About principal certifiers

If you're planning a development that will need approval you may need to appoint a principal certifier.

A principal certifier can be:

  • a registered building surveyor
  • your local council or
  • a registered body corporate (certification company).

You choose who you’ll engage as a certifier. Your builder is not allowed to appoint the certifier or influence your choice of a certifier.

What the certifier does

The principal certifier:

  • oversees the construction phase of the development and
  • completes mandatory building inspections, known as critical stage inspections, to make sure that building standards are met.

When building work has finished and all requirements are satisfied, the principal certifier will complete final inspections and may issue the final occupation certificate.

Checks to complete

First you need to find a principal certifier.

Before appointing a principal certifier and signing a contract with them:

Before you sign a contract

Visit the NSW Fair Trading website for information on what to look for in a building contract.

For more information about the types of development certificates:

More information

To find out about certifiers, enforcement powers, how to replace a certifier and resolving concerns about a certifier, visit the Building Commission NSW website:

Contact

For help with the Building Certifiers Public Register, contact the certifiers’ registration team by emailing certifierregistration@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.

If you have feedback or an enquiry contact the agency providing the service.

Contact agency: Building Commission NSW

Last updated: 2 July 2025