At the end of your building project

When you come to the end of your building project, there are a couple of final steps that need to happen. Your building permit will state whether you need an occupancy permit or a certificate of final inspection on completion of the building work, and you may need to update the VBA of the final cost of your building works.

Occupancy permit

An occupancy permit is a document that confirms your building surveyor is satisfied the building is suitable for occupation.

If you do need an occupancy permit, it is an offence under the Building Act 1993 to occupy the new building before you have received the permit.

The owner or the builder may apply for the occupancy permit. Before issuing an occupancy permit, the building surveyor may request certificates or statements from various practitioners involved in the construction.

Certificate of final inspection

Your building surveyor will issue certificate of final inspection for extensions or alterations to existing homes. Extensions and alterations do not require an occupancy permit, as the existing building should already have an occupancy permit.

Final cost of works

For building permits issued on or after 1 July 2019, you or your authorised agent should monitor the cost of building work and should maintain records of the cost of work.

During a building project, it is quite common for additional costs to crop up, for example, due to variations that you or the builder wish to make.

For non-staged permits, you must calculate the revised final cost of building work at the end of the building work. If the final cost is at least $15,625 higher than the initial estimate, you need to notify us of the revised final cost of work within 28 days of becoming aware of the final costs.

You can do this by completing a Notification of increased building costs (PDF, 593.73 KB) form and attaching any supporting documents, such as quotes, invoices or a copy of the amended building permit.

For staged permits, the VBA may contact you at the end of the building work and ask you to provide the final cost of work and supply supporting documents.

We may send you a Levy Reassessment Notice if we calculate that the difference between the amount of levy already paid and the amount required to be paid exceeds the prescribed amount. We will send you instructions about how to pay the additional levy.