The Government, on May 26, issued Decree No. 185/2026/ND-CP regulating the organization and operation of villages and residential groups, as well as policies for part-time personnel working in these communities.
Under the decree, minimum household thresholds for villages and residential groups in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are set at 500 households for villages and 700 households for residential groups.
In the northern midlands and mountainous region, villages must have at least 150 households, while residential groups must have at least 300 households.
In the Red River Delta region, villages must have at least 400 households and residential groups of at least 550 households.
In the North-Central region, villages must have at least 350 households and residential groups of at least 450 households.
In the South-Central coastal region and the Central Highlands, villages must have at least 300 households, while residential groups must have at least 450 households.
In the Southeastern region, villages must have at least 400 households and residential groups at least 550 households.
In the Mekong Delta region, villages must have at least 400 households and residential groups at least 550 households.
The decree also sets out provisions for villages and residential groups with special characteristics. In mountainous areas, ethnic minority communes, especially disadvantaged villages, areas with difficult terrain or transport conditions, sparsely populated areas, border and island areas, resettlement zones, or isolated communities on islands or river islets, household numbers may be lower than the standard thresholds.
Provincial-level administrations are tasked with providing detailed guidance for such special cases to ensure suitability with local conditions, governance requirements, community organization, social cohesion, and national defense and sovereignty protection needs.
Administrations in communes are responsible for gathering public opinions on plans to establish, reorganize or restructure villages and residential groups through forms consistent with laws on grassroots democracy. Authorities must compile, explain and incorporate public feedback before submitting proposals for consideration.
Based on dossiers submitted by administrations and people’s councils in communes, they will review and issue resolutions on the establishment, reorganization or restructuring of villages and residential groups at their nearest meetings.
The decree also regulates procedures for dissolving or renaming villages and residential groups, as well as merging population clusters into existing communities.
For renaming cases, commune-level administrations must prepare proposals clearly stating the reasons for the name change and the new proposed names.
Local administrations must also collect public feedback on renaming proposals, compile and explain opinions, and finalize dossiers before submission to commune-level People’s Councils for decision.
The decree took effect on May 26, 2026.
