A Building Approval 51 Certificate (also called a Section 51 Certificate) provides information about building permits and certificates issued for a Victorian property within the last 10 years. This certificate is commonly required during property sales and conveyancing in Victoria.
What Information is Included in a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
A Building Approval 51 Certificate shows:
Building permits or certificates issued for the property in the last 10 years
Outstanding building orders or notices issued for the property
Building regulations or conditions that apply to the property
Building permit particulars for taxation purposes
What Information Do You Need to Purchase a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
To order a Building Approval 51 Certificate in Landchecker, you need:
One of the following property identifiers:
Property address
Council number
Crown description
Lot/Plan number
SPI (Standard Parcel Identifier)
Volume/Folio number
Vendor information (required for all Building Approval 51 Certificates):
Vendor type: Individual or Company
Individual name or Company name
How to Purchase a Building Approval 51 Certificate
Click Document Searches in the top navigation bar
Click the Certificate Searches tab
Select VIC (Victoria) as your state, then click Next
Choose your property identifier from the Search By dropdown menu:
Address
Council Number
Crown Description
Lot/Plan
SPI
Volume/Folio
Enter your search details and click Search
Enter your job reference (if applicable)
Scroll down to the Certificates section
Tick the checkbox next to Building Approval 51
Complete the Additional Information Required fields:
Select Vendor type: Individual or Company
Enter the Individual Name or Company Name as required
Click Add selected items to shopping cart
Note: A Copy of Plan may be automatically added to your cart if it's required by the issuing authority to process your Building Approval 51 Certificate request.
Click the shopping cart icon in the top navigation bar
Select View Cart to review your order, or select Purchase to proceed directly to checkout
If you selected View Cart, review your order and click Go To Checkout
Review your delivery method and payment method, then click Buy
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to receive a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
Delivery times for Building Approval 51 Certificates vary depending on the local council or authority that issues the certificate. Estimated delivery times range from:
7 days (for example, City of Stonnington)
12 days (for example, Shire of Cardinia)
Other councils may have different processing times
The estimated delivery time for your specific property will be shown when you add the certificate to your cart. Once the certificate is ready, it will be available in your Order Manager and will also be emailed to you.
What if my Building Approval 51 Certificate order is delayed?
If your Building Approval 51 Certificate is not delivered within the estimated delivery time, you can follow up on delayed documents. Our Support team is available to help with any questions about your order.
How much is a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
Pricing for Building Approval 51 Certificates varies by local council. The current price will be displayed when you add the certificate to your cart in Landchecker.
Why do you need vendor information for a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
Victorian local councils require vendor information (the current property owner's name and type) to process Building Approval 51 Certificate requests.
This is a standard requirement under Victorian building regulations to ensure the certificate is issued to the correct party during property transactions. Make sure the vendor name you provide matches the registered owner name on the property title to avoid processing delays.
Do you need to purchase a Copy of Plan with a Building Approval 51 Certificate?
Some Victorian councils require a Copy of Plan to be submitted with Building Approval 51 Certificate requests.
If the issuing council requires a Copy of Plan for your property, Landchecker will automatically add it to your shopping cart when you order the Building Approval 51 Certificate. This ensures your certificate request can be processed without delays.