CDC
Complying Development Certificates
A combined planning and construction approval issued under the Codes SEPP when a proposal meets every development standard.
Independent NSW residential certifier
Independent certification, without the delay.
Work directly with a registered NSW certifier from enquiry to Occupation Certificate. CDC, CC and OC across Newcastle, the Hunter and Sydney. Clear advice, fast decisions, no unnecessary delays.
- Registered NSW certifier
- 100% independent
- Same-day fee proposals
- Direct contact start to finish
- 01Enquiry
- 02Assessment
- 03Approval
- 04Inspections
- 05Occupation Certificate
- Registered under
- Certifiers Act 2018
- Registration no.
- BDC04873
- Insurance
- PI & PL held
- Acts in
- The public interest
- Certificates
- CDC · CC · OC
Why Fahey Certification
One registered certifier, from first enquiry to Occupation Certificate
You deal with the registered certifier the whole way. The person who assesses your plans runs the inspections and answers the phone, so communication stays direct, decisions stay consistent, and nothing is lost in a hand-over.
- One certifier, end to end
- From the first enquiry to the final Occupation Certificate, the same registered certifier handles your project. No hand-offs, and no being passed around a team.
- Direct communication
- Your questions go straight to the person making the decisions. You get clear, plain answers, and you always know exactly where your application stands.
- Consistent judgement
- The certifier who assessed your plans carries out the inspections, so the standard applied at lodgement is the standard applied at completion.
- Accountable and independent
- One person owns the outcome and acts in the public interest, engaged by you as the owner rather than the builder. Nothing falls through the cracks.
Services
Building certification services in NSW
Four core services, one accountable practice. We assess every application against the legislation that governs it and explain exactly what's required.
CC
Construction Certificates
Certifies that detailed construction documents are consistent with the development consent and comply with the Building Code of Australia before work starts.
OC
Occupation Certificates
Authorises occupation of a completed building once required inspections and documentation confirm it is suitable to occupy.
PC
Principal Certifier Appointments
Independent oversight of a project from commencement to completion, including the mandatory critical-stage inspections.
Process
A clear path from enquiry to Occupation Certificate.
The same sequence applies whether your project runs through complying development or a development application.
01
Enquiry & eligibility
You send the proposal and site details. We confirm the certification pathway and whether the code-based route is available.
02
Documentation review
We assess the documents against the applicable standards and itemise precisely what is required to determine the application.
03
Determination & appointment
The certificate is issued, or the gaps are closed first. Where appointed, we record the Principal Certifier role on the Planning Portal.
04
Inspections & completion
Critical-stage inspections proceed as the work does, through to the final inspection and Occupation Certificate.
Projects & sectors
What we certify: homes, duplexes, pools and renovations
The building type shapes the pathway and the documentation. We certify across the residential forms NSW builders work in most.
Residential Homes
New single dwellings, commonly certified as complying development under the Housing Code, or by DA and Construction Certificate.
Duplex & Dual Occupancy
Two dwellings on one lot, often complying development where minimum lot size and the relevant standards are met.
Swimming Pools
New pools and their barriers, commonly complying development, with barrier compliance to the Swimming Pools Act 1992.
Renovations & Additions
Alterations and additions, frequently exempt or complying development, depending on the extent of work and the site.
About the practice
Your building certifier in Newcastle and across NSW
Fahey Certification works with builders, developers, designers and homeowners who need certification handled correctly and without surprises, from confirming the right pathway at the outset through to the final inspection and Occupation Certificate.
We work across Greater Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens, Hunter Region, Central Coast and Sydney. Projects on the Mid North Coast and across greater NSW are undertaken subject to quote. See the area guides.
Accountable certifier
Tristan Fahey
Registered Certifier & Director
- Registration no.
- BDC04873
- Accreditation class
- Building Surveyor – Restricted (class 1 and 10 buildings)
- Registered under
- Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018
- Regulator
- Building Commission NSW
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance held
- ABN
- 78 699 809 455
Common questions
What builders and owners ask first
Straight answers to the five questions that come up before anyone picks a certifier.
What does building certification cost?
We quote a fixed fee up front, so there are no hourly surprises. Send the plans and site details and you will usually have a written fee proposal the same business day. The fee never changes without your approval.
How long does a CDC take in NSW?
It depends on the application. Once we hold a complete application we assess it straight away, and we tell you what is outstanding before you lodge rather than after. Where the code requires adjoining owners to be notified, that notification period has to run before the certificate can issue, so it is worth planning for. Incomplete applications are what actually cause delay.
Do I need a CDC or a development application?
A CDC is available where a proposal meets every standard in the applicable code — it combines planning and construction approval in one certificate. If a single standard is not met, the code pathway closes and the project needs a development application to council, followed by a Construction Certificate. We confirm which applies before you commit to a full documentation set.
Who appoints the Principal Certifier — me or my builder?
The owner appoints the Principal Certifier, not the builder. That is what keeps the certifier independent: we are engaged by the person with the benefit of the development consent and act in the public interest. Assuming the builder will arrange it is a common cause of delay at the start of a job.
What happens if my project does not comply?
We tell you early, in writing, and in plain terms. You get the specific standard that is not met and the realistic options: amend the design to comply, or move to a development application. We would rather lose a fee than let an application sit and stall.
Something not covered here? Ask us about your project — we answer within one business day.
Ready to get started?
Bring us the project.
We'll confirm the right certification pathway and provide a fee proposal by the next business day.
We respond to enquiries within one business day.