Building control completion certificates in Waverley Borough Council
Selling or remortgaging a home in Surrey (Godalming, Farnham, Haslemere and Cranleigh) and missing the completion certificate for an extension, loft conversion, windows, boiler or electrical work? Here is what Waverley Borough Council charges, how long its archive takes, and why checking all registers in one search saves time and protects indemnity insurance.
Waverley Borough Council at a glance
| Council fee | £48 per copy; £64 for an in-depth search (non-refundable) |
| Council turnaround | 5 working days after payment |
| Key restriction | Plans and certificates are not public; non-refundable search fee without a reference |
What is on Waverley Borough Council's online register
Waverley maintains an online index of building control records dating back to 1991, showing decision notices, completion dates and competent person notifications by address. Actual plans and completion documents are private and are not published online.
Council archive fees & timescales
Obtaining an official copy of a completion certificate or decision notice from Waverley requires an application reference number and a per-document council fee, with a 5-working-day turnaround after payment. Where no reference number is known, the council charges a higher non-refundable fee for a manual archive search.
Restrictions on who can request records
Without the original application reference, the council requires full property details and location plans, and does not hold certificates for work self-certified through schemes such as FENSA, Gas Safe or NICEIC.
How far back records go
Indexed records go back to 1991; older files require a manual archive search.
Why Waverley Borough Council often isn't the archive that holds your certificate
Building work can be signed off by the council, by a private approved inspector, or (for replacement windows, boilers, rewires and solar panels) by an installer registered with a competent person scheme. Only council-inspected work is held by Waverley Borough Council. For everything else, the certificate sits with FENSA, CERTASS, Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or MCS — which is why our search checks all 8 schemes alongside the council.
Protect your indemnity insurance option: Building Regulations indemnity policies are usually written on the basis that the council has not been contacted about the missing certificate. See why. When you order with My Certs, you can tick public register check only in Step 2 so we check Waverley Borough Council's online register and all 8 schemes without ever emailing or phoning the council.
Search Waverley Borough Council and all 8 registers in 1 working day
Enter the property address and we check Waverley Borough Council's online register plus FENSA, CERTASS, Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, MCS and the EPC register within 1 working day. It's £79 including the official fees for up to 2 replacement copies, backed by our no record, no fee refund promise.
Questions
How much does Waverley Borough Council charge for a completion certificate search?
£48 per copy; £64 for an in-depth search (non-refundable) (when checked on 27 October 2026). By contrast, a My Certs search checks the council's online register and all 8 national certificate schemes in 1 working day for £79, with a full refund under our no record, no fee guarantee if nothing is found.
How long does Waverley Borough Council take compared with My Certs?
Waverley Borough Council quotes 5 working days after payment. With My Certs, you get first written findings from the online registers and public council index within 1 working day.
Can a buyer or solicitor check Waverley Borough Council without alerting the council?
Yes. By ticking public register check only in Step 2 of our order form, we inspect the public online register and all 8 competent person schemes without contacting Waverley Borough Council's building control team, keeping Building Regulations indemnity insurance available.
Other councils
My Certs is an independent service and is not part of or endorsed by Waverley Borough Council. This is general information, not legal advice.