Progress Certificate / Completion Certificate - Inspection Procedure

What the procedure governs

The Progress Certificate / Completion Certificate Inspection Procedure issued by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning applies to inspections before permission, during construction and before completion certification. It identifies the inspection stages, responsibilities of owners and registered professionals, and the checks to be made by the competent authority.

The procedure allows the competent authority to arrange inspections based on risk assessment. Inspections may be conducted by the authority, a nominated official or an empanelled qualified professional. A single joint site inspection must be conducted by all authorities concerned when issuing a planning permit, building permit or completion certificate.

Responsibilities during construction

Owners, developers and their registered professionals must comply with the following requirements:

• Permit authorised officers to enter the site at a reasonable time for inspection.
• Keep a copy of the approved plan at the development premises.
• Notify the authority in Form 2 before starting work and within the validity of the building permission.
• For non high rise buildings above 12 metres, record progress at the plinth and last storey stages.
• Submit the prescribed progress certificate and structural inspection report through the Registered Architect or Registered Engineer.
• Apply after completion up to plinth level for an order allowing work to continue.
• Continue construction without deviation from the approved plan.

The procedure states in one place that a decision on deviations must be conveyed within 15 working days. It also states that, after receiving a progress certificate through the registered professional, the competent authority must check deviations and convey its decision within 7 working days. If an order of continuance is not issued within 15 days after receipt of the application, it is treated as issued.

Completion certificates

A completion report is required for all buildings except residential buildings up to 12 metres in height with no more than three dwelling units or 750 square metres, and all types of industrial buildings. Forms 5, 6, 7 and 8 in Annexure XIV must accompany the application.

Key requirements include:

• Certification that construction follows the approved plan.
• Structural drawings and reports from the relevant registered professionals.
• Confirmation of lift inspection and fire safety certificates where applicable.
• Submission of information required by the competent authority.
• A decision by the competent authority within 30 days after receiving the completion report and conducting the necessary inspection.

Electricity, water supply and sewerage connections for buildings covered by the requirement can be provided only after production of the completion certificate. Separate completion certificates may be issued for completed detached or semi detached buildings within a larger project when the stated approved plan requirements are satisfied.