Forestry Tree Felling Permit

Service documentation · Republic of Zambia · GSB e-Services

Owner	Forestry Department
Service key	MGEE/tree-felling-permit
Version	service v1, platform 86947eee
Date	2026-10-21

Generated automatically by the service's end-to-end test run. Every screenshot shows synthetic test data on a local test installation, never real personal data.

This document describes the Forestry Tree Felling Permit service of Forestry Department as the platform runs it today. It is generated by the service's end-to-end test: every step below was performed by the test, and every screenshot was taken during that run with synthetic data. Regenerate it with npm run docs:services in the e2e suite; do not edit it by hand.

1. Service summary

Item	Detail
Service	Forestry Tree Felling Permit
Owner (MDA)	Forestry Department (MGEE)
Purpose	The Forestry Tree Felling Permit is a document that allows the holder to fell and cut down trees.
Who can apply	Individual; Organization
How to apply	Online on the national e-Services portal, signed in with ZamPass; pay with ZamPay.
Fees	Fee set by the office: (variable)
Turnaround	30 days
Validity of the output	14 days
Required documents	Title Deeds or Lease Agreements, or Consent Letter from Traditional Authority/Leader in the case of Customary Land (required) National Registration Card (NRC) (required) Cover Letter to the Director Forestry (required) Certificate of Incorporation / ZDA (if company, church, society) (required)
Output documents	Forestry Tree Felling Permit Approval letter Application form GS-2 Notice of Government Action
Legal basis	The Forest Act No. 4 of 2015 (http://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/4535) SI No. 94 of 2015 (https://pmrczambia.com/the-forest-export-of-timber-regulations-2015-statutory-instrument-no-94-of-2015/) SI No. 52 of 2013 (http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/zam133574.pdf)

2. Application process, step by step

The process as configured in the back office:

Step	Role	Task	Type
1	Applicant	Apply	form
2	System	Generate Document	generate-document
3	Case Officer	Review	review
4	Case Officer	Field Validation	forestry-field-validation
5	Supervisor	Review	review
6	Executive	Approve	approve
7	Applicant	Payment	payment
8	Case Officer	Verify Payment	verify-payment
9	Executive	Decision	decision
10	System	Generate Document	generate-document
11	System	Notify Client	notify

Who takes part in this journey: Citizen, Case Officer, Supervisor, Executive.

Step 1. Start the felling application, with its map

Citizen · National e-Services portal

The citizen applies with the number of their own concession licence and draws the felling area inside it on the map. A concession held by someone else, or an expired one, is refused.

Step 2. Send the felling application inside the concession

Citizen · National e-Services portal (sent through the API the portal uses in the test run: no screenshot)

The application names the citizen's concession licence and coupe and gives an 800 m x 600 m felling area inside the concession (sent through the API the portal uses: drawing on the map is not automated yet). The platform checks the area lies inside a concession the applicant holds and records the felling site (case MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 in this run).

Step 3. Take the application on

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Case Officer takes the new application on (assigned to them). The case moves from "Submitted" to "CO Review".

Step 4. Review, Report Findings, Draft Decision

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Case Officer completes "Review, Report Findings, Draft Decision". The case moves from "CO Review" to "CO Field Validation".

Step 5. Field Validation

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Case Officer records the field inspection (outcome: passed) and completes "Field Validation". The case moves from "CO Field Validation" to "SV Review".

Step 6. Review, Add Comments, Send for Signature

Supervisor · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Supervisor completes "Review, Add Comments, Send for Signature". The case moves from "SV Review" to "EX Approve".

Step 7. Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive

Executive · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Executive completes "Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive". The case moves from "EX Approve" to "AP Payment".

Step 8. Pay the royalty

Citizen · National e-Services portal (sent through the API the portal uses in the test run: no screenshot)

The royalty is worked out on the server from the expert's tree inventory and invoiced; the citizen pays it with ZamPay (paid through the API in this run).

Step 9. Verify Payment Completion

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Case Officer completes "Verify Payment Completion". The case moves from "CO Verify Payment" to "EX Decision".

Step 10. Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive

Executive · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

The Executive decides: approve ("Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive"). The case moves from "EX Decision" to "Completed".

Step 11. The concession has no standing stock yet

Case Officer · Back office

Before the concession is enumerated, felling permits in it are not checked against a stock. The officer opens the concession's Inventory tab to record its tree inventory.

Step 12. Import the tree inventory (CSV)

Case Officer · Back office

A CSV tally per species and diameter class (or a list of trees with their positions). The server checks every row: unknown species, branch-wood, negative numbers and trees outside the concession are refused with the row named.

