The book "Handbook of organization and operation of local authorities at the commune level" was compiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs (in paper and electronic versions).
In the handbook, the Ministry of Home Affairs has responded to a number of related contents when implementing the 2-level local government model. In particular, there is a question about how to convert villages and residential groups and change the names of villages and residential groups due to the same names in newly established commune-level administrative units after the implementation of the arrangement?
Responding to this question, in the handbook, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 4168 of the Ministry of Home Affairs on guiding a number of contents on the arrangement of the apparatus and administrative units, the conversion of villages, residential groups and renaming of villages and residential groups due to the same names in newly formed commune-level administrative units after the arrangement are implemented as follows:
In the immediate future, the villages and residential groups in the commune-level administrative units (new) will be kept intact until there are new regulations from the Government.
The determination of the type of community organization for residents at the commune-level administrative unit (new) is implemented according to the provisions of the Law on Implementing Democracy at the Grassroots Level No. 10/2022/QH15.
Accordingly, the organization of villages and residential groups is carried out as follows: Villages are organized in communes and special zones (under communes and special zones are villages); Residential groups are organized in wards (under wards are residential groups).
In case the special zone is recognized as an urban type according to the provisions of law (special to Phu Quoc area), the residential group is below the special zone.
In case of merging and adjusting communes and towns with wards to establish wards (new): Organize the unification of residential groups in the wards (new);
In case of merging and adjusting towns with communes to establish communes (new): Organize the consolidation of villages in communes (new).
Notably, the People's Council at the commune level has the authority to establish, reorganize, dissolve, rename, and change the names of villages and residential groups (Point d, Clause 2, Article 21 of the Law on Organization of Local Government No. 72/2025/QH15).
The Ministry of Home Affairs also guides the conversion of villages and residential groups and the renaming of villages and residential groups due to the same name at the newly formed commune-level administrative unit after the implementation of the arrangement.
For the conversion of villages into residential groups or residential groups into villages: The People's Committee of the commune (new) shall make a list of villages that need to be converted into residential groups or a list of residential groups that need to be converted into villages and submit it to the People's Council of the same level for consideration and decision.
Regarding the change of village and residential group names due to the same name: The People's Committee at the commune level (new) will develop a plan and collect opinions from voters who are representatives of households in the village or residential group. If more than 50% of voters representing households agree, the People's Committee at the commune level will complete the plan and submit it to the People's Council at the commune level for consideration and decision.
In case the provinces and cities have converted villages and residential groups or renamed villages and residential groups due to the same names at commune-level administrative units (new) formed after the 2025 arrangement before the Law on Organization of Local Government No. 72/2025/QH15 takes effect, the above contents will not be re-implemented.
