Certification
Introduction
The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 permits the design or construction of building work to be certified by qualified, experienced, and reputable building professionals and tradesmen as complying with the building regulations without the need for detailed scrutiny of designs or inspections by local authorities.
Certification is an optional procedure for the implementation of building regulations in Scotland and is only relevant to work that requires a building warrant.
Certification may only be undertaken by an approved certifier of design or an approved certifier of construction who is registered in an appropriate approved certification scheme and, where relevant, holds the appropriate designation(s) in such a scheme. They must also be employed by a body (a business or other body) that has been approved as adopting suitably professional practice to provide a certification service, including quality assurance procedures to check compliance with building regulations and is registered in an appropriate approved certification scheme.
Approved certifiers are directly responsible for the work that is certified but may certify work by others if they take appropriate steps to ensure that the work conforms to the building regulations.
A Certification Handbook has been produced to assist in the implementation of this procedure.
The SBS, on behalf
of the Scottish Ministers, hosts the on-line certification register
of approved certifiers of design, approved
certifiers of construction,
approved bodies, certification scheme providers, and certification
schemes. The on-line register is the only authoritative source
of information about certification and is updated weekly.
The SBS will charge fees for handling applications and conducting audits, please see Guide on Fees