Step 13. The recording officer cannot approve their own inventory

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

Approving an inventory sets the standing stock every felling permit draws on, so another officer (a supervisor or executive) must approve it: the server refuses the recording officer (403).

Step 14. Check and approve the inventory

Supervisor · Back office

The supervisor checks the tally (species, compartment, diameter class, trees, volume) and approves it. An inventory recorded or sent by the same officer cannot be approved by them.

Step 15. The standing stock of the concession

Supervisor · Back office

One allowance per species on the platform's allocation ledger: counted, held by applications, felled under issued permits, and left standing.

Step 16. Apply to fell inside an enumerated concession

Citizen · National e-Services portal (sent through the API the portal uses in the test run: no screenshot)

The application names the concession licence (case MGEE-FTFP/00003/10-22-26 in this run). Quantities declared on the form, when there are any, are held against the standing stock at once; here the expert's tree inventory sets them.

Step 17. Field validation holds the felling volume

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

When the field validation step is completed, the expert's tree inventory (30 m³ of Afzelia quanzensis) is held against the concession's standing stock: 10 m³ are left for other applications.

Step 18. The permit is issued and draws the volume

Executive · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

When the felling permit MGEE-FTFP-2026-00002 is issued, exactly its tree inventory (30 m³) is drawn from the concession's stock; a retried issue draws nothing more. A refused, withdrawn or lapsed application gives its hold back at once.

Step 19. Over-felling is refused

Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)

A second application whose trees (15 m³) exceed what is left standing (10 m³) cannot leave the field validation step: the server refuses it (409 OVER_FELLING), nothing is held, and the officer refuses the application or has the trees re-measured. Two applications racing for the last cubic metres are served one after the other.

Step 20. A felling permit against the concession stock

Case Officer · Back office

Each felling site shows what its permit holds or has drawn from the concession's standing stock, and what is left there.

Step 21. The stock history of the concession

Case Officer · Back office

Every movement of the stock with its application: the count, the hold at validation, the draw at issue (and any release).

Step 22. Standing stock against felling (report)

Supervisor · Back office

By species or by concession, for a period: counted, felled in the period, held now and left standing; downloadable as CSV.

3. Payment

Item	In the test run
Royalty	ZMW 5,400.00 in this run: 10 m³ x ZMW 460 (the species rate) + branch-wood 10 m³ x ZMW 80, from the expert's tree inventory
When it is paid	After the approval
Invoice number	5714015329009546
Paid through	ZamPay (the ZamPay test double in this run)

On screen: step 8 (Pay the royalty) in section 2.

4. Output documents

Forestry Tree Felling Permit (sealed PDF)

The FDMS felling permit: concession licence number, coupe, the royalty table per species with the branch-wood lines, the amount in words and the conditions; valid 14 days. Its timber becomes the allowance conveyance permits draw on.

The issued PDF has 3 pages; the image shows the first.

Fields

Field	Value in the test run
Document title	Forestry Tree Felling Permit
Permit / licence number	MGEE-FTFP-2026-00001
Holder	Chanda Mwila
Valid from	2026-10-21
Valid until	2026-11-04
Status	active
Verification code (printed with a QR code)	Y2SF-YD2T-QD

Seal

Item	Detail
Seal status	sealed
Signature level	PAdES-B-T
Sealed by	the platform seal (development key in the test run)
Signed at	2026-10-21T23:44:01.135Z
Trusted time-stamp	2026-10-21T23:44:01.113Z (time-stamping authority)
Document fingerprint (SHA-256)	577063e468132b3f...

Verification

Item	Detail
Where	The public verification page of the national portal, <portal>/verify/<verification code>, opened by scanning the QR code on the document.
What it shows	Whether the document is genuine and current, its holder and validity, and whether the electronic seal is valid and who sealed it.
Checking a copy	Anyone can upload a PDF they were given; the page says whether it is exactly the document that was issued. A changed copy is reported as not matching.

