Certified Professional Program

1. Complete a Certified Professional Permit Application Form (PDF) in full.
2. Include the following documents:
   • Agent Authorization Form For Permit Application or File Access (PDF)
   • Owner’s Acknowledgement Regarding Damage to City Property (PDF)
   • Current Title and Associated Documents
   • Certified Professional Program - Schedule CP-1 (PDF) or
   • Certified Professional Program - Schedule CP-3 (PDF)
3. Include checklists in the application package:
   • Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Multi-Family Building Permit Checklist (PDF)
   • Plumbing Permit Checklist (PDF)
   • BC Building Code Part 3 Checklist (PDF)
4. Prepare the Electronic Documents and Drawings

1. 1. Documents and drawings must be presented in acceptable industry standards, legible, high resolution, and to scale. 
   2. Documents and drawings containing multiple layers must be flattened to a single layer and file size must be reduced. 
   3. Save documents in PDF format and drawings in vector-based PDF.  
   4. Do not lock, apply passwords or restrictions to the documents or drawings.
   5. When submitting documents and drawings from a Registered Professional they must contain a digital seal, digital signature, and Permit to Practice number in accordance with a professional body or association.
   6. Do not enable the “Certify” check box under “Advanced Options” in the signature dialogue box when applying digital signature with the ConsignO software suite. This will prevent the City from applying subsequent stamps, comments, and may delay approvals.
      
      See image below:
      
      
   7. Name the PDFs with the following file naming convention:
      YYYY MM DD Document Description
      Examples:
      • YYYY MM DD Certified Professional Permit Application Form
      • YYYY MM DD Building Permit Checklist
      • YYYY MM DD Architectural Drawing
      • YYYY MM DD Structural Drawing
   8. Prepare individual PDFs in separate files. 

• Do not combine documents in one PDF file (e.g. Application Form with Title Search)
• Do not separate multipage documents into separate PDF files (e.g. Architectural Drawings page 1, Architectural Drawings page 2, and etc.)
• Do not combine documents in ZIP files

Submit the Application Package through the City’s file transfer service, Coquitlam QFile. Do not use other cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) to submit files.

An initial review of the submission documents will be done within three to five business days from the time of the application submission. An incomplete application will result in an email notification. The CP will be instructed to resubmit outstanding required documents through the City’s file transfer service, Coquitlam QFile and include the assigned Permit Application Review (PAR) number.

City staff will contact the CP to coordinate an intake meeting, once the submission documents are complete. 

An intake meeting is done in-person