Using Council as your Certifier

Building Certification Services

Council offers:

• Complying Development Certificates  

• Construction Certificates 

• Principal Certifier for building work, which includes conducting critical stage inspections and issuing the Occupation Certificate

Subdivision Certification Services

 Council offers:  

• Subdivision Works Certificates  

• Principal Certifier for subdivision, which includes conducting critical stage inspections and issuing the Subdivision Certificate or Strata Certificate

Certification fees

The fees for Council's certification services are comparable with private Registered Certifiers. Please contact Council to request a quote.

Apply for a Complying Development Certificate

Complying development is a fast-track approval process for small scale, low-impact residential, commercial and industrial development. 

To be considered a complying development, the proposed development must comply with all the pre-determined development standards specified by the NSW Department of Planning.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the proposed development complies with all the development standards and Building Code of Australia. Failure to comply with one or more development standard may result in the application being refused.

To request a Complying Development Certificate from Council, you must complete an application and checklist.

Apply for a Complying Development Certificate

You must then lodge them via the NSW Planning Portal. The NSW Government has prepared a step-by-step user guide for lodging a Complying Development Certificate application.

Apply for a Construction Certificate

After obtaining development consent, you must obtain a Construction Certificate before commencing any building work. 

The Construction Certificate confirms the construction plans and development specifications are consistent with the development consent, and that they comply with the Building Code of Australia and all other planning requirements. 

To request a Construction Certificate from Council, you must complete an application and checklist.

Apply for a Construction Certificate

You must then lodge them via the NSW Planning Portal. The NSW Government has prepared a step-by-step user guide for lodging a Construction Certificate application on the NSW Planning Portal.

Choose Council as your Principal Certifier

A Development Consent (whether through a Development Application or Complying Development Certificate) does not authorise building work to occur until a Principal Certifier has been appointed for the development.    

What is a Principal Certifier?  

A Principal Certifier (PC) must be is appointed before any building work begins. The PC is responsible for:  

• conducting critical stage inspections of the development 

• ensuring compliance with the development consent 

• investigating any non-compliances with the development 

• issuing a Written Direction Notice within 2 business days of becoming aware of any non-compliance

• ensuring compliance with the Building Code of Australia

• assessing and issuing the Occupation Certificate 

Council or a private Registered Certifier can be appointed as the PC for building work. NSW Fair Trading maintains a Public Register of Registered Certifiers that includes the contact information of all private Registered Certifiers.

To request Council to be appointed as your Principal Certifier, you must complete an application form.

Apply to appoint Council as your Principal Certifier

An application must be lodged on the NSW Planning Portal. Follow the NSW Government’s step-by-step user guide for lodging an application.

Submit Notice of Commencement

Before any work begins, you must ensure that all pre-conditions outlined in the development consent have been met. Documentation demonstrating compliance must be submitted to the Principal Certifier for review. Once they have verified this documentation, the Principal Certifier will issue a partially completed Notice of Commencement.

You must then complete the remaining parts of the Notice of Commencement and submit the final document via the NSW Planning Portal.

The completed Notice of Commencement must be lodged at least 2 days before works begin. 

It is an offence to commence works without meeting all pre-conditions of the development consent, and submitting a Notice of Commencement on time.

On the spot penalties of up to $6,000 may be issued. 

Request a critical stage inspection

A Principal Certifier is required to inspect the development at certain stages to ensure the works are consistent with the development consent and Building Code of Australia.

Works cannot continue until the Principal Certifier has carried out each satisfactory critical stage inspection.

If Council has been appointed as the Principal Certifier, you can request a critical stage inspection by providing at least 48 hours’ notice. Council can only conduct these inspections when appointed as the Principal Certifier.

Contact Council

It is an offence not to notify the Principal Certifier that a critical stage inspection is required. On-the-spot penalties of up to $3,000 may be issued per inspection. If you miss a critical stage inspection, the Principal Certifier may withhold issuing an Occupation Certificate.

Apply for an Occupation Certificate

An Occupation Certificate is required before you can occupy or use a new building, or if the use of an existing building has changed.

This certificate confirms that the development has been completed in accordance with the development consent and that the building is suitable for occupation, based on its classification under the Building Code of Australia.

To request an Occupation Certificate from Council, you must complete an application and checklist. An application can only be lodged if Council was appointed as the Principal Certifier for the development.

Apply for an occupation certificate

You must lodge an application on the NSW Planning Portal. The NSW Government has prepared a step-by-step user guide for lodging an Occupation Certificate application on the NSW Planning Portal.

It is an offence to occupy a building or part of a building prior to obtaining an Occupation Certificate. On the spot penalties of up to $6,000 may be issued.