What is City of Edmonton Compliance for Real Property Reports?

Complying with Edmonton municipality bylaws is a must when selling your home or property. So much so, City of Edmonton compliance is a standard clause in most Edmonton real property purchase and sale contracts. City compliance in Edmonton essentially means that the property in question meets all necessary local land-use bylaws and has the necessary development permits, and compliance is represented by a city-issued Certificate of Compliance.

What is a Certificate of Compliance?

A Certificate of Compliance is confirmation from the municipality that all structures and improvements on a property comply with local land-use bylaws.

While not a legal requirement, Certificates of Compliance are involved in most real estate transactions nowadays. For instance, a financial institution might require one prior to approving lending to ensure their investment is protected since a non-compliant property may cause issues down the line. Certificates of Compliance also benefit buyers since it ensures they’re not taking on any hidden responsibilities to rectify any non-compliant aspects of the property. Understandably, the property will not be awarded a Certificate of Compliance if any structures fail to meet land use bylaw requirements.

Whether you’re buying or selling a property in Edmonton, we highly recommend obtaining a Certificate of Compliance.

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Obtaining a Certificate of Compliance in Edmonton

All Certificates of Compliance in Edmonton are issued by the city at the Edmonton Service Centre. Before you can apply for a Certificate of Compliance, however, you need a Real Property Report (RPR) issued by a qualified Alberta land surveyor. In general, a Real Property Report should reflect the current state of the property and all existing buildings and structures, including fences. The report must also clearly show the distances between structures and property lines, as well as the property’s address and legal description. Last but not least the RPR needs to be signed and stamped with the land surveyor’s seal as proof it was prepared by a qualified surveyor.

Once you’ve organized your RPR, it’s time to apply for a Certificate of Compliance. You can download a City of Edmonton Compliance Application form here.  The price of your Certificate of Compliance depends on several factors, including the size of the property and the zoning type, so be sure to check this with the Edmonton Service Centre or Arc Surveys, before applying. Certificates of Compliance in Edmonton are typically processed within 10 business days and can be reviewed in as little as 3 business days if you request express service. Finally, should everything comply with local bylaws, your Certificate of Compliance will be issued, along with a Compliance Certificate Report showing that everything to do with the property is compliant.

City of Edmonton Compliance Application Process

Applying and receiving an Edmonton Certificate of Compliance is a fairly straightforward process and starts with obtaining an RPR and working with an Edmonton Land Surveyor to help walk you through the process.

  • You must ensure that a Certified Alberta Land Surveyor has completed a Real Property Report (RPR) prior to applying.
  • A request for the Real Property Report and Certificate of Title will be sent to your surveying company after you have submitted the online Compliance Certificate Report application and paid the fee.
  • An email confirmation will be sent to you with a link to check the status of your application at any time.
  • Finally, an email will be sent to you by the City of Edmonton once the Compliance Certificate Report has been reviewed.

Need help getting your RPR or Certificate of Compliance in Edmonton? Reach out to Arc Surveys at 403-277-1272 or email us to get started.