5. Notifications

When	Channel	To	Message	Delivery
Application received	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 received - Your application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 for Forestry Tree Felling Permit has been received by Forestry Department.	shown
Status changed	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Update on application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 - MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 (Forestry Tree Felling Permit) is now: With the office - being reviewed.	shown
Payment due (invoice raised)	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Payment due for application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 - The fee for Forestry Tree Felling Permit (MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26) is now due.	shown
Payment due (invoice raised)	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Payment due for application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 - The fee of ZMW 5400.00 for Forestry Tree Felling Permit (MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26) is now due. Invoice 5714015329009546.	shown
Payment received	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Payment received for MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 - Your payment of ZMW 5400.00 for MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 (Forestry Tree Felling Permit) has been received. Receipt: <ZamPay>/pdf?documentType=receipt&invoiceNumber=5714015329009546	shown
Licence / permit issued	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Your Forestry Tree Felling Permit document has been issued - MGEE-FTFP-2026-00001 has been issued for Forestry Tree Felling Permit and is valid until 05/11/2026.	shown
Invitation to rate the service	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	How was Forestry Tree Felling Permit? - How was Forestry Tree Felling Permit? Tell us in about a minute.	shown
Decision: approved	in-app (portal bell)	the applicant	Application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 completed - MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 (Forestry Tree Felling Permit) is complete. Your documents are ready.	shown
Application received	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 received	skipped
Application received	sms	+260 97* *** 567	Application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 for Forestry Tree Felling Permit has been received. Track it: <portal>/my-workplace	delivered
Status changed	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Payment due (invoice raised)	sms	+260 97* *** 567	Fee due for MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26. Pay: <portal>/my-workplace	delivered
Payment due (invoice raised)	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Payment due for application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26	skipped
Payment due (invoice raised)	sms	+260 97* *** 567	Fee of ZMW 5400.00 due for MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26. Invoice 5714015329009546. Pay: <ZamPay>/pay-for-service/get-invoice/5714015329009546	delivered
Payment received	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Invitation to rate the service	sms	+260 97* *** 567		skipped
Invitation to rate the service	email	e2e.c***@example.test	How was Forestry Tree Felling Permit?	skipped
Licence / permit issued	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Decision: approved	sms	+260 97* *** 567		delivered
Decision: approved	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Application MGEE-FTFP/00002/10-22-26 completed	skipped
Licence / permit issued	email	e2e.c***@example.test	Your Forestry Tree Felling Permit document has been issued	skipped

Delivery: shown = in the portal's notification bell; delivered = the SMS gateway (a test double in this run) reported the text delivered; skipped = not sent on that channel (e-mail is not configured on the test installation, and some notices go out on one channel only); sent by the national portal = a ministry node handed the notice to the national portal, which texts and e-mails the citizen under its own name and the citizen's preferences. Addresses written <portal>, <ZamPay> stand for the national portal and ZamPay.

6. Legacy mapping

Item	Detail
Replaces	Forestry Tree Felling Permit in the legacy ZIGS e-Services directory (ZIGS_Services)
Legacy service id	157
Legacy provider	Forestry Department (MGEE) under Ministry of Green Economy and Environment
Legacy process	LicenseReview (process 9)
Fee in the legacy system	none
Fee taken before submission	yes (as in ZIGS)
Time to issue (legacy)	New: 30 calendar days
Legacy output templates	Forestry Tree Felling Permit: ZIGS_Forms_MGEE / MGEE_ForestryTreeFellingPermit.Certificate Approval letter: ZIGS_Forms_MGEE / MGEE_ForestryTreeFellingPermit.ApprovalLetter Application form: ZIGS_Forms_MGEE / MGEE_ForestryTreeFellingPermit.Application GS-2 Notice of Government Action: ZIGS_Forms_Notices / GS-2.NoticeOfAction
Legacy address	none recorded
How it was brought over	Imported by the platform's legacy catalogue importer (zcm-backend scripts/zigs/importLegacy.js) from the ZIGS snapshot: form, case types, fees, documents, process and output templates, then served by the new platform.

7. Version and date

Item	Detail
Document version	service v1, platform 86947eee
Generated	2026-10-21T23:45:55Z (by the end-to-end run, not edited by hand)
Service version	published version 1
Platform snapshot	backend 86947eee portal 8d4a375 back office 8b37374
Test suite	e2e f4407ea; one installation (combined); seed profile mihud
Journeys	16-forestry-felling-conveyance.spec.js: citizen: applies to fell inside their concession; another applicant naming it is refused - passed 16-forestry-felling-conveyance.spec.js: officers: review, the expert records the trees, approval; the citizen pays the royalty; the permit is issued - passed 16-forestry-felling-conveyance.spec.js: citizen: conveys timber from the felling permit; the ledger holds it, an excess is flagged - passed 33-forestry-concession-inventory.spec.js: officers: the concession tree inventory is imported, and approved by another officer - passed 33-forestry-concession-inventory.spec.js: citizen and officers: a felling permit holds 30 m³ at validation and draws it at issue - passed 33-forestry-concession-inventory.spec.js: citizen: a second felling above what is left is refused at the field validation - passed
Result	6 of 6 journey tests passed
Data	Synthetic test data on a local test installation; provider test doubles for ZamPass, ZamPay, SMS and signing.