Do I have to ask permission from the government to change from land for rice cultivation to land for salt production in Vietnam?

Do I have to ask permission from the government to change from land for rice cultivation to land for salt production in Vietnam?

In Clause 1, Article 57 of the 2013 Land Law, it is stipulated that change of land use purpose as follows:

1. Cases in which change of land use purpose requires permission by competent state agencies:

a/ Change of land for rice cultivation to land for perennial crops, forests, aquaculture or salt production;

b/ Change of land for other annual crops to land for saltwater aquaculture, salt production or aquaculture in ponds, lakes or marshlands;

c/ Change of land for special-use forests, protection forests or production forests to land for other purposes within the type of agricultural land;

d/ Change of agricultural land to non-agricultural land;

e/ Change of non-agricultural land which is allocated by the State without land use levy to non-agricultural land which is allocated by the State with land use levy, or to leased land;

f/ Change of non-agricultural land which is not residential land to residential land;

g/ Change of land for construction of non-business facilities or land for public purposes involving commercial purpose, or non-agricultural land for business and production purposes which is not land for trading or services to land for trading or services; change of land for trading or services or land for construction of non-commercial facilities to land for non-agricultural production establishments.

According to current regulations, in case you want to change from land for rice cultivation to land for salt production in Vietnam, you must obtain permission from the competent state agency.

Which agency has authority to allow individuals to change from land for rice cultivation to land for salt production in Vietnam?

In Clause 2, Article 59 of the 2013 Land Law, there are provisions on District-level People’s Committees may decide on the allocation or lease of land, and permit change of land use purpose in the following cases:

a/ Allocation or lease of land to, and permission of change of land use purpose for, households and individuals. If these subjects wish to lease or use agricultural land with an area of 0.5 ha or more for trading and service purposes, written approval from the provincial-level People’s Committee is required before the district-level People’s Committee makes decision;

b/ Allocation of land to communities.

According to this Article, the district-level People’s Committee will have the authority to allow the change of land use purpose from rice cultivation to salt production in Vietnam.

Best Regards!