Commencement Notice
Notice for Christmas Closure Period for all BCMS Application Submissions:
BCMS will be closed to the submission of Commencement Notices and Applications (including Further Information or Revised Information) from 11:59pm on the 19th December 2024 until 1st of January 2025. The last day for submission of a 7 Day Notice application is the 17th December 2024. Please liaise the Building Control Authority at buildingcontrol@dlrcoco.ie or 01-2047957 if you have any queries, particularly in relation to the submission of 7 Day Notices.
In accordance with the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations S.I. 9 of 2014, you are obliged to submit a Commencement Notice prior to commencement of a development and it must be received by the Building Control Authority not less than 14 days and not more than 28 days before you wish to commence.
You need to submit a Commencement Notice if you are:
- Constructing a building
- Making a Material alteration to a building
- Extending a building
- Materially changing the use of a building
- Carrying out any works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building.
Please note that in accordance with the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (S.I.9) of 2014 from March 1st 2014 new procedures in relation to the submission of Commencement Notices and 7 Day Notices come into effect. Forms must be submitted electronically via the Building Control Management System website, as paper copies are no longer accepted.
In short the new requirements will apply to:
The design and construction of a new dwelling
An extension to a dwelling greater than 40 square metres
Works to which Part III (Building Control Regulations) apply.
Additional documentation will be required to be submitted with the completed Commencement Notice for; the design and construction of a new dwelling,
an extension to a dwelling involving a total floor area greater than 40 square metres,
works to which Part III applies S.I. No. 496 of 1997 as amended-.
See the Guide to Commencement Notices in the Related Documents field on the right hand side of the page.
Check List to accompany a Commencement Notice:
Any Commencement Notice submitted after the 1st March 2014, which comes within the scope of Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (S.I. 9) of 2014 must fill out an online assessment of the proposed approach to compliance with the Building Regulations and be accompanied by the following:
• Certificate of Compliance (Design),
• Notice of Assignment of Person to Inspect and Certify Works (Assigned Certifier),
• Undertaking by Assigned Certifier,
• Notice of Assignment of Builder,
• Undertaking by builder,
• General arrangement drawings for building control purposes – plans, sections and elevations;
• A schedule of design documents currently prepared or to be prepared at a later date,
• The preliminary inspection plan,
• Any other documents deemed appropriate by the Assigned Certifier
With regard to the above, please ensure the following is adhered to:
• The Designer and the Assigned Certifier must be a Chartered Engineer, Registered Architect or Registered Surveyor.
• A Competent Builder must execute the work.
• Your drawings must show details of how your building will comply with the Building Regulations. Drawings submitted for planning permission purposes are not typically Building Control compliance drawings.
The Commencement notice and accompanying documentation must all be filed electronically via the online Building Control Management System.
When is a 7 Day notice required and what is it ?
A 7 Day notice is a fast track notification of commencement, prior to the granting of a Fire Safety Certificate.The standard fee for a 7 Day notice is €250 or €5.80 per square metre of floor, whichever is the greater. This is double the amount for a standard Fire Safety Certificate application.
The 7 Day notice must be accompanied by a valid Fire Safety Certificate application and a Statutory Declaration form in respect of the work proposed, but only the fee for the 7 Day notice applies
The name of the applicant on the Statutory Declaration form must match that of the applicant on the 7 Day Notice form along with the description of works on the Statutory Declaration which must match the description provided on the 7 Day Notice application form. The Statutory Declaration must be signed, addressed, dated and stamped by a Commissioner of Oaths. The introduction of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 229 of 2021) states that “Where a copy of the 7 day notice statutory declaration referred to in Article 20A (2)(a)(ii)(II), has been submitted via the Building Control Management System, the applicant shall retain the original 7 day notice statutory declaration and shall produce the original 7 day notice statutory declaration for inspection where required to do so by the building control authority.”
Please note that in accordance with the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (S.I.9) of 2014 from March 1st 2014 new procedures in relation to the submission of Commencement Notices and 7 Day Notices came into effect.
FAQ
Yes. Final Grant is required before a commencement notice can be submitted.
You must submit a Commencement notice between 14 - 28 days before starting works, informing the Building Authority of your intended start date. If this is not completed youa re in breach of your Planning Conditions.
No. Paper copies are no longer accepted. All forms must now be submitted electronically via the Building Control Management System (BCMS) website.
The fee is €30 per unit
Yes. When submitting a commencement notice for a Commerical Development or Apartments a Fire Safety Certificate must also be submitted.
The fee is €30 per block of apartments. You do not require a separate commencement notice for each apartment.
e.g 100 apts in one block = €30
It is a fast track notification of commencement of work prior to the granting of a Fire Safety Certificate.
The standard fee is €250 or €5.80 per square metre of floor, whichever is the greater. This is double the amount for a standard Fire Safety Certificate application.
The fee may vary depending on the work proposed and the fees are listed in the Fifth Schedule of the Building Control Regulations
Yes, the 7 Day notice must be accompanied by a valid Fire Safety Certificate application and a statutory declaration form in respect of the work proposed, but only the fee for the 7 day notice applies.
You do not have to submit separate fees for both the 7 Day Notice and the Fire Safety Certificate.
Yes, if you have made a valid application for a Fire Safety Certificate you may submit a 7 day notice provided you submit the reference number of the original application, the revised fee and all the required documentation as listed in Article 20A of the Regulations. You should liaise with your local Building Control Authority.