The Principal Certifier inspects a development at certain stages to ensure the works are consistent with the Development Consent and the National Construction Code (NCC) and relevant Australian Standards. This ensures the safety of the property owner and other community members.

To obtain further information on how to appoint Council as the PC please email Council's Building Certification team or call 1300 434 434.

To appoint Northern Beaches Council as the Principal Certifier, please submit an application via the NSW Planning Portal.

You can apply for a Construction Certificate after your Development Application has been approved.

Prior to lodging your CC application, please refer to the steps below to ensure you lodge an assessment ready application:

• Read Council's Construction Certificate Requirements below to determine what you reports and documentation may be applicable for your application
• Talk to your builder or consultant about complying with all your legal obligations
• Obtain a fee quote using our Fee Estimator to submit with your application.

Refer to the Submit a Construction Certificate guide for instructions on lodging your application.

Documentation
To prevent unnecessary delays with the processing of your application, ensure the following is uploaded in support of your application:

• Signed owners consent
• Boundary Identification Survey (if applicable, with the exception of change of use or internal alterations only)
• Construction Certificate Plans (a full set of architectural plans complying with the conditions of Development Consent)
• Structural Plans and details (designed a suitably qualified structural engineer)
• Stormwater plans (if applicable)
• Geotechnical Assessment (if applicable)
• Building specifications
• Evidence of compliance with conditions of Development Consent
• Bushfire assessment report (if applicable)
• BASIX certificate
• Sydney Water building plan approval
• Other plans or documents may be applicable depending on the proposal and site

Before a building can be occupied, an Occupation Certificate must be obtained. An OC certifies a building's compliance with Development Consent, The Building Code of Australia, Australian Standards, relevant legislation, and indicates it is in a condition suitable for occupancy.

Prior to lodging your OC application, please refer to the steps below to ensure you lodge an assessment ready application:

• Talk to your builder or consultant about obtaining all the relevant trade certificates and documents required for your Occupation Certificate application.
• Obtain a fee quote using our Fee Estimator to submit with your application.

Refer to the Submit an Occupation Certificate guide for instructions on lodging your application.

Prior to lodging your SC application, please refer to the steps below to ensure you lodge an assessment ready application:

Refer to the Submit a Subdivision Certificate guide for instructions on lodging your application.

Types of Subdivision Certificates

Torrens Title Subdivision
A Torrens Title subdivision involves the creation of new allotments from an existing allotment.

To obtain approval for a Torrens Title subdivision, a development application (DA) is required to be lodged with Council, unless the subdivision is being carried out in accordance with the provisions of the SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Code) 2008. 

If approved, and if the subdivision includes engineering works such as earthworks, right of carriageways, roads, footpaths, water quality, control ponds and drainage works, you will be required to lodge a subdivision construction certificate. 

Finally, a subdivision certificate will be required to be lodged with Council.

Strata Title Subdivision
A strata subdivision is most commonly used within apartment buildings. This title gives individual ownership to small portions of a larger property and an undivided share to common property (e.g. gardens or driveways). Owners will become members of the body corporate, which controls maintenance.

Before you can register the strata title subdivision with the NSW Land Registry, you must lodge a subdivision certificate with a D1 Registered Certifier. A list of currently accredited certifiers is available on the Fair Trading website.

Refer to the NSW Land Registry reference guides, templates and checklists for information required to be submitted with your Strata Subdivision Application.

The Strata Plan Reference Guide, Strata Plan Preparation Guide and all plan lodgment checklists are available on the NSW Land Registry website.

Boundary Adjustments
A boundary adjustment is defined as the realignment of a lot boundary. A boundary adjustment may be Exempt Development, under SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Code) 2008. If the adjustment does not create another allotment and each new allotment can be developed. If not Exempt Development, a development application will be required.

Before you can register the boundary adjustment with the NSW Department of Lands, you must lodge a subdivision certificate with Council. Further, you may require a section 73 certificate from the Sydney Water Corporation.

Site Consolidations
A site consolidation is the amalgamation of two or more lots into one lot.

Development Consent is required for site consolidations, hence you will need to lodge a Development Application. Once consent has been obtained from Council, you will need to lodge a Subdivision Certificate Application with Council and once approved, you can submit your approved plans to the NSW Land Registry Services to register the new lot Before you can register the site consolidation with the NSW Department of Lands, you must lodge a subdivision certificate with Council.

Stratum Subdivision
A stratum subdivision is the vertical subdivision of sections of a building into separate titles. Before you can register the stratum subdivision with the NSW Department of Lands, you must lodge a subdivision certificate with Council.

A subdivision works certificate is a construction certificate for subdivision works.

Under Section 6.13 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), a Subdivision Works Certificate is required before you can carry out subdivision work in accordance with a development consent.

Section 6.1 of the EP&A Act defines “subdivision work” as any physical activity authorised to be carried out in connection with a subdivision under the conditions of a development consent for the subdivision of land. Examples of works that might be covered by this definition include civil works such as sewerage works, roadworks and earthworks in connection with appropriate conditions of consent.

You will require a Subdivision Works Certificate if your development consent has conditions that are to be satisfied prior to issuing a Subdivision Works Certificate.

Find out more on LEPs, DCPs and SEPPs.

Strata schemes can also be terminated. Once Council has signed the Termination of Strata application, the owner will have to submit the documentation to the NSW Land Registry to make the termination effective. For information in relation to the termination of strata schemes please phone us on 1300 434 434 and ask to speak to a Building Surveyor.