Circular No. 06/2025/TT-BVHTTDL detailing certain provisions on the preservation, restoration, and repair of cultural relics; economic and technical norms for the preservation, restoration, and repair of cultural relics

CIRCULAR

Detailed regulations on the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics;
economic and technical standards for the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics 

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Pursuant to the Cultural Heritage Law dated November 23, 2024;

Pursuant to Decree No. 43/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 28, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage;

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues this Circular detailing certain provisions regarding the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics; economic and technical standards for the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular details certain provisions of the Cultural Heritage Law No. 45/2024/QH15 dated November 23, 2024, including:

1. Detailed provisions of Clause 1, Article 35 on economic and technical standards for the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics (hereinafter referred to collectively as economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics).

2. Detailed provisions of Point d, Clause 2, Article 35 on the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals in Vietnam, foreign organizations and individuals when conducting construction activities for the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics (hereinafter referred to collectively as construction activities for repairing cultural relics); establishing unit prices, preparing budgets for preservation, repair, and restoration projects and works of cultural relics within the territory of Vietnam.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics are indices specifying levels of consumption of materials, labor, construction machinery, and other equipment required to complete a unit volume of work in the repair of cultural relics from preparation to completion of construction activities for repairing cultural relics in a project or work, serving production, construction, or budgeting costs for repair projects.

2. Dismantling of cultural relics is an activity involving the disassembly of all or part of the structural components and architectural elements of a cultural relic with the aim of preserving and repairing it while maintaining the maximum integrity of its structural components and architectural elements.

3. Traditional construction technology process is the construction technology process that was used to build such structures in the past.

4. Technical regulations on design and construction for repairing cultural relics are basic principles, standards, and technical conditions that must be adhered to in the design and construction activities for repairing cultural relics.

Chapter II

CONSTRUCTION FOR REPAIRING CULTURAL RELICS

Article 4. Principles in construction activities for repairing cultural relics

1. Adhering to approved construction drawings for the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics or construction drawings for the preservation of cultural relics, management regulations on quality, progress, quantity of construction, security, labor safety, and other relevant laws.

2. Prioritizing the use of traditional construction methods, applying traditional construction technology processes; preserving the original elements of the cultural relic as much as possible, protecting structural components and architectural elements throughout the construction activities for repairing cultural relics.

3. Conducted under the supervision of the local community where the cultural relic is located; regularly consulting the opinions of historical witnesses, experts, artisans, and the local community where the cultural relic is located.

4. In cases where construction drawings for repairing cultural relics need to be adjusted, the investor's feasibility study report for repairing cultural relics must consider adjusting the construction time for repairing cultural relics to ensure the quality of the project.

5. Recording all activities carried out at the site in the Construction Diary and Completion File.

Article 5. Preparation for Construction and Repair of Cultural Relics

1. The project investor for repairing cultural relics shall coordinate with the organization responsible for repairing cultural relics to reach an agreement with the People's Committee of the commune where the cultural relic is located on the plan to protect the cultural relic and the implementation schedule for the repair project; organize propaganda among local residents where the cultural relic is located and skilled workers participating in the repair work regarding the value, objectives, tasks, scope, and content of the repair project.

2. The project investor for repairing cultural relics shall take the lead and coordinate with the organization responsible for repairing cultural relics to perform the following tasks:

a) Accepting the handover of the construction site for the repair project;

b) Organizing the construction site for repairing cultural relics to meet security and safety requirements; constructing protective shelters and component storage houses (in cases where the cultural relic must be dismantled); implementing the plan to protect objects;

c) Determining principles, procedures, and technical solutions for repairing components and architectural elements in cases where the cultural relic must be dismantled;

d) Preparing materials, labor, equipment, and other related works for construction.

Article 6. Implementation of Construction and Repair of Cultural Relics

1. The project investor for repairing cultural relics shall perform the following tasks:

a) Establishing the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council and promulgating its operational regulations.

The members of the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council include the project investor for repairing cultural relics, representatives from organizations that prepare the repair project, design construction drawings for repairing cultural relics, carry out the repair work, supervise the repair work, the Community Investment Supervision Board, representatives from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Culture and Sports, representatives from organizations or individuals entrusted with managing and using cultural relics, and experts from relevant fields.

