjudication process. This provides enterprises with a simplified, transparent route to appeal enforcement orders.
16	Extension of permission for shops and establishments to be open 24*7, all days of the year	Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department	G.O.(D). No.207, dated 08.05.25	The permission for all shops and establishments to be open for 24*7, on all days of the year has been extended for a period of 3 years.
17	Rationalisation of forms and reports under certain labour laws	Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department	G.O. (Ms). No. 111, dated 14.07.20	Various forms under Tamil Nadu Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Rules, 1975, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Tamil Nadu) Rules, 1983, and the Tamil Nadu Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2006 were simplified, and can be maintained electronically. This reform reduces duplication, eases inspection, and lowers the compliance burden for employer and contractors.
18	Self-certification for electrical installations	Energy Department	G.O. (Ms.) No. 98, dated 14.10.24	Self-certification is now enabled for installations up to 650V, with specific provisions for TANTRANSCO/ TANGEDCO installations up to 765kV.
19	End to end online processing of sewerage connection requests	Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department	G.O. (D). No 665, dated 11.12.24	Applications, payments, and status tracking for sewerage connections by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, is now fully made online, making it easier for businesses to obtain essential utility connections without delays or paperwork
20	Self-certification of building plans for Green and White Category Industries	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms). No. 153, Housing and Urban Development Department, dated 07.10.2025	Green and White category industrial buildings on plots up to 7,500 sq. ft with a floor area up to 5,000 sq. ft can now self-certify themselves while applying for building and site plan approvals. These buildings should have one car park per 150 sq.m and one two-wheeler and one cycle park per 75 sq. m of floor area. This provision excludes areas under CRA, HACA, ecologically sensitive zones, lands classified as agricultural, institutional, open space, recreation zones, wetlands, areas reserved for public purposes under development plans, etc.,
21	Reduction in minimum road width requirements for green and white category industries	Housing and Urban Development Department	G.O. (Ms). No. 154, Housing and Urban Development Department, dated 07.10.2025	The minimum road width requirements for white, green, orange and red category industrial buildings in village panchayats, has been relaxed from 7m to 6m to simplify securing of planning permissions.

1

Deemed approval for 11 NOCs

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 185, dated 09‑10‑2024

NOCs for multiple departments required for the Planning Permission application are now auto generated if not processed within 30 days—speeding up planning permission.

2

Block issuance of CTO/ROC

Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 144, dated 08‑10‑2021

The State will issue Consent to Operate (CTO) or Renewal of Consent (RCO) for the full validity period upon advance payment of the total consent fee, with validity fixed at 5 years for Red category industries, 10 years for Orange category industries, and 14 years for Green category industries.

3

Risk-based third‑party Fire License

Home, Prohibition and Excise Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 639, dated 21‑11‑2024

Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Act, 2025 was enacted in June 2025 with simplified licensing processes.

The requirement for a Compliance Certificate prior to occupancy has been dispensed with.
The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department issues licenses only for Category A buildings (high-rise, hazardous, or governed by special Acts)
For other categories, the requirement is as given below:
- Category B - a fire safety certificate from fire safety audit agencies
- Category C - self-certification

4

Self‑certification for building plan and completion

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 133, dated (exact date not provided)

Enables self-certification of Building Plan approvals for residential buildings for G+1 floor, with a 2500sqft land extent upto 3500sqft built up area

5

No requirement for occupancy/completion certificate from industrial buildings

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 53, dated 16‑04‑2018

Industrial buildings are exempted from submitting completion or occupancy certificates.

6

Land‑use change from agriculture to non‑agricultural purposes in non‑planned areas

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 53, dated 28‑03‑2025

The process for issuing NoC for Change in Land Use of Agricultural Dry Land has been revamped – An automatic approval is now being generated if not processed within the prescribed time limit of 30 days

7

Reduced timeline for CTE/CTO issuance and process simplification

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board

Circular memo, dated 20‑05‑2025

Processing time reduced from 30 to 20 days for CTE/CTO applications, with fewer procedural steps.

