Ferdigattest

Ferdigattest (certificate of completion) is the municipality's written confirmation that building work subject to application is finished and carried out in line with the rammetillatelse, the igangsettingstillatelse and current regulations. The certificate is issued once the final documentation is in place and a declaration of completion has been submitted by the ansvarlig søker (responsible applicant) or the tiltakshaver (developer of the works). A ferdigattest is normally a condition for the building to be used lawfully, and for the bank to pay out the remaining loan in new-build projects.

The legal basis is plan- og bygningsloven § 21-10 on final inspection and ferdigattest, which states that all works subject to application must be concluded with a ferdigattest. The final documentation covers:

• Declarations of conformity from the responsible designers and contractors.
• Inspection declarations where independent inspection is required under SAK10 chapter 14.
• "As built" drawings showing the building as it was actually erected.
• FDV documentation for management, operation and maintenance under TEK17.
• Energy certificate for new builds, where this is mandatory.

If minor works remain, the municipality can instead issue a midlertidig brukstillatelse (temporary permission to occupy) with conditions and a deadline for completion. It allows the building to be used while the remaining works are finished, but it does not replace the ferdigattest. A midlertidig brukstillatelse is a very common transitional phase in commercial building projects, where occupation and office fit-out can take place before external works are finished. Direktoratet for byggkvalitet (DiBK) publishes detailed guidance on both midlertidig brukstillatelse and ferdigattest.

For works applied for before 01/07/2015, plan- og bygningsloven has a transitional arrangement, so a ferdigattest is not always required. Older buildings without a ferdigattest are a recurring issue in home sales and refinancing: the bank and the buyer often require the certificate to be in place, and if it is missing, the municipality can consider issuing a declaration of conformity or confirming that the building was lawfully erected under the rules of the time. Even so, there is no right to have a ferdigattest issued after the fact if the building turns out to deviate from the original permission.

A missing ferdigattest has concrete consequences:

• The building is formally regarded as unfinished. Insurance and guarantee schemes can have restricted cover.
• Unlawful occupation can lead to a coercive fine under plan- og bygningsloven § 32-5.
• The bank sets stricter conditions for mortgaging. In new-build projects, a ferdigattest is often the condition for payment of the final tranche.
• Reduced value in a condition report or valuation.

A ferdigattest differs from an igangsettingstillatelse (gives permission to start building) and a rammetillatelse (approves the outer framework of the project). The three form a sequence in building case processing: rammetillatelse → igangsettingstillatelse → ferdigattest. The head of planning in the municipality is the final technical authority in cases of doubt.

In Placepoint you can follow building cases and ferdigattest status under Saksinnsyn (case lookup) for each property.

How it looks in Placepoint

In Placepoint you find this in Saksinnsyn:

From Placepoint's dictionary: Ferdigattest

More information: Lovdata: Plan- og bygningsloven § 21-10, DiBK: Byggesaksforskriften (SAK10), Enova: Energimerking

English: Certificate of completion (per Plan- og bygningsloven).

Frequently asked questions

What is a ferdigattest?

A ferdigattest is a public document confirming that a structure has been completed in accordance with the permission from the municipality and current building rules. It is issued after the required final documentation has been submitted.

Who issues a ferdigattest?

The municipality issues the ferdigattest based on final documentation from the ansvarlig søker. The developer must apply for a ferdigattest no later than three years after the building was taken into use.

Can you use a building without a ferdigattest?

Taking a building into use without a ferdigattest breaches plan- og bygningsloven. It can also cause problems on a sale, since the buyer and the bank typically require a ferdigattest for a new build.

What is a midlertidig brukstillatelse?

A midlertidig brukstillatelse allows the building to be used while the remaining works are completed. It does not replace the ferdigattest, which must be applied for once all requirements are met.

What do you do if an older building has no ferdigattest?

Structures erected before 1998 can lack a ferdigattest because the rules were different at the time. The municipality can then issue a declaration of conformity or confirm that the building is lawful under the rules of the time.