A Building Approval Certificate, also known as a Building permit, is a written approval from a licensed building surveyor certifying that a proposed building complies with the relevant building restrictions. The Certificate will cover a building that is taking place or about to take place.

This Certificate provides you with protection by ensuring:

• the builder working on your development are licensed and have the required insurance
• adequate documentation to show the works were carried with the appropriate permissions.
• key stages of the development are inspected.

Not all proposed buildings require this Certificate, some of these include:

• Small demolitions or alterations
• Pergolas associated with houses.
• Garden sheds with a floor area less then 10m²
• Repair work (maintenance)

The Certificate is one of the many Property Enquiries triSearch offers.

For more information, the Victorian Building Authority has more on the regulations on the commencement and completion dates for building work associated with a building permit.