The Minor Works Control System (MWCS) has been fully implemented since 31 December 2010. In order not to violate the legal requirements of the new system, any member of the public intending to carry out minor works should employ prescribed building professionals (PBP) and/or prescribed registered contractors (PRC) to do so.
A register of minor works contractors is established under the MWCS. Contractor companies and individual practitioners can register as minor works contractors of the relevant classes and types or items by virtue of their work experience, qualifications and competence. Click here for further details of Registration as Registered Minor Works Contractors
Under the Buildings Ordinance, the carrying out of large-scale building works or works of a very simple nature (such as the erection of drying racks on the external walls of household apartments) are governed by the same set of controls, including the requirements to obtain prior approval and consent from the Building Authority (i.e. Buildings Department) before commencement of works and to appoint Authorized Persons (i.e., architects, engineers and surveyors registered under the Buildings Ordinance), and registered professionals to design and supervise the works as well as registered contractors to carry out the works.
The requirements of the above system are too stringent for minor works which are of a smaller scale and pose a lower level of risk. This not only creates difficulties on control and enforcement, but also results in many unauthorized building works.
In view of the above, the Government has amended the Buildings Ordinance in June 2008 to introduce the MWCS, facilitating members of the public to carry out minor works in private buildings lawfully through simplified procedures and thereby improve the building safety in Hong Kong. The Building (Minor Works) Regulation [B(MW)R], which provides for the modus operandi of the system, was passed by the Legislative Council in May 2009.