Surface Water Abstraction Report Services

Surface water is a vital resource abstracted for many purposes, including manufacturing, domestic use, business, agriculture and aquaculture. Depending on the purpose, scale and abstraction works, a business may be exempt, required to register, or required to obtain a water resource abstraction permit. Identifying the correct procedure and preparing the dossier from the outset therefore helps businesses stay compliant with the law. Hop Nhat provides a surface water abstraction dossier service, helping businesses complete the procedures that fit their needs and the actual conditions of their projects.

1. What is a surface water abstraction dossier service?

A surface water abstraction dossier service consists of advising and assisting organizations and businesses with the legal procedures for abstracting water from rivers, streams, lakes, canals, ditches, weirs or other surface water sources to serve manufacturing, business, domestic, agricultural and other appropriate purposes.

In practice, businesses often refer to it simply as a surface water abstraction dossier, a surface water abstraction report, or a permit application for surface water abstraction and use.

For works that require a permit, the water resource abstraction permit must be issued before the abstraction works are built.

2. Legal basis for preparing a surface water abstraction and use dossier

Surface water abstraction and use dossiers are prepared on the basis of the following legal documents:

• Law on Water Resources No. 28/2023/QH15, effective from 01/07/2024;
• Decree 54/2024/ND-CP on declaration, registration, licensing and services related to water resources, and fees for the right to abstract water resources;
• Decree 23/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of regulations on water resources, effective from 17/01/2026;
• Consolidated Document No. 07/VBHN-BNNMT of 2026 on regulations related to the declaration, registration and licensing of water resource abstraction.

Under current regulations, licensing must take into account consistency with water resource planning, sectoral planning, regional planning and provincial planning, the capacity of the water source, the current state of abstraction in the area, and the actual abstraction needs of the organization or individual.

A surface water abstraction dossier is therefore not merely an administrative formality: its content must demonstrate the basis for the water demand, the scale of the works, the water source to be abstracted and an appropriate abstraction plan.

3. When is a surface water abstraction and use dossier required?

Under the provisions of the Law on Water Resources 2023, Decree 54/2024/ND-CP and the amendments and supplements introduced by Decree 23/2026/ND-CP, effective from 17/01/2026: 

Organizations and individuals abstracting surface water from rivers, streams, lakes, canals, ditches or other surface water sources should review and complete the water resource procedures before building the abstraction works and putting them into operation.

For non-agricultural production, business and service activities, surface water abstraction not exceeding 100 m³/day is considered small-scale and requires neither registration nor a permit. Where abstraction exceeds 100 m³/day, the business must apply for a water resource abstraction permit as required by law. This rule also applies to water abstracted for cooling machinery and equipment, generating steam or heating.

Besides the abstraction flow rate, businesses also need to consider the water intake source. Abstracting surface water directly from reservoirs, irrigation weirs, hydropower reservoirs, or irrigation or hydropower canal systems falls under the cases that require a permit, although specific conditions regarding the purpose and scale of abstraction may also need to be considered.

For agricultural production and aquaculture, the law sets separate thresholds based on flow rate and type of works. For example, surface water abstraction works with a capacity of more than 0.1 m³/s up to 0.5 m³/s, or irrigation reservoirs and weirs with a total storage of 0.01 million m³ to 0.5 million m³, must register their water abstraction and use; where the threshold is exceeded or the works fall under the permit requirement, a permit application dossier must be prepared.

4. Why choose Hop Nhat's surface water abstraction dossier service?

Preparing a surface water abstraction dossier involves both water resource law and the technical aspects of the works. If the applicable category or flow rate is misidentified, or outdated forms are used, the dossier may have to be revised several times.

By choosing Hop Nhat, businesses receive comprehensive support from identifying the correct procedure through to the dossier appraisal process.

Hop Nhat focuses on:

• Correct classification from the start: We analyze the purpose, flow rate and characteristics of the works to determine whether the business needs to register or obtain a permit.
• Dossiers that reflect actual conditions: The abstraction plan is developed based on the business's actual operations and abstraction needs.
• Up to date with new regulations: Forms and dossier content are reviewed against the water resource regulations currently in force.
• End-to-end support: From site survey, dossier preparation and document finalization to support with explanations during appraisal.
• Coordination with other procedures and environmental compliance dossiers: Businesses can review related environmental procedures at the same time, minimizing inconsistencies between their legal dossiers.

5. Hop Nhat's surface water abstraction dossier process

To minimize repeated revisions and supplements, Hop Nhat delivers its surface water abstraction dossier service through a process tailored to each project.

