Certification

A Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) is a person accredited by the Building Professionals Board to carry out inspections and issue Construction Certificates and Occupation Certificates for approved developments. 

A PCA's role is to ensure the development is carried out so that it meets the requirements of the Development Consent, the Building Code of Australia, and complies with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

A PCA can be either a Council Officer or a privately accredited person.

To nominate Council as your PCA

  apply via the NSW Planning Portal.

A Construction Certificate (CC) is an approval to carry out building work in line with your development consent and must be applied for, and approved prior to any works starting on the property. 

Your application should include detailed building plans/engineering details and specifications.
The plans will most likely contain a lot more information than your approved Development Application (DA) plans, to allow your builder to work directly from them.

The building must be consistent with CC documents and the development consent.

In order to obtain the CC you might be required to first provide additional reports and pay refundable bonds or development contributions to the council.
These details are covered in the conditions of your development consent.

A CC is not required for building work that is Exempt Development, subject to a Complying Development Certificate, or for Crown building work that is certified to comply with the Building Code of Australia

To determine the supporting documents required, please refer to your Development Conditions and Consent, and Councils Construction Certificate Checklist(PDF, 7MB).

Once you have all the required documents, you can apply on line.

How to apply online

1. Register for a NSW Planning Portal account to start your application.
2. Log in to complete the online application form.

A Subdivision Works Certificate (SWC) is required before commencing any subdivision works in connection with a development consent for the subdivision of land.

Subdivision works include civil works such as sewerage works, roadworks and earthworks in connection with appropriate conditions of consent. A SWC certifies that subdivision works carried out will be consistent with development consent, and that these works will meet all regulatory requirements.

SWCs are issued at the start of the construction process.  

When subdivision works are completed, a subdivision certificate can be applied for.

To determine the supporting documents required, please refer to your Development Conditions and Consent, and Councils Subdivision Works Certificate Application Checklist.(PDF, 874KB)

You can apply for your SWC, online via the NSW Planning Portal. 

How to apply online

1. Register for a NSW Planning Portal account to start your application.
2. Log in to complete the online application form.

The Occupation Certificate (OC) authorises the occupation and use of a new building or part of a building. For staged works, a Part OC may be issued which allows you to occupy the completed part of the building.

Depending on the particular OC sought, the Principal Certifier must be satisfied the development meets various regulatory standards. These generally include that:

• A development consent is in force.
• The design and construction of the building is not inconsistent with the development consent.
• Any pre-conditions set out in the consent or requirements of planning agreements have been satisfied.
• A Construction Certificate (CC) has been issued.
• That the building is suitable for occupation (in accordance with its Building Code of Australia (BCA) classification).

Issuing the OC for the whole of the development is the last step in the formal Development Application (DA) and construction process (though there could be ongoing ‘operational’ conditions such as maintaining appropriate noise levels or landscape maintenance).

An OC is required for the use, occupation or change of use of a new building subject to a Complying Development Certificate or Construction Certificate.

A Building Compliance Declaration and other prescribed documents must be submitted before an application is made for an OC where the building, or a part of the building, is a Class 2 building *, and the OC application is made on or after 1 July 2021

To determine the supporting documents required, please refer to your Development Conditions and Consent, and Councils Occupation Certificate Application Checklist. (PDF, 171KB)

You can apply for your OC via the NSW Planning Portal. 

How to apply online

1. Register for a NSW Planning Portal account to start your application.
2. Log in to complete the online application form.

A Subdivision Certificate:

• Certifies that the subdivision plan has been completed in accordance with the relevant development consent or complying development certificate (CDC), in the case of complying development; and
• Authorises the registration of the subdivision plan for lodgement with the NSW Land and Property Information.

An application for a Subdivision Certificate may only be made by the owner of the land or any other person with the consent (in writing) of the landowner.

The following documentation would generally be required for a Subdivision Certificate:

• A subdivision plan,
• A copy of the relevant development consent (if a development application was lodged) or a CDC (if permitted under Complying Development),
• A copy of any relevant subdivision works certificate or subdivision construction certificate,
• A copy of an operative development consent and evidence of compliance with any conditions required to be fulfilled prior to issuance of subdivision certificate,
• A copy of detailed subdivision engineering plans,
• A certificate of compliance from the Water Authority (where relevant),
• Evidence that required drainage easements have been acquired by the relevant council (where relevant),
• Additional requirements for Subdivisions involving subdivision work
• Evidence of completion of any required subdivision work, or
• An agreement has been reached with the relevant consent authority as to payment for the cost of the work and the time for carrying out the work, or
• An agreement has been reached with the relevant consent authority as to security to be given to the consent authority with respect to the completion of the work.
• Anything else specified in Clause 157(2) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2000.

To determine the supporting documents required, please refer to your Development Conditions and Consent, and Councils Subdivision Certificate Application Checklist.(PDF, 7MB)

You can apply for your Subdivision Certificate via the NSW Planning Portal.

How to apply online

1. If you don’t already have an account, Register for a NSW Planning Portal account to start your application.
2. Log in to complete the online application form.

Complying development is a fast-track approval process for straightforward residential, commercial and industrial development. Complying development generally includes larger building works than exempt development. For this reason, ‘sign off’ by a building professional (known as a certifying authority) is needed. Provided the proposal fully meets specific development standards, it can be determined by a Council or registered certifier without the need for a full development application.

A notice of intention to commence work must be submitted a minimum of 2 business days prior to the commencement of work.

To ensure both Council and the Principal Certifier are advised, this notice must be provided via the NSW Planning Portal.

To submit your notice of commencement:

1.  Log in to the NSW Planning Portal

2.  Open the 'PC Appointment' application in your 'Active Work'

3.  Select 'Intention to commence work' from the 'Actions' dropdown menu

4.  Complete the short form by nominating the date the work is commencing and click 'Submit'

Please note that notice to commence work cannot be provided direct to Council and must be done on the NSW Planning Portal.

The NSW Planning Portal can be accessed here: Welcome to the NSW Planning Portal

Please also refer to the Post Consent Certificate FAQ(PDF, 4MB)

Additional information is available here: Applicant Resources NSW Planning Portal