The Cultural Relic Evaluation Council is tasked with checking the results of the work specified in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article. The results of the Council's work shall be recorded in minutes.

b) Adjusting and supplementing the construction design drawings for repairing cultural relics (if necessary);

c) Cooperating with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Culture and Sports to classify and select components and architectural elements with value but severely deteriorated and not suitable for reuse, to be preserved and exhibited at the cultural relic or at a public museum in the area;

d) Cooperating with the organization responsible for repairing cultural relics and related organizations and individuals to inspect, accept, transfer, put the cultural relic into use, and perform other tasks according to the laws on construction.

2. For cases where the cultural relic is not disassembled or partially disassembled, the organization responsible for repairing cultural relics shall implement as follows:

a) Covering the area of components and architectural elements requiring repair to ensure safety;

b) Creating a system of symbols for components and architectural elements on drawings and marking them on corresponding components and architectural elements of the cultural relic. Symbols marked on components and architectural elements shall not affect their characteristics and values, shall be protected throughout the repair construction process, and shall be easily removed after completion of the repair construction. Photographs and videos shall be taken after marking the symbols on components and architectural elements;

c) Cooperating with the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council to check and evaluate the technical condition of components and architectural elements and determine specific solutions for these components and architectural elements;

d) Implementing the repair construction according to the approved construction design drawings for repairing cultural relics, the minutes of the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council, or the adjusted and supplemented construction design drawings for repairing cultural relics that have been approved.

3. For cases where the entire structure must be completely disassembled, the organization responsible for repairing cultural relics shall implement as follows:

a) Constructing protective shelters for repair construction and component storage houses;

b) Creating a system of symbols for components and architectural elements on drawings and marking them on corresponding components and architectural elements of the cultural relic. Symbols marked on components and architectural elements shall not affect their characteristics and values, shall be protected throughout the repair construction process, and shall be easily removed after completion of the repair construction. Photographs and videos shall be taken after marking the symbols on components and architectural elements;

c) Dismantling the cultural relic according to the provisions of Article 7 of this Circular;

d) Cooperating with the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council to study and evaluate the technical condition of components and architectural elements and classify and select components and architectural elements with value but severely deteriorated and not suitable for reuse, to be preserved and exhibited at the cultural relic or at a public museum in the area;

đ) Implementing the repair construction according to the approved construction design drawings for repairing cultural relics, the minutes of the Cultural Relic Evaluation Council, or the adjusted and supplemented construction design drawings for repairing cultural relics that have been approved.

4. The construction and preservation of cultural relics shall be implemented as stipulated in point a of Clause 1 of this Article (if necessary), point b, d of Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article.

5. Regular maintenance and minor repairs of cultural relics shall be carried out according to the Economic and Technical Standards for Repairing Cultural Relics attached to this Circular by the organization entrusted with managing and using cultural relics or specialized agencies within the annual plan and tasks.

Article 7. Demolition of Cultural Relics

1. The demolition of cultural relics may only be carried out when interior objects have been relocated or covered on-site to ensure security and safety.

2. Prior to the demolition of cultural relics, structural components and architectural elements must be photographed, recorded, and marked according to the system of symbols established on the drawings; there must be a demolition plan and indoor storage location for the components.

3. During the demolition of cultural relics, structural components and architectural elements must be protected safely, temporarily reinforced at positions at risk of destruction, and appropriate transportation methods determined.

4. After the demolition of cultural relics, structural components and architectural elements must be preliminarily cleaned, sorted, and arranged in indoor component storage.

5. The process of demolishing cultural relics must be documented (written records, photographs, recordings), which is part of the Construction Log as stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 8 of this Circular.

Article 8. Construction Log and Completion Documentation

1. The establishment of the Construction Log and Completion Documentation shall be carried out in accordance with the laws on construction and the provisions of Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article.

2. The Construction Log includes:

a) Written documentation recording the entire construction repair process of cultural relics and new discoveries about the relics during the repair process;

b) Photographic and video documentation of cultural relics throughout the repair process. Color prints, size 10 x 15 cm or larger;

c) Drawings documenting new discoveries about cultural relics and the locations and details of preserved, repaired, or restored structural components and architectural elements.

