A commencement certificate is issued after building plans are approved and allows construction to begin. It’s one of the approvals buyers check before booking.
Example
Checking a new launch in Pune
Before paying an EOI for a launch in Baner, Pune, a buyer opens the project’s MahaRERA page. Among the uploaded approvals is the commencement certificate from the Pune Municipal Corporation, showing which floors are permitted. If the brochure shows 22 floors but the CC covers 14, the remaining floors still depend on further approvals.
Figures are illustrative, not market rates.
Questions about Commencement certificate (CC)
Why does the commencement certificate matter to buyers?
It shows the local authority has approved the plans and allowed construction to begin. Building without one is unauthorised. Section 4(2)(c) of the RERA Act requires promoters to submit approvals and the commencement certificate when registering a project, so buyers can view it on the state RERA portal.
Can a commencement certificate be issued in stages?
Yes. In many cities the CC is issued up to a certain floor or for certain wings, and extended as further approvals, premiums or FSI are obtained. Check the floor count on the latest CC against the floor you are booking.
How is a CC different from an occupancy certificate?
The commencement certificate allows construction to start; the occupancy certificate, issued at the end, allows people to live in the building. A project needs both. A CC alone says nothing about whether the building was finished as approved.
Sources
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