FAR (Floor Area Ratio)

Building regulation

In one line

Total permitted floor area as a multiple of the plot area.

FAR fixes how much floor you may build in total. A FAR of 1.75 on a 1,000 m² plot permits 1,750 m² of floor area, spread over as many storeys as the height limit allows. It is the single most consequential number in a development, and it is set by the local plan, not nationally.

Work with it

Permissible floor area, coverage and height for your plot — straight from the HP slabs.

FAR & ground coverage calculator →

Related words

FSI (Floor Space Index) The same quantity as FAR, under a different name. Ground coverage The share of the plot the building may occupy at ground level. Premium FAR Extra floor area bought from the government for a fee.

More in Building regulation

TDR (Transferable Development Rights) Setback Building line Plinth Stilt floor ECS (Equivalent Car Space)

← Full glossary · Building rules

Ask AI

Nothing matched in the rulebook — try other words (parking, height, fire, setback, water…).

looking it up…

Answers come straight from the building rules for 12 states we cover, plus the glossary and calculators — each with its citation.