3. Completion Documentation includes:

a) Photographs of cultural relics after the completion of the repair work;

b) Drawings after the completion of the repair work.

4. The Construction Log and Completion Documentation as stipulated in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article must be submitted to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Culture and Sports, the competent authority as prescribed by the laws on construction, and the Heritage Management Agency (for world heritage sites, national special relics, and national relics) within sixty days from the date of handover and putting the project into use.

Chapter III

ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR THE REPAIR OF CULTURAL RELICS

Article 9. Basis for Determining Economic and Technical Standards for Repairing Cultural Relics

1. Based on technical procedures and regulations regarding design, construction, and repair project design documents currently in use, and material, labor, construction machinery, and other equipment usage standards in current building renovation and repair projects, adjusted and supplemented to suit the characteristics and nature of cultural relic repair activities.

2. Based on data and materials collected and compiled on cultural relic repair work nationwide through experimental projects of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, local implementation projects, and references to some standards and experiences from countries with advanced technology and experience in cultural relic repair.

3. Based on the Budget Estimation Standards for Construction Projects as prescribed by the laws on construction.

Article 10. Content and Structure of Economic and Technical Standards for Repairing Cultural Relics

1. The content of economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics includes:

a) Material consumption rate: This is the level specified for the quantity of main materials and other necessary materials directly required for the execution and completion of the volume of cultural relic repair work. The quantity of materials includes losses during transportation, storage, processing, and construction within the scope of the project;

b) Labor consumption rate: This is the level specified for the number of working days of direct labor performing the volume of cultural relic repair work such as demolition, processing, repair, restoration, preservation, complete assembly, etc., according to design requirements. Depending on the nature and characteristics of each group and type of preservation, repair, and restoration work, the labor consumption rate includes: workers, artists, artisans directly performing cultural relic repair work (including workers transporting and handling materials within the specified scope);

c) Consumption rate of construction machinery and other equipment as prescribed by the laws on construction.

2. The structure of economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics is defined as follows:

a) Economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics are presented by groups or types of work or parts of structures requiring preservation, repair, and restoration. Each group of standards is summarized to include the components of the work, technical conditions, construction conditions, construction methods, and are determined according to suitable units of measurement to carry out that work;

b) The components of consumption in economic and technical standards for repairing cultural relics are determined according to the following principles: The consumption rate of main materials is calculated based on the quantity according to the unified unit of the State; the consumption rate of other materials is calculated as a percentage of the cost of main materials; the consumption rate of artisan, artist, and general labor is calculated based on the number of working days according to the level of the direct labor performing the work.

Article 11. Provisions on application and economic-technical norms for repairing cultural relics

1. The economic-technical norms for repairing cultural relics stipulated in this Circular shall be applied to establish construction unit prices, serving as a basis for preparing budgets and settling quantities of work related to repairing components, architectural elements, and artifacts of cultural relics that have been ranked and those listed in the Inventory of Cultural Relics.

2. The economic-technical norms for repairing cultural relics are specified in the Appendix attached to this Circular.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 12. Effective Date

Article 32. Responsibilities of Agencies

2. Circular No. 15/2019/TT-BVHTTDL dated December 31, 2019, issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism detailing certain provisions on the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics, and Decision No. 13/2004/QĐ-BVHTT dated April 1, 2004, issued by the Minister of Culture and Information regarding the issuance of "Economic Norms for Budgeting Preservation, Repair, and Restoration of Historical-Cultural Relics and Scenic Spots" shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular comes into effect, except as provided for in Clause 3 of this Article.

3. Construction activities for repairing cultural relics that have been or are being carried out before the date this Circular takes effect shall continue to be implemented according to Circular No. 15/2019/TT-BVHTTDL dated December 31, 2019, issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism detailing certain provisions on the preservation, repair, and restoration of cultural relics; unit prices and budgets of projects and works for preserving, repairing, and restoring cultural relics that have been established and approved before the date this Circular takes effect shall not need to be resubmitted for approval; subsequent work contents shall be implemented according to this Circular.

Article 13. Implementation Organization

1. The Heritage Department shall be responsible for monitoring and inspecting the implementation of this Circular.

2. During the implementation process, if any issues arise or difficulties occur, organizations and individuals shall report them to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (through the Heritage Department) for timely research and amendment./.