Village and residential group arrangement: Latest regulations of the Government on principles and authority

On May 26, the Government issued Decree No. 185/2026/ND-CP stipulating the organization and operation of villages and residential groups and regimes and policies for non-specialized workers in villages and residential groups.

Article 8 of the Decree has stipulated the principles of establishing, arranging, reorganizing, dissolving, naming, and renaming villages and residential groups.

Accordingly, comply with the provisions of law; ensure democracy, publicity, and transparency; inherit and promote historical, cultural, customary, and good habit values, suitable to the natural conditions, local characteristics, population size, and socio-economic conditions of the locality; ensure essential conditions to serve the organization and activities of the community.

Local authorities at the commune level are responsible for ensuring the necessary conditions for the organization and operation of villages and residential groups.

The establishment of villages and residential groups must be consistent with the characteristics, natural conditions, socio-economic development level, cultural and traditional characteristics; the specific conditions of each commune-level administrative unit after arrangement and the 2-level local government organization model.

Implement rearrangement and reorganization for villages and residential groups when they do not meet the criteria according to the provisions of law or according to management requirements, socio-economic development, urbanization, population distribution and community activity organization requirements.

The arrangement and reorganization of villages and residential groups needs to carefully consider factors such as geographical location, terrain, customs, habits, ethnicity, religion, population characteristics, socio-economic development level and people's aspirations in the locality.

Ensure the good implementation of military and defense work, political stability, social order and safety, create consensus among the people, facilitate people's lives and activities, and improve the efficiency of management and service to the People by grassroots authorities.

The dissolution of villages and residential groups is carried out in necessary cases due to changes in geographical factors, terrain, due to the arrangement and reorganization of villages and residential groups, or due to the implementation of compensation and resettlement plans.

The determination of village and residential group types according to the provisions of Article 2 of this Decree and naming villages and residential groups are carried out simultaneously in the process of establishing, arranging, and reorganizing villages and residential groups.

The renaming of villages and residential groups is carried out in cases of duplicate village and residential group names in the same commune-level administrative unit or at the request of people in villages and residential groups.

Article 9 of the Decree stipulates the authority to establish, arrange, reorganize, dissolve, name, rename villages and residential groups; merge residential clusters into existing villages and residential groups.

Accordingly, the Commune-level People's Council decides to establish, arrange, reorganize, dissolve, name, change the name of villages and residential groups in the area; merge residential clusters into existing villages and residential groups.

In special zones where local government levels are not organized, the People's Committee of the special zone decides to establish, arrange, reorganize, dissolve, name, and rename villages and residential groups in the area; merge residential clusters into existing villages and residential groups.

This Decree takes effect from May 26, 2026.

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