What are Abstandsflächen (setback areas)?
Abstandsflächen are the areas in front of exterior walls that must generally remain free of development, ensuring light, air and privacy between buildings. Their depth typically derives from the wall height, and the area must as a rule lie on the plot itself. Each state building code sets its own rules. Mapular compiles published setback-area geometries into one consistent, state-spanning reference layer covering 15 of 16 federal states.
How do the state building codes govern Abstandsflächen?
Legal status
Reference data
An authoritative input for analysis and screening. It carries no legal effect of its own.
Unlike GRZ, GFZ and BMZ, Abstandsflächen are not governed by the federal BauNVO but by the sixteen Landesbauordnungen, the state building codes. Section 6 of the Model Building Code (MBO) serves as the template: the setback depth is derived from the wall height, a minimum distance applies, and the area must generally lie on the plot itself. Every state adapts this model with its own depth factors, minimums and privileges, so the applicable law is always the respective state's building code.
What this means for you
For site assessment, Abstandsflächen define the real buildable envelope: a plot's paper potential shrinks by what setbacks consume. Reference geometries let you pre-check envelopes, spot conflicts with neighbouring buildings and compare densification headroom across markets, all before commissioning a formal survey. Binding determinations for a permit always require the current state building code and the specific case.
Which attributes does the Abstandsflächen layer contain?
- Setback value: The recorded value associated with the setback area, such as its depth or extent.
- Setback geometry: The polygon of the published setback area, delivered in consistent geometry across the covered federal states.
- Federal state: The Bundesland the record belongs to. Essential context, since setback rules follow each state's own building code.
- Classification: A harmonised classification of the record within Mapular's catalog schema, making records comparable across state boundaries.
Abstandsflächen are pure state law: each of the sixteen Landesbauordnungen sets its own depth factors, minimum distances and exemptions, with Section 6 MBO serving only as a non-binding model. The rules genuinely differ from state to state, which is exactly why a harmonised, state-spanning reference layer saves so much interpretation work.
What can you do with Abstandsflächen data?
- Buildable-envelope pre-checks: estimate how much of a plot remains usable once setback areas are deducted, before commissioning formal surveys or planners.
- Conflict screening: identify where existing or planned structures sit tight against setback areas and flag risks early in transaction due diligence.
- Densification analysis: assess infill and extension potential across whole portfolios by combining setback geometries with building stock and parcel data.
- Nationwide comparison: work with one harmonised setback layer across 15 federal states instead of interpreting each state's building code separately yourself.
Where does the Abstandsflächen data come from?
Compiled from official state publications and planning data into one consistent layer, with harmonised geometry and one schema across the covered federal states.
Which federal states does the Abstandsflächen layer cover?
The Abstandsflächen layer covers 15 of 16 German federal states. Sachsen (Saxony) does not publish this data at source and is therefore not part of the layer. All other federal states are included in one consistent schema.
Coverage by federal state
- BBBrandenburgAvailable
- BEBerlinAvailable
- BWBaden-WürttembergAvailable
- BYBavariaAvailable
- HBBremenAvailable
- HEHesseAvailable
- HHHamburgAvailable
- MVMecklenburg-Western PomeraniaAvailable
- NILower SaxonyAvailable
- NWNorth Rhine-WestphaliaAvailable
- RPRhineland-PalatinateAvailable
- SHSchleswig-HolsteinAvailable
- SLSaarlandAvailable
- SNSaxonyNot published by the state
- STSaxony-AnhaltAvailable
- THThuringiaAvailable
Where the federal state publishes this layer, we carry it: 15 of 16 federal states today. Where it doesn't, we say so.
Coverage gap
Your region of interest isn't covered?
Coverage follows what each state and municipality has actually digitised, so there are real gaps, and they are not always where you would expect. Tell us the region and the layer you need and we will look into what can be sourced for it, including data we do not list today.
Tell us what you needHow do you get access to the Abstandsflächen layer?
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Frequently asked questions about Abstandsflächen
What are Abstandsflächen?
Abstandsflächen are setback areas in front of a building's exterior walls that must generally remain free of development. They secure light, air and privacy between neighbouring buildings. Their depth is typically derived from the wall height, and the area must as a rule lie on the building's own plot. The details are governed by each German state's building code.
Which law governs Abstandsflächen in Germany?
Abstandsflächen are governed by the sixteen Landesbauordnungen (the building codes of the German federal states), not by federal planning law. Section 6 of the Model Building Code (MBO) serves as a non-binding template, but every state sets its own depth factors, minimum distances and exemptions. The applicable rules therefore always come from the building code of the state where the plot lies.
Why is Sachsen (Saxony) not included in the layer?
Sachsen does not publish setback-area data at source, so it cannot be included in Mapular's compiled layer. The Abstandsflächen layer therefore covers 15 of 16 German federal states. Within those 15 states, the geometries are harmonised into one consistent schema so they can be analysed and compared without per-state preparation.
Is Mapular's Abstandsflächen data legally binding?
No. Mapular's Abstandsflächen layer provides reference geometries compiled from official state publications and planning data. Whether a specific project complies with setback requirements is determined by the current building code of the respective state and the concrete case, typically assessed by the building authority. Use the layer for screening, pre-checks and comparison, not as a substitute for a formal assessment.
How is the depth of an Abstandsfläche determined?
As a rule, the depth of an Abstandsfläche is derived from the height of the wall facing the boundary, subject to a minimum distance. Under the Model Building Code, the depth is 0.4 times the wall height, with a minimum of three metres. The federal states deviate from that model with their own factors, minimums and privileges, so the respective Landesbauordnung is always decisive.
What do companies use Abstandsflächen data for?
Companies use Abstandsflächen data to estimate the real buildable envelope of plots, to screen portfolios for densification and extension potential, and to flag setback conflicts early in due diligence. Because Mapular's layer harmonises 15 federal states into one schema, these checks scale across markets without interpreting each state's building code separately.