Certificate of Final Inspection (CFI, Vic)

A Certificate of Final Inspection (CFI) in Victoria is the certificate issued by the Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS) at completion of Class 1a residential building work and extensions where the building already has an Occupancy Permit. It is the Vic Class 1a (single dwelling) completion document under the Building Act 1993 (Vic). The CFI is distinct from an Occupancy Permit (OP): OPs apply to Class 2 and above (apartments, multi-unit, larger buildings), while CFIs apply to Class 1a houses. The CFI confirms that the work is complete and compliant per the building permit, but doesn’t authorise occupation (because Class 1a houses don’t require occupation authorisation in Vic). Verified per Building Act 1993 (Vic) (2026-05-23).

When the CFI is required

Project	CFI required?
New Class 1a single dwelling	Yes
Class 1a extension to existing dwelling	Yes
Class 1a renovation (significant work)	Yes
Detached garage (Class 10a)	Sometimes (if structural)
Pool fence retrofit	Sometimes
Class 2 (apartments)	No, Occupancy Permit applies instead
Class 3+ (commercial residential, etc.)	No, Occupancy Permit

For a typical Vic residential builder, the CFI is the standard completion document.

CFI vs Occupancy Permit (OP)

Aspect	CFI	OP
Applies to	Class 1a single dwelling (Vic)	Class 2 and above (Vic)
Issued by	Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS)	Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS)
Confirms	Work complete + compliant	Building fit to occupy
Authorises occupation	No (Class 1a doesn’t need authorisation in Vic)	Yes (mandatory before move-in)
Required at completion	Yes	Yes for Class 2+
Equivalent NSW	(Different system; NSW has Occupation Certificate for all)	(NSW OC covers both)

The reasoning: Class 1a houses in Vic don’t need authorisation to occupy (the owner can move in when ready). But the work still needs to be certified as complete and compliant. The CFI fills that role.

CFI issue process

Building work complete to the building permit drawings.
Final mandatory inspections by the RBS (typically at completion, with additional inspections during construction).
All required certifications lodged: structural completion, energy performance, plumbing compliance, electrical compliance, smoke alarms, etc.
Builder applies for CFI to the RBS.
RBS final inspection confirms compliance.
CFI issued with any specific conditions.

What’s in a CFI

Element	Content
RBS identification	Surveyor’s name, registration number, signature
Permit reference	The original building permit number
Property address	Lot description, full address
Class	Class 1a (or 1b, 10a as applicable)
Completion date	The day inspection was satisfactory
Conditions	Any specific conditions or restrictions
Compliance statement	”Work is complete per the permit and complies with the Building Act and BCA”

Mandatory inspections leading to CFI

Typical mandatory inspections for Class 1a:

Stage	Inspection
Footings	Pre-pour: footing depth, reinforcement, soil bearing
Slab	Pre-pour: slab reinforcement, vapour barrier, services
Frame	Wall frame, roof frame
Pre-lining	Before plasterboard: services, fire ratings, waterproofing rough-in
Wet area waterproofing	After waterproofing membrane applied, before tile
Smoke alarms	Installation per AS 3786 + interconnection
Final	At completion: all elements complete and compliant

A typical Vic Class 1a build has 6-8 mandatory inspection stages. Missing one is a hold-point that prevents the CFI.

Common reasons CFI is refused or delayed

Reason	Detail
NCC non-compliance detected at final	Smoke alarms, balustrades, pool fencing common
Incomplete certifications	Plumbing or electrical compliance certificates outstanding
Energy compliance missing	NatHERS report or Section 8 certificate not provided
Wet area waterproofing not certified	AS 3740 compliance evidence missing
Site dirty or works in progress	Inspection deferred
As-built deviates from permit	Amendment required before CFI issues

State variations for residential completion

State	Class 1a completion document
VIC	Certificate of Final Inspection (CFI) (this)
NSW	Occupation Certificate (OC)
QLD	Certificate of Occupancy (or exemption for some Class 1a)
SA	Certificate of Occupancy under PDI Act 2016
WA	Certificate of Construction Compliance (Class 1 exempt from OP)
TAS	Certificate of Completion
NT	Certificate of Occupancy
ACT	Certificate of Occupancy and Use

CFI and the contract completion clock

The CFI date is the legal date of completion for most Vic residential contracts:

Triggered by CFI	Detail
Statutory warranty period begins	10 years for major defects under Vic Building Act
Defects liability period begins	Per contract, typically 3-6 months
Final retention release	Per contract
DBI cover commences	For owner-built work on-sell
HBCF cover commences (where applicable)	Class 2+ only (NSW); not relevant to Vic Class 1a

A delayed CFI delays the warranty start, the retention release, and any cover commencement.

Builder timing

Stage	Lead time
Book final inspection	1-2 weeks ahead of expected completion
Pre-final clean and check	3-5 days before inspection
Final inspection	Day 0
CFI issued	Within 5 BD of satisfactory inspection (typical)
Hand-over to client	Immediately on CFI; sometimes delayed for cleaning

Common defects

Smoke alarm non-compliance: most common refusal (mis-located, not interconnected, wrong type).
Balustrade height or opening: NCC Part 3.9 compliance.
Pool fence non-compliance: Vic Building Act + AS 1926.1.
Waterproofing certification missing: AS 3740 evidence.
Energy performance certificate missing: NatHERS or Section 8.
Plumbing compliance certificate not provided: Vic plumbing licensing requires this.

Builder takeaway

For Vic Class 1a residential, the CFI is the completion document. Book the final inspection 2 weeks before hand-over.
Maintain a checklist of certifications required (NatHERS, plumbing, electrical, smoke alarms, fire safety, pool barrier).
Brief the client: in Vic Class 1a, they can move in on CFI issue; no separate occupation authorisation needed.
For Class 2+, the document is an Occupancy Permit instead; check the class early.

Also known as

CFI; Vic completion certificate; Class 1a final certificate; final certificate (Vic, distinct from NSW final certificate); building completion certificate.

Category: Approvals & DA.