Punjab Occupancy Certificate

Occupation or occupancy certificate is a legal document certifying that the construction of the building complies with the approved plans. In Punjab, occupancy certificate is issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development only if the constructed building is in a suitable condition for occupancy. In this article, we look at the procedure for obtaining the Punjab Occupancy Certificate in detail.

Punjab Municipal Building Bye-Laws, 2017

As per the provisions of Punjab Municipal Building Bye-Laws, 2017, an application form has to be submitted after the completion of the construction for the issuance of the occupation certificate. The concerned officer after inspecting the premises may issue or reject the occupancy within thirty days from the day of receipt of the application received.

Necessity for Occupation Certificate

An occupation certificate serves the following purposes:

• Acts as a legal recognition for occupying a property.
• Helps in claiming income-tax benefits on house loans, in addition to the provision of house loan report.
• Serves to acquire an electricity supply connection or water connection/sanitary connection.
• Assists a person in getting a copy of the certified deed.
• The document is required at the time of purchasing or selling a property.

Occupation Certificate Vs Completion Certificate

Completion Certificate: On completion of the building, the developer or the owner of the building has to apply for a Completion Certificate to the local municipal officials. If the building is developed as per the stated norms, the authorised officer will grant a copy of completion certificate. Occupation Certificate: Once the applicant receives the Completion Certificate, they have to further apply for an Occupation Certificate from the local municipal officials. Occupation certificate certifies that the building has complied with all the necessary building terms and conditions. This document is distributed by the local municipal officer or by the department of urban local bodies that grant no objection to the buildings as per the specified laws. An Occupancy Certificate is provided if the construction has been completed in all phases.

Documents Required

The required documents are to be furnished along with the occupancy application form.

• No objection certificate from the Local Municipal Corporation/Council/Nagar Panchayat concerning land use as per Master/Zonal Plan, if applicable.
• No objection certificate from the Inspector of Factories in case of industrial Constructions as well as from the Pollution Control Board.
• No objection certificate should be acquired from the Controller of Explosives and Chief Fire Officer in case of hazardous buildings.
• Indemnity Bond in case of the proposal for the construction of a basement.
• NOC from the adjacent properties/ plots/roads for construction of basement from the concerned authority.
• Other NOCs such as from NHAI etc., if applicable.
• NOC or Permission from the Chief Fire Officer, in case of buildings, is required.
• The notice must be followed by an attested copy of property tax, water and sewerage tax or NOC from the concerned Department of the Municipal Corporation/ Council/ Nagar Panchayat for the same.
• No objection certificate from the Department of Civil Aviation if required.
• Declaration undertaking by the Architect.
• In case the site comes in the built-up area declared as slum under any Act, NOC from the sanctioning authority/ Municipal Corporation/Council/Nagar Panchayat, from slum clearance and land use points of view.
• In the case of the leasehold plots, clearance from the lessor about the lease conditions shall be obtained wherever required.
• Any other information or document, which the Authority may require in case of listed buildings or otherwise.

Issuance of Certificate

The Municipal Corporation will check the application and documents submitted and verify the reports submitted whether the furnished application form satisfies the terms and conditions specified under the building bye-laws. If approved after verification the sanctioning authority will issue the certified copy of occupation certificate.

Rejection of Certificate

In verification, the application submitted does not fulfil the following conditions mentioned in the bye-laws then the concerned authority may refuse to issue the certificate. Then the applicant has to resubmit the application by making corrections in the form within the specified time limit.

Processing Time

The occupancy certificate will be granted within thirty days in case of residential plotted development and the case of other categories of buildings, and the certificate will be issued within in sixty days from the date of application.

Application Procedure for Occupancy Certificate

The applicant can get an occupancy certificate in the state of Punjab by following the below mentioned steps:

Approach the Nearest Sewa Kendra

Step 1: The applicant has to visit the nearest Sewa Kendra centre to collect the application form for an occupancy certificate. The application form for occupancy certificate is reproduced below for quick reference.

Complete the Application Form

Step 2: The application form should be filed with appropriate details such as:

• Applicant details
• Type of Building
• Building name
• Building height
• Area type

Upload the Documents

Step 3: After filling the form with detailed information, the applicant has to attach the documents that are specified in the checklist.

Submit the Application

Step 4: Then submit the filled application form to the concerned person of nearest Sewa Kendra centre.

Make Payment

Step 5: Upon submission, one needs to make payment for the issuance of occupancy certificate.

Receive Acknowledgement Slip

Step 6: Then the applicant can receive acknowledgement slip for further reference.

Collection of Occupancy Certificate

Step 7: Once submitted, the concerned authority will check the application form. After verification, the corresponding occupancy certificate can be collected from the relevant authority.

Renewal

In Punjab, occupancy certificate is valid for one year of the date of issue. Hence, it has to be renewed every year on the payment of such renewal fee for certificate registration.