Step 1: Receive information and determine the applicable category

Hop Nhat gathers initial information such as:

• Location of the works;
• Water source to be abstracted;
• Purpose of use;
• Average and maximum abstraction flow rates;
• Abstraction regime;
• Current state of the works;
• Related legal documents.

Based on this data, our specialists determine whether the project is exempt, must register, or must apply for a permit.

Step 2: Site survey and data collection

For dossiers that require a water abstraction plan, Hop Nhat reviews the current state of the works and collects the parameters needed to assess the water source and develop the abstraction plan.

Step 3: Prepare the dossier and water abstraction plan

The information is compiled into a dossier using the current official forms, with a focus on clarifying:

• Characteristics of the water source;
• Water demand;
• Abstraction scale and flow rate;
• Location and characteristics of the works;
• Abstraction regime;
• Related technical and management matters.

Step 4: Review and finalize the dossier

Before submission, the dossier is checked for consistency between the legal information, actual data, the flow rate applied for and the content of the abstraction plan.

Step 5: Support with submission and monitoring of the appraisal

As prescribed, the dossier may be submitted in person, by post, through an authorized representative, or online via the National Public Service Portal. The competent authority will appraise it and may conduct site inspections, seek opinions or request the dossier to be completed where necessary.

Step 6: Support with explanations and receipt of the result

If the appraising authority requests revisions or additions, Hop Nhat helps the business complete the technical content until the dossier meets the regulatory requirements.

6. Frequently asked questions about surface water abstraction dossiers

Below are some frequently asked questions about surface water abstraction dossiers:

6.1. Is a surface water abstraction dossier mandatory?

Not every case of surface water abstraction requires a permit. The law distinguishes between small-scale abstraction that requires neither registration nor a permit, cases that must be registered, and cases that require a water resource abstraction permit. Businesses need to determine their specific obligations based on the purpose of use, flow rate and type of works.

6.2. At what flow rate must a business abstracting surface water complete the procedures?

For non-agricultural production, business and service activities, surface water abstraction not exceeding 100 m³/day is classified as small-scale under current regulations. Above this threshold, businesses need to review the procedure for obtaining a water resource abstraction permit.

For agriculture, aquaculture, domestic water supply, hydropower or other specialized works, different thresholds apply.

6.3. How often must a surface water abstraction dossier be prepared?

A surface water abstraction permit application is not a dossier that must be prepared again every year.

Under current regulations, a surface water abstraction permit is valid for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years, and may be extended several times, each extension being for 5 years. The extension application must be submitted at least 45 days before the permit expires.

In addition, if the flow rate, purpose or abstraction regime changes, the business should check whether it must amend the permit or apply for a new one.

6.4. Which authority receives the surface water abstraction dossier?

Jurisdiction depends on the scale and type of works. Cases under central jurisdiction are licensed by the Minister of Agriculture and Environment. For surface water abstraction for other purposes, the threshold under the Ministry's jurisdiction covers works with a capacity of 50,000 m³/day or more.

Cases of other scales that do not fall under the Ministry's jurisdiction come under the authority of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee as prescribed. Provincial-level dossiers are received through the Public Administrative Service Center, and the Department of Agriculture and Environment carries out the appraisal within its authority.

6.5. How long does a surface water abstraction dossier take?

The timeline should be split into two stages: the time the business or consultant needs to prepare the dossier, and the time the state authority needs for appraisal.

Under current regulations, once a complete and valid dossier is received, the appraisal period for a new water resource abstraction permit is 29 working days.

If the dossier requires additions, the time the business spends supplementing it is not counted towards the appraisal period; once the dossier is completed, the re-appraisal period is 18 working days as prescribed.

The actual preparation time depends on the scale of the works, the completeness of the documents provided by the business, the current state of abstraction and the survey and data collection requirements.

With our surface water abstraction dossier service package, Hop Nhat helps businesses determine the applicable category and abstraction scale, survey current conditions, prepare the abstraction plan, finalize the dossier and accompany them throughout the appraisal process.

If your business is abstracting water directly from rivers, lakes, canals or other surface water sources but has not yet determined whether it is exempt, must register or must apply for a permit, Hop Nhat can help you check before preparing the dossier. Getting it right from the outset helps businesses choose the appropriate procedure, save time and minimize issues during processing. Contact us directly via Hotline: 0938.857.768 or LEAVE YOUR DETAILS in the CONSULTATION FORM for dedicated advice and support.