How to read an advertising and sales permit in Malaysia, and the completion date
In Peninsular Malaysia, no licensed housing developer may advertise or sell a unit without an advertising and sales permit, and the permit number must be printed on every advertisement. That number, often seen next to the letters APDL on a brochure, is your quickest way to check that a new launch is legal and on time.
The permit and the developer's licence are issued by KPKT, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, under the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 (HDA). Both can be looked up for free on KPKT's public TEDUH portal, together with the project's status and its promised handover period.
This guide explains what the licence and permit are, how to check them on TEDUH, how to read the dates, what the status labels mean, how extensions of time change your handover, and the red flags to watch for.
Quick answer: An advertising and sales permit is KPKT's approval for a licensed developer to advertise and sell a specific project. Find the permit number on the brochure, search it on KPKT TEDUH's licence and permit check, confirm the dates are current, then read the project's status and handover period in its TEDUH record.
What the developer licence and sales permit are
Two separate approvals sit behind every new launch, and you need both. The HDA says no housing development may be carried on except by a housing developer holding a licence issued under the Act (section 5). On top of that, the regulations require a separate advertising and sales permit before the developer can market or sell any unit in the project.
The common shorthand APDL stands for "advertising permit and developer licence", which is why you often see both numbers side by side.
| Approval | What it allows | Issued for | Where the rule sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing developer licence | Carrying on a housing development | Each housing development (regulation 3) | HDA section 5, Regulations 1989 regulations 3 and 4 |
| Advertising and sales permit | Advertising and selling units | A licensed developer's project (regulation 5) | Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989, regulations 5 and 9 |
Source: Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989, consolidated text hosted by the National House Buyers Association (as of 26 Oct 2026)
The HDA and these regulations cover Peninsular Malaysia; TEDUH notes that its status definitions apply to private housing in Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah has its own Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Enactment 1978, and Sarawak has its own law, so the checks below apply to projects in the peninsula.
What happens if a developer skips them
Running a housing development without a licence is an offence under section 18 of the HDA, with a fine of not less than RM250,000 and not more than RM500,000. Advertising or selling without a permit breaches regulation 5, and a breach of the regulations is an offence under regulation 13 that can lead to a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Ask a lawyer for the current maximum fine.
For a buyer, this means a project without a valid permit should not be taking your money. If you pay outside the system, you lose the protection of the KPKT-prescribed sale and purchase agreement (SPA).
Where the permit number appears
Regulation 6 lists what every advertisement must carry. It includes the developer's licence number and its validity date, and the permit number and its validity date, along with the developer's details, the land tenure, the selling price or the lowest and highest prices, and the approving authority's name and reference number.
You will usually find the numbers in these places:
- Printed brochures and price lists, usually in small print at the bottom or back.
- Hoardings, banners and billboards at the site.
- Social media posts, websites and online ads for the project.
- The sales gallery. Section 7 of the HDA requires the developer to display a copy of its licence and advertisement and sale permit in a conspicuous position in its offices and branch offices.
If an ad shows a price but no permit number, treat that as the first thing to ask about.
How to read the number
On TEDUH, a permit number follows this pattern: the project code, then a month and year, then a serial number and letter codes. A made-up example looks like this: 12345-1/09-2029/0726(N)-(S).
In TEDUH project records (as of 26 Oct 2026), the month and year in the middle of the permit number matched the month and year the permit expires. The licence number works the same way, without the phase suffix: a developer code, then the expiry month and year, then a serial. The letter codes are KPKT's internal markers, and TEDUH does not publish what they mean.
How to check a project on KPKT TEDUH
TEDUH is the free public portal run by KPKT's National Housing Department (Jabatan Perumahan Negara). The pages are in Malay, so the menu names below are given as they appear on screen. All the checks sit under the Perumahan Swasta (private housing) menu.
| Step | Where on TEDUH | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brochure or ad | Licence and permit numbers, with validity dates |
| 2 | Semakan Lesen & Permit | Search by project or developer name or code; see the latest and previous licence and permit numbers |
| 3 | Same page | The latest permit number matches the brochure and has not expired |
| 4 | Semakan Status Kemajuan Projek | The overall project status (Status Projek Keseluruhan) |
| 5 | The project record (click the project code) | Developer, project, SPA details, latest status, approved ads and a project summary |
| 6 | Pelaporan Pemaju & Projek Bermasalah | Whether the project or developer is on a list of ailing or abandoned projects, or of developers with offences |
Source: KPKT TEDUH portal (as of 26 Oct 2026)
The project record opens in sections. The SPA section (Maklumat Perjanjian Jual Beli) shows which SPA schedule applies, the original delivery period, whether the handover period was changed, the extra time approved and the new construction period. The approved ads section (Iklan Yang Diluluskan) shows the advertisements KPKT approved, which you can compare with what you were shown.
