Certificate of Compliance, what is it?
Gaining a Certificate of Compliance for your Real Property Report is an essential step to selling your home. It is confirmation that the developed property in question meets the regulations of the Land Use Bylaws for your Municipality. Real Property reports are used to help enforce these guidelines and help control property developments that do not meet the required Land Use Bylaws.
Lawyers and Lending institutions often require a compliance certificate. It is also standard in most Real Estate purchase contracts. Be sure to check with you Lawyer or Real Estate professional to confirm that your property requires a Certificate of Compliance.
How to Apply
To apply for a Certificate of Compliance, mail-in (apply online if available in your area) or bring your Real Property Report to the Planning & Development Department at your local City hall.
- Fee’s for a Compliance Certificate will vary for each Municipality. See below for Compliance costs for most of the major municipalities of Southern Alberta
- Time to complete the Certificate of Compliance will also vary for each Municipality. Be sure to get your compliance stamp as soon as possible to avoid adding delays to your property transaction.
If the Real Property Report meets the required guidelines of the local Municipality, then your copies will receive a stamp of Compliance, stating that the property complies with the current Land Use Bylaws. One copy is kept for City records, and the rest will be returned to you.
- When a Real Property Report does not meet the guidelines of The Land Use Bylaws, a variance or relaxation is often needed to relax the Bylaw of the building or object in question. This process varies for each Municipality and can often take 8-12 weeks, often with extra costs or fees attached that are payable to the Municipality.
Encroachments
An encroachment is defined as being any position of a building, fence, driveway, retaining wall or other structure which extends onto City property. Encroachments are identified during the Compliance process, and while most Municipalities will not hold up Compliance for an Encroachments. You are still required to take the necessary steps to have the encroachment registered (or removed) with the local Municipality and Land Tiles Office. In some cases, the local Municipality will ask for complete removal of the object in question from City property and will not allow the property owner to enter into an Encroachment agreement.
- Costs and timelines to complete an Encroachment agreement will vary for each Municipality and can cost upwards of $500 and take 8-12 weeks to complete. These fees are on top of the cost to gain a Compliance stamp. They are not included in the price of Compliance. Be sure to ask us about the Encroachment fees for your local Municipality.
- To avoid delays in completing the property transaction; have your Real Property Report arranged as early as possible, so that any Municipal Compliance issues relative to the dimensions of the building, improvements and right-of-ways can be resolved before the sale of the property.
See below for a list Compliance fees and timelines for Calgary, Red Deer, Cochrane, Airdrie, Okotoks, MD Foothills and Rocky View County, as well as a link to take you directly to their website.
City of Calgary Compliance for Real Property Reports
- Residential Compliance fee $189 – as of Jan 1st, 2021
- Commercial compliance fee $281 – 14 days to complete
- Apply online- or Visit Planning and Development at Calgary City Hall
- Bylaw Relaxation fees are covered in the cost of the compliance fee
- Time to complete a Bylaw relaxation 6-8 weeks
Click here for more information on City of Calgary Compliance
Town of Cochrane
- Residential Compliance fee $150
- Commercial compliance fee $300
- Apply online with application form or mail in – Time to complete 7-10 days
- Bylaw Relaxation fee – $150 – average time to compete bylaw relaxation is 8 weeks
Click here for more information on Town of Cochrane Compliance
City of Airdrie
- Residential Compliance fee $150 – time to complete 3-4 days
- Commercial compliance fee $400 – time to complete 7 days
- Online submission only – send digital copy of RPR via Email
Click here for more information on City of Airdrie Compliance
Town of Okotoks
- Residential Compliance fee $175 – time to complete 3-5 days
- Commercial compliance fee $300
- Drop off Real Property Report, mail in or submit via email.
Click here for more information on Town of Okotoks Compliance
Town of Strathmore
- Residential Compliance fee $150 – time to complete 3-5 days
- Commercial compliance fee $100 – time to complete 3-5 days
- Drop off Real Property Report, mail in or submit via email.
Click here for more information on Town of Strathmore Compliance
MD Foothills
- Residential Compliance fee $200 – time to complete 3-5 days
- Drop off Real Property Report or mail in – time to complete 3-5 days
- No online application services
Click here for more information on MD Foothills Compliance
Rocky View County
- Residential compliance fee $150 – time to complete 10 days
- Commercial compliance fee $250
- Apply online with application form or mail in – Time to complete 7-10 days
Click here for more information on Rocky View County Compliance
If you would like more information, or to inquire about a Real Property Report, contact us here. Our team has the technical expertise to help you with all of your surveying needs.
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