8

Shops registration deemed provision

Labour Department (Shops and Establishments)

Amendment (2023), dated 19‑05‑2025

Shop registrations under the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act are deemed approved automatically if there's no rejection within 24 hours

9

Auto‑renewal of consent via self‑certification (CTE/CTO)

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board

Policy (2024‑25), dated notified in 2024‑2025 period

All Red‑Small, Orange and Green category industries can auto‑renew CTO online without inspection. Green Category Industries can auto-renew their CTE

10

Simplified procedure for obtaining sanitation certificate

Health and Family Welfare Department

G.O. (Ms). No. 276, dated 23.09.24

The sanitiation Certificate can now be obtained through a self-certification procedure available online.

11

Expansion of List of White Category Industries

Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 91, dated 13.06.25

The number of white category industries have been expanded from 37 to 609

12

License renewal for Old age homes

Social Welfare Department

G.O. (Ms). 64, dated 19.99.24

Auto-renewal provision has been introduced for the License for Old Age Homes

13

Introduction of Third-Party Inspections for Lifts and Escalators

Energy Department

Tamil Nadu Lifts and Escalators (Amendment) Act, 2025.

Lifts and Escalators License can now be granted based upon the certification provided by an authorised third-party, with the license being valid for 5 years

14

Simplified approval process and deemed approvals for factory establishment and machinery installation in panchayat areas

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department

G.O. (Ms.) No.170, dated 12.11.24

The process for securing permissions from the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department has been fully digitised, with approvals deemed granted if not processed within 45 days.
Additionally, field inspections are no longer required for micro enterprises unless specifically requested by the Inspector of Panchayats. This enables faster setup and operation of factories in rural areas.

15

Appellate mechanism and decriminalisation of provisions for shops and establishments.

Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department

Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2025

The Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act (Chapter IX substituted) has been amended to replace criminal penalties with an administrative adjudication process. This provides enterprises with a simplified, transparent route to appeal enforcement orders.

16

Extension of permission for shops and establishments to be open 24*7, all days of the year

Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department

G.O.(D). No.207, dated 08.05.25

The permission for all shops and establishments to be open for 24*7, on all days of the year has been extended for a period of 3 years.

17

Rationalisation of forms and reports under certain labour laws

Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department

G.O. (Ms). No. 111, dated 14.07.20

Various forms under Tamil Nadu Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Rules, 1975, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Tamil Nadu) Rules, 1983, and the Tamil Nadu Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2006 were simplified, and can be maintained electronically. This reform reduces duplication, eases inspection, and lowers the compliance burden for employer and contractors.

18

Self-certification for electrical installations

Energy Department

G.O. (Ms.) No. 98, dated 14.10.24

Self-certification is now enabled for installations up to 650V, with specific provisions for TANTRANSCO/ TANGEDCO installations up to 765kV.

19

End to end online processing of sewerage connection requests

Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department

G.O. (D). No 665, dated 11.12.24

Applications, payments, and status tracking for sewerage connections by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, is now fully made online, making it easier for businesses to obtain essential utility connections without delays or paperwork

20

Self-certification of building plans for Green and White Category Industries

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms). No. 153, Housing and Urban Development Department, dated 07.10.2025

Green and White category industrial buildings on plots up to 7,500 sq. ft with a floor area up to 5,000 sq. ft can now self-certify themselves while applying for building and site plan approvals.

These buildings should have one car park per 150 sq.m and one two-wheeler and one cycle park per 75 sq. m of floor area.

This provision excludes areas under CRA, HACA, ecologically sensitive zones, lands classified as agricultural, institutional, open space, recreation zones, wetlands, areas reserved for public purposes under development plans, etc.,

21

Reduction in minimum road width requirements for green and white category industries

Housing and Urban Development Department

G.O. (Ms). No. 154, Housing and Urban Development Department, dated 07.10.2025

The minimum road width requirements for white, green, orange and red category industrial buildings in village panchayats, has been relaxed from 7m to 6m to simplify securing of planning permissions.