Collection

Building standards: verification and certification

Directorate: Local Government and Housing Directorate
Topic: Building, planning and design

A collection of documents for building standards local authority verifiers and approved certifiers.

Introduction

Local authorities are currently appointed as verifiers by Scottish Ministers for a set period.

We monitor the performance of local authority verifiers who are responsible for administering the building standards system.Verifiers are responsible for:

implementing the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and building regulations
undertaking independent checks of buildings at design and construction stages
grant building warrants (if they are satisfied the building work meets the building regulations)
accept completion certificates (if satisfied the building work meets the building regulations)

We monitor their building standards service using the building standards operating framework for verifiers (2024) and their performance using the building standards performance framework for verifiers (April 2024). The performance framework is based around three perspectives:

professional expertise and technical processes
quality customer experience
operational and financial efficiency

We published revised guidance on verification during construction for non-domestic and domestic buildings.

Verification: guidance and strategies

Local authority verifiers are responsible for granting permission for work to be done (building warrant) and for a completed building to be occupied (completion certificate). If you are looking for advice on a specific building project, please contact your local authority, who administer and enforce the Scottish building standards system.

Verification: reports

Reports providing aggregated information on the national level of performance of verifiers on the key performance outcomes of the Building Standards Performance Framework for Verifiers.

Contact your local authority building standards department.

Verification: letters

Guidance to local authority verifiers on changes to legislation and guidance. Other letters to local authority verifiers can be found in our website archive.

Certifying building work

The building standards system sets out various roles and responsibilities.

We set the standards and requirements which verifiers, approved building professionals (approved bodies and approved certifiers), local authorities and building owners must adhere to. We also produce guidance to explain the building standards system.

Certifying building work

We have produced a Certification Handbook to explain how the process works. We also maintain the only authoritative list of registered approved building professional (approved bodies and approved certifiers).

The use of certification is optional. Certification covers design or construction and only applies where the work requires a building warrant. There are a number of works covered by certification, these are listed on the Scottish Government Certification Register. The benefit of using an approved certifier of design and/or construction is that the building work will be certified by qualified building professionals as complying with regulations.

There is also guidance given in the Procedural Guidance on Certification that provides useful information on what to consider when making a building warrant application, including the information that should be submitted with an application.

The Modern methods of construction: Guidance for building standards verification provides guidance to Local Authority verifiers and Certifiers as defined under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 when assessing building warrant applications and certifying works which use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

Making an electronic application - eDevelopment and eBuilding Standards

We have provided model forms that may be adapted by the verifier to suit their individual circumstances and requirements. These forms may also be used by applicants or their duly authorised agents.

We provide the eBuildingStandards.scot portal for online submission of applications for building warrants, completion certificates and other related forms to local authorities. You can create an account on the e-Development website, and once registered you can make an on-line application

If you need help completing a form please contact your local authority building standards department. You will also find form help guides on the eBuilding Standards homepage.

Verification and certification: research

Contact

Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot

Twitter: @ScotGovBLdgStds

Read the building standards blog

Telephone: 0300 244 4000

Post:
Scottish Government
Building Standards Division
Almondvale Business Park
Denholm House
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 6GA

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Information

Introduction

Verification: guidance and strategies

Verification: reports

Verification: letters

Certifying building work

Certifying building work

Making an electronic application - eDevelopment and eBuilding Standards

Verification and certification: research

Contact

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