TEDUH states that its developer and project data comes from KPKT's Housing Integrated Management System (HIMS), and that developers must update HIMS first for any change to show. On 26 Oct 2026, the status search page showed data updated to 25 Oct 2026, so a very recent change may take a day or so to appear.
Reading the permit dates and the completion date
Each permit on TEDUH carries a start date and an end date. Regulation 9 requires a developer to apply to renew a permit not later than 60 days before it expires, and the licence has the same 60-day renewal rule under regulation 4.
How long a permit runs varies. In a sample of 80 project records on KPKT TEDUH (as of 26 Oct 2026), 34 landed projects had permits running for two years, 23 strata projects had permits running for three years, and 23 records showed permits running for one year. Read the dates on each record.
The permit expiry is not the completion date
This is the most common mix-up. The permit's end date is when the developer's approval to advertise and sell lapses unless renewed. Your handover date comes from the SPA, not the permit.
The SPA is one of the forms prescribed by the regulations. TEDUH lists Schedules G, H, I and J. The two you will meet most often are Schedule G, for a house and the land it sits on, and Schedule H, for a strata unit such as a condominium or serviced residence. In the same sample of 80 TEDUH records, every Schedule G project showed an original delivery period of 24 months, and every Schedule H project showed 36 months.
Example: Say you sign a Schedule H SPA for a condo on 1 Mar 2027, and the TEDUH record shows an original delivery period of 36 months with no extension. Expected vacant possession (VP), when you get the keys: by 1 Mar 2030. If the record later shows an approved extension of 12 months, the new period is 48 months, and VP is due by 1 Mar 2031.
Your lawyer can confirm the exact start date the SPA uses for counting the period. Courts have ruled on this point, so ask before you sign.
Status labels: on schedule, late, ailing, abandoned
Every private project on TEDUH carries an overall status. The status labels are in Malay; these definitions are translated from KPKT's own explanation on the project status check page.
| TEDUH label | In English | What KPKT says it means |
|---|---|---|
| Belum Mula | Not started | The project has not started and has no buyers |
| Lancar | On schedule | Work is following the schedule set in the SPA |
| Lewat | Late | Work is 11% to 15% behind the SPA schedule; or, for Schedule G and I, progress is under 90% with less than 4 months of the completion period left; or, for Schedule H and J, progress is under 90% with less than 6 months left |
| Sakit | Ailing | The project has failed to be completed within the SPA period |
| Siap Dengan CCC / Siap Dengan CFO | Completed | The project has its certificate of completion and compliance (CCC) or certificate of fitness for occupation (CFO) |
| Terbengkalai | Abandoned | The Minister has certified the project abandoned under section 11(1)(ca) of the HDA because the developer abandoned it |
| Permit Telah Dibatalkan | Permit cancelled | Offered as a status filter; TEDUH does not give a separate definition |
Source: KPKT TEDUH, Tafsiran Status Pemajuan (as of 26 Oct 2026)
A project can also show different progress for each component, such as one block of serviced residences and another of SOHO units. TEDUH notes that component status is based on the developer's latest progress report in HIMS.
What each status means for you
A Lancar status is what you want to see on a project you are about to book. Lewat is an early warning: the developer is behind, and the gap between promised and actual progress is worth asking about. Sakit means the SPA period has already been missed, which points to late delivery and possible claims for liquidated damages.
Terbengkalai is the most serious. KPKT keeps separate lists of ailing and abandoned projects, including abandoned projects by unlicensed developers, so check those lists by developer name as well as by project.
What extensions of time mean for handover
An extension of time (EOT) lengthens the period the developer has to deliver vacant possession. On TEDUH, the SPA section of a project record shows whether the handover period was changed (Pindaan Tempoh Serah Kosong), how much extra time was approved (Tempoh Tambahan Diluluskan) and the new total (Tempoh Pembinaan Baharu).
