Appoint a principal certifying authority (PCA)

Before you start any approved building or construction work, your local council or a licensed independent party must be appointed as a principal certifying authority (PCA).

You should appoint a PCA after you've been issued with a construction certificate or development consent. You then need to advise your local council of the PCA appointment before starting any building work.

The PCA oversees the development’s construction phase and completes mandatory building inspections, known as critical stage inspections, to make sure that building standards are met.

Once building work has finished, the PCA will complete final inspections and issue the final occupation certificate, if all requirements have been satisfied.

You can choose an independent PCA, or contact your local council for further information.