Higher-risk buildings: applying for a completion certificate

You can apply for a completion certificate via the building control authority (this is usually the local authority where the building is located).

You must apply for a completion certificate when building work on a higher-risk building has been completed.

A higher-risk building is a building that has at least:

• 7 storeys or is at least 18 metres high 
• 1 residential unit or is a hospital, a care home or a children’s home

Some types of buildings are excluded from being a higher-risk building, such as hotels, secure residential institutions and military barracks or other Ministry of Defence accommodation. 

You can read guidance on when buildings are considered to be higher-risk buildings during construction of new buildings and when carrying out building work on existing buildings.

You must apply for a completion certificate when a:

• project to construct a new higher-risk building is completed
• project to carry out building work to an existing higher-risk building is completed

You can only apply for a partial completion certificate if both of the following apply:

• you submitted a partial completion strategy as part of your building approval control application
• you are applying for a partial completion certificate in accordance with the strategy

If you need to change the partial completion strategy, you must submit the change to the building control authority. Read the guidance about making changes to a higher-risk building project, it tells you more about the change control process.

You will need to apply to the building control authority for a completion certificate or partial completion certificate. The building control authority will advise you how to submit an application to them.

Provide details of the client, principal (or sole) contractor and principal (or sole) designer.

Include a statement that the application is being made under regulation 39 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2025, or regulation 44 if you are applying for a partial completion certificate.

Provide a description of the completed work that will be covered by the completion certificate. Include the date the work was completed.

Include a copy of the latest version of the following agreed documents when you apply for a completion certificate:

• drawings and plans
• construction control plan
• change control plan
• mandatory occurrence reporting plan
• building regulations compliance statement
• fire and emergency file
• fire compliance statement if you have one for category B work

Also include copies of: 

• your partial completion strategy, if you are applying for a partial completion certificate
• plans showing locations of any new drains and sewers
• information about drainage precautions if you’ve built over, or within 3 metres of the centreline of an existing drain, public or private sewer or disposal main
• compliance declarations signed by each principal designer and principal contractor on the project confirming they have fulfilled their duties under building regulations
• where the application is made by someone on behalf of the client, a client confirmation statement signed by the client, confirming that to the best of their knowledge the building works meet the relevant building regulations
• your change control log

You can read more about the documents you need to upload in the guidance about preparing information for a building control approval application.

Provide a statement which confirms the client has handed the building information over to the responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

• The statement must be signed by the client and the responsible person.

You can read more about the information the client must share in the guidance about keeping information about a higher-risk building: the golden thread.

To decide whether the completed work meets the relevant building regulations and requirements, the building control authority will:

• assess the information and documents in your completion certificate application
• compare the original documents in your building control approval application to any updated documents
• review your change log and any changes you submitted to the building control authority throughout the build
• carry out an inspection of the completed work

A completion certificate application will be approved if the building control authority decides:

• the completed building work complies with the applicable building regulations and requirements
• the required documents and information for the application are complete and accurate
• all required information about the building has been handed over to the responsible person

If the application is approved you’ll be issued with a completion certificate or partial completion certificate as applicable.

If the building control authority is not satisfied the application meets the criteria for approval, it will be rejected and you will not be issued with a completion certificate. The building control authority will tell you the reason(s) for rejection.