Legal & Documents
What is a Commencement Certificate?
The first certificate a project needs. Without it, every brick that follows is illegal — and no amount of later paperwork fixes that.
The short answer
A commencement certificate is the local authority's permission for a builder to start construction. It's issued after the building plan is sanctioned and the required approvals — land title, land use, environmental clearance, fire NOC — are in place.
No CC means the construction is unauthorised from the first brick. That does not become legal later.
What a commencement certificate is
Sanctioning a building plan says you may build this. The commencement certificate says you may start now.
It is issued by the local planning authority — BBMP in Bengaluru, GHMC or HMDA in Hyderabad, the municipal corporation elsewhere — once they are satisfied that everything required is in place.
What must exist before a CC is issued
- Clear land title in the developer's name, or a valid development agreement
- Land use conversion — if it was agricultural land, it must be converted
- A sanctioned building plan — compliant with FSI, setbacks, height limits
- Layout approval, where applicable
- Environmental clearance, for projects above the threshold size
- Fire safety NOC, for high-rises
- Airport authority NOC, if near a flight path
- Payment of development charges to the authority
Which is why the CC is such a useful document: it is proof that all of those things happened. One certificate, many boxes ticked.
Building without one
It does not become authorised later. It can be:
• Demolished — this is not theoretical; Indian authorities have demolished entire towers
• Refused an occupancy certificate, meaning you cannot lawfully live in it
• Denied legal water and electricity connections
• Rejected for a home loan by any careful bank
• Regularised — sometimes, on payment of a penalty. Sometimes. Do not plan around it.
How to check
- Ask the builder to show you the CC. The document, not a promise.
- Check the CC number against the local authority's records — many are online now.
- Check the RERA filing. A registered project should have uploaded its approvals, including the CC.
- Check it covers the whole project. A CC may be issued for some towers and not others, or up to a certain height. Read what it actually permits.
- Check the date. A CC can lapse if construction doesn't begin within a set period.
A commencement certificate is sometimes issued up to a specified height or number of floors, with the rest to follow.
So a builder can hold a genuine CC and still be building floors it does not cover. Read the document, not just the fact that it exists.
The three certificates
| Commencement Certificate (CC) | Completion Certificate | Occupancy Certificate (OC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When issued | Before construction starts | After construction finishes | After the completion certificate |
| What it says | The builder may lawfully begin building, to the sanctioned plan | The building was constructed according to the approved plan | The building is fit for human occupation |
| Who issues it | The local planning authority | The local authority | The local authority |
| What it permits | Construction | Nothing, by itself | You to legally move in |
| Checks | Land title, plan approvals, NOCs | Built as per plan, setbacks, height, FSI | Fire safety, water, sewage, electricity, lifts, structural safety |
| If it's missing | The project is illegal from the start. Walk away. | The building may deviate from the sanctioned plan. | Moving in is unlawful. No legal utility connections. Loans and resale become difficult. |
| The one to demand | Yes — before you buy off-plan | Yes | YES. This is the one. |
In some states the CC and OC are combined into a single document. In others they are separate. Ask which applies where you are buying — and then ask to see the actual document, not a promise of one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a commencement certificate?
The local planning authority's permission for a builder to start construction. It's issued once the building plan is sanctioned and all required approvals — land title, land use conversion, environmental clearance, fire NOC — are in place.
What happens if a builder starts without a commencement certificate?
The construction is unauthorised, and it does not become authorised later. It can be demolished, refused an occupancy certificate, denied legal utility connections, and rejected for home loans. Some such construction is eventually regularised on payment of a penalty, but you should never plan around that.
Can a commencement certificate be issued for part of a project?
Yes — and this catches people out. A CC may cover only certain towers, or construction only up to a specified height. So a builder can genuinely hold a CC and still be building floors it doesn't cover. Read what the document actually permits.
Where do I check the commencement certificate?
Ask the builder for the document, then verify the number against the local authority's records — most are online now. A RERA-registered project should also have uploaded its approvals to the state RERA portal.