Three certificates get confused constantly, and confusing them costs weeks. A Construction Certificate and a Complying Development Certificate are approvals to start building. An Occupation Certificate is the approval to use what you built. Here is how they fit together on a Sydney fitout.
A Construction Certificate follows development consent
Where work needs development consent from council, a Construction Certificate confirms the construction plans and specifications comply with the Building Code and match the consent. Work started before it is issued invalidates it, and an Occupation Certificate will not follow, according to the NSW Government. This is the usual path for new builds.
A Complying Development Certificate replaces both
If the work qualifies, a Complying Development Certificate combines the planning and construction approval, so no separate Construction Certificate is needed. Internal fit-outs in business buildings are among the works listed as eligible in the NSW Planning pocket guide. Food and drink premises must follow AS 4674-2004. Whether a job is exempt, complying or needs consent is a decision for your certifier, and it should be made before the quote is accepted.
The certifier is appointed by the owner
The owner appoints the Principal Certifier on the NSW Planning Portal, not the builder, and at least two days before work starts. For fit-outs in commercial and retail buildings, the City of Sydney notes that two inspections are usually required, and a missed inspection obliges the certifier to report.
The certificates that sit underneath
Before an Occupation Certificate, the certifier will typically want the structural engineer's installation certificate, a fire safety certificate from a properly qualified person, electrical and plumbing certificates from licensed trades, waterproofing and fire-hazard test reports for finishes, and for food premises the design and construction compliance certificates. The fire safety certificate is required before an Occupation Certificate can be issued.
An Occupation Certificate is the door
You need an Occupation Certificate before you occupy, use or change the use of a building or the part you altered. For one tenancy inside an existing building, the certifier issues a certificate for occupation of part of an existing building. In a shopping centre, the landlord may still hold its own pre-trade requirements on top, so the certificate alone does not always mean you can trade.
We have set all of this out in one place, including who issues each certificate and when it is needed, in our approvals and certification guide. If you are planning a retail or food fitout, our head contractor service covers the whole pathway.
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