In the same sample of 80 TEDUH project records, 21 showed an approved change to the handover period. The extra time ranged from 5 months to 24 months, so a 36-month strata project could become a 60-month one.
| What you see on TEDUH | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pindaan Tempoh Serah Kosong: Tidak | No change to the SPA delivery period |
| Pindaan Tempoh Serah Kosong: Ya | The handover period has been changed |
| Tempoh Tambahan Diluluskan | The extra months approved |
| Tempoh Pembinaan Baharu | The new total period from the SPA start |
Source: KPKT TEDUH project records (as of 26 Oct 2026)
An extension matters because liquidated damages for late delivery are counted from the end of the delivery period. A longer approved period can mean a later handover and a smaller or no claim. Who may grant an extension, and when one is valid, has been argued in the courts, so if your project has an extension, ask your lawyer how it affects your SPA before you sign or before you make a claim.
If an extension was approved before launch, it should already be in the SPA you are given. Compare the period in your SPA with the TEDUH record. If they differ, ask the developer to explain in writing.
Red flags
Most launches pass these checks easily. They are there to catch the few that fail, before you pay anything.
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No permit number on the ad or brochure | Regulation 6 requires it on every advertisement | Ask for the number; check it on TEDUH before paying |
| The permit has expired, or the number is not on TEDUH | Regulation 5 bars advertising or selling without a permit | Do not pay until a current permit shows on TEDUH |
| The number belongs to another project | The project code at the start should match the project you are buying | Search by project name and compare |
| The developer's licence has expired | Section 5 of the HDA requires a licence | Check the licence dates on the project record |
| Status shows Lewat or Sakit | The project is behind or past its SPA period | Ask why, and ask your lawyer about your position |
| The developer is on a TEDUH problem list | Lists cover ailing and abandoned projects, unpaid compounds, ignored tribunal awards, winding up and receivership | Check every list by developer name |
| A payment asked for outside the SPA | Regulation 11(2) says no developer may collect any payment except as the SPA prescribes | Ask your lawyer before you pay |
| The handover date in the brochure differs from TEDUH | Marketing material may not reflect an approved extension | Rely on the SPA and the TEDUH record |
Source: Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989 and KPKT TEDUH (as of 26 Oct 2026)
If something looks wrong after you have signed, KPKT's Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims hears disputes between buyers and developers. A lawyer can tell you whether your claim fits the tribunal or the courts.
Frequently asked questions
What is APDL on a property brochure?
APDL is shorthand for the advertising permit and developer licence. The brochure should show both numbers with their validity dates, because regulation 6 of the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989 requires it. You can check both on KPKT's TEDUH portal.
How do I check if a developer has a valid licence in Malaysia?
Go to TEDUH, open Perumahan Swasta, then Semakan Lesen & Permit, and search by developer name or code. The project record also shows the licence number and its start and end dates. If the licence has expired, ask the developer for proof of renewal.
How long is an advertising and sales permit valid?
It varies, so read the dates on TEDUH. In a sample of 80 TEDUH records (as of 26 Oct 2026), permits ran for one, two or three years. A developer must apply to renew at least 60 days before the permit expires.
Is the permit expiry date the same as the completion date?
No. The permit's end date is when the approval to advertise and sell lapses unless renewed. Your handover date comes from the delivery period in your SPA, plus any approved extension shown on TEDUH.
What does "Sakit" mean on TEDUH?
Sakit, or ailing, means the project has failed to be completed within the SPA period. It is more serious than Lewat (late), which means the project is behind schedule but still within its period. Abandoned projects are labelled Terbengkalai.
Can a developer sell before getting the sales permit?
No. Regulation 5 says no advertisement or sale may be made by a licensed developer without an advertising and sales permit. Be wary of any payment requested before the permit shows on TEDUH.
What happens to my handover date if the developer gets an extension of time?
The extension adds months to the delivery period, so vacant possession is due later, and any claim for late delivery starts later. TEDUH shows the extra months approved and the new total period. Ask your lawyer how a specific extension affects your SPA.
Before you book
Check three things before you pay anything: a current permit number on TEDUH that matches the brochure, a project status of Lancar or Belum Mula, and a delivery period in the SPA that matches the TEDUH record. It takes about ten minutes and costs nothing.
When you are ready to compare projects, start with this year's launches. A registered estate agency arranges viewings and price lists.
This guide is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change; confirm the figures that apply to you with your bank, your lawyer or LHDN before you commit. PropLaunch is not a real estate agency.
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