Obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy For Your New Build

A Certificate of Occupancy, also referred to as Certificate of Use (COO/COU), is issued by the ACT Planning Registrar once your building work is complete, and is “either fully or substantially built in accordance with approved plans and building laws.”  

The certification also encompasses electrical, gas and plumbing work associated with your build, and is an essential document signifying completion and ‘green light’ use of your new house, secondary dwelling or extension. 

Certificate of Occupancy Example: Certificate of Occupancy - 55 Piddington Street Watson ACT 2602

Role of Building Certifiers

During your walkthrough meeting at the completion of building, the COO application document is signed by the property owner(s) and lodged with our Building Certifier. It is the role of the certifier to ensure the complete application is then lodged, along with all associated documents, for assessment by Planning ACT. 

Comments or defects observed during the walkthrough inspection need to be resolved prior to the certifier lodging the COO application. 

The number of associated documents and approved plans required by the department is ever-increasing, up to 30 in some builds, meaning delays or incomplete forms are more likely. This is amplified with more complex extensions/renovations. 

Inspections Throughout the Build

During construction, some of these associated documents will be completed and collated as evidence by the certifier to be lodged at completion. Some of these progress inspections include:  

• Insulation – Example Document of Insulation Certificate

• Waterproofing – Example Document of Waterproofing Certificate

• Glazing- windows –  Example Document of Glazing Window Certificate

• Glazing- shower screens – Example Document of Glazing Shower Screens Certificate                

• Termite Protection - Example Document of Termite Protection - Penetrations and Perimeter

• Smoke alarms -  Example Document of Smoke alarms Certificate

Electrical, plumbing and gas work is recorded electronically by our tradespeople throughout the project, where the work is crosschecked by the department during the COO assessment. Upon completion, the final inspections for these trades are as follows: 

Plumbing  

• Final inspection is required to be completed by the plumber and plumbing inspector before a COU will be finalised 

• The plumbing inspections are independent of the certifier, and are managed by the plumber as a licenced trade  

Electrical and Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES)  

• A certificate of electrical safety is required for all projects. The CES and random inspections are independent of the building certifier, and are managed by the electrician as a licenced trade. 

• Electrical inspections are random, required in around 1 in 20 projects  

• Random inspections are booked via the electrician with the Access Canberra electrical inspection team.  

Waiting for Certificate of Occupancy 

Frustration is common among both builders and property owners due to the tedious nature of the COO application and associated approval documents. 

A completed application can be assessed and the certificate issued in 3-4 weeks, however the process may take up to 4 months. 

Unfortunately the process is out of the hands of both builders and owners; we simply must wait for the department to complete their checks. There’s nothing either party can do to expedite the certificate.  

Legal Ramifications

According to ACT government regulations homeowners are not supposed to occupy the new building until the COO has been issued. 

If you intend to use or occupy the building while waiting for the ACT Government to issue the COO, then you must contact your property and building insurer to ensure that you have an active insurance policy for the property.  

Managing the Certification Process

To minimise potential delays during the COO process, we use the following examples of internal processes throughout the construction phase: 

Construction Alerts  

• All certifier comments are captured in our construction alert report. 

• Inspections may be searched by inspection type and project address. 

• When all inspection comments are resolved, the report is ready to be provided to the certifier. 

COO Document Report  

• This internal report helps us see all previously uploaded documents and any that are missing/not uploaded. 

• Alerts and documents are managed by our internal construction support team.

Typical COO Timeline

Useful contacts: 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Enquiry Form

*Please email coo@cgfb.com.au if you have any questions or require follow-up. Alternatively you can complete  the above form.