Form M Godown Construction Requirements
in Pakistan

A Form M licence is granted only when the godown is built exactly to the plan approved by the Department of Explosives. This guide lists the plot, building and safety requirements, and what to do if you do not own a suitable plot.

Godown Basics

Why Construction Decides Your Form M Licence

A Form M licence covers storage of petroleum products and flammable chemicals in drums, cans and packages. The Department of Explosives first approves your storage plan. You build to that plan, an engineer certifies the work and an officer inspects the site. If the building does not match the approved plan, the licence is held back until it is corrected, which often means demolition and rework.

No suitable plot? Our DPL-ready rental godowns are already built to these requirements and come with the registered tenancy agreement your application needs.

Plot Requirements

Before You Build

Minimum plot of 100 ft front × 160 ft depth
Godown of about 40 ft × 60 ft in the middle of the plot
40 ft of clear open space on all four sides
Location in an approved industrial or commercial area
No natural gas main or electric transformer within 50 feet
Vehicle access for loading and for the fire brigade
Plot owned, or on a registered tenancy, in your name

Building Requirements

Built to Petroleum Rules 1937

Walls of cement-concrete (C.C.) blocks with RCC columns; no wood
Concrete floor with a 2-foot deep sump for spills
Ventilators 6 inches above the floor and 1 foot below the roof
Copper wire gauze on every ventilator to stop flames
Doors with angle-iron frame and G.I. sheet, opening outward
Non-combustible, spark-resistant roof
Earthing to discharge static electricity

Godown Approval, Step by Step

Step 5: Build the godown exactly to the approved plan within six months
Step 6: Install fire-fighting equipment and no-smoking signage
Step 7: Submit the engineer safety and completion certificate
Step 8: Pass the Explosives inspection and receive the Form M licence

Fire Safety and Day-to-Day Conditions

The building is only half of the licence. The premises must also keep fire-fighting equipment as required by the Petroleum Rules 1937 (sand buckets, extinguishers and a hydrant where required), a trained guard on duty round the clock, strict no-smoking and no-naked-flame rules with signage, and stock records for every chemical on the licence. The Form M licence fee is a fixed Rs. 25,000.

We design and build godowns to these requirements and file the licence together, so the inspection passes the first time. See land requirements for plot details and our storage regulations guide, or move into a ready godown from our rental storage godowns.

Sources: Department of Explosives, Government of Pakistan licence process documents; Petroleum Act 1934 as amended in 2023. General information, not legal advice.

Godown FAQs

Can I get a Form M licence on a rented godown?

Yes. The Department of Explosives accepts rented premises when the tenancy agreement is registered. Our DPL-ready rental godowns are already built to these requirements and include that agreement.

Can my existing warehouse be converted into a Form M godown?

Sometimes. It must meet the plot size, distances and building requirements above. We inspect the building first and tell you what has to change, such as the sump, ventilators or doors.

Is wood allowed in a chemical storage godown?

No. Walls must be cement-concrete blocks with RCC columns, and the roof and doors must be non-combustible.