Online certificates - coming 4 February for some certificates

Online certificates Upcoming changes

Council is working towards offering more online services to improve the customer experience. To achieve this we are changing the way you apply and pay for a number of Council issued certificates.  From 4 February 2019, customers will need to apply and pay for these certificates and documents online:

10.7 Certificates (planning certificates) 735A Certificates (outstanding notices) Drainage/sewer diagrams (internal and external) 603 Certificates (rates and charges)

Moving to an online system will help reduce paper, streamline the application process and allow you to lodge and pay for certificates and documents online 24/7.

From 4 February 2019, you will need to access Council’s online services portal, select the required certificate or document, and make a secure payment online using a credit card.

Planning Certificates

A Planning Certificate is issued under Section 10.7(2) [formerly Section 149(2)] and 10.7(5) [formerly Section 149(5)] of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. A certificate may be requested to obtain information about planning controls or constraints that affect a property. A certificate must be requested on the purchase and sale of a property under the Conveyancing Act 1919.

A certificate also may be requested for a Section 10.7(2) - Exempt and Complying which confirms whether complying development may be carried out under the State Environmental Planning Policy 2008 (Exempt and Complying Development).

Types of Certificates

There are three types of Planning Certificates, 10.7(2), 10.7(2) and 10.7(5) and Certificate under Section 10.7(2) - Exempt and Complying development only.

Section 10.7(2): A certificate issued under Section 10.7(2) provides information regarding the property zoning, relevant state, regional and local planning controls and other property constraints such as bush fire, contamination land, flooding, landslip, or road widening as specified in the EP&A Regulations 2000. Section 10.7(2) and 10.7(5): A certificate issued under Section 10.7(2) and 10.7(5) provides the above information and other matters council deems relevant to the land, such as backlog sewer program and tree preservation orders. Section 10.7(2) - Exempt and Complying only: A certificate issued under Section 10.7(2) provides information only related to Exempt and Complying development matters. Processing times for planning certificates

Council will aim to process Planning Certificate applications within:

Four working days for standard applications. Two working days with payment of urgency fee. Drainage/sewer diagrams (internal and external) 

A requested diagram of sewerage connection into a property (sewer area only).

Rating certificates Section 603 Rates and Charges: A section 603 Rates Certificate specifies any outstanding rates, charges or debts payable to Council in relation to a parcel of land. Section 735A Certificates (outstanding notices): A S.735A Certificate is issued under the Local Government Act 1993 and lists any outstanding notices or orders issued by Council in relation to a particular property. Processing times for rating certificates

Council will aim to process Rating Certificate applications within:

Five working days for standard applications. One working day with payment of urgency fee.   Certificate delivery

Once your application has been processed you will be emailed a copy of your final certificate to the email address nominated in your online application. All certificates are processed by different Council sections and have different process timelines. This means you may receive your certificates in separate emails at separate times. 

Cost of certificates

Payment for certificates must be paid via credit card online at the time of application. 

Urgent certificates

You can make an urgent certificate application online. To do this, select urgent and continue to the payment process. Urgent applications will incur an urgency fee which needs to be paid online before the application can be submitted and processed. 

Resources and relevant policy Your privacy

Your completed application form contains personal information which is being collected for the purpose of accessing information from Council records and to perform any other duty or task under any relevant legislation. The information will be processed by the Development and Environmental Health Group and may be made available to public enquiries under the Government Information (Public Access) Act. The information will be stored in Council’s electronic document management system. To find out more read Council’s privacy statement. 

More information

To find out more contact Council's Rates Team or Planning Team on 1300 864 444 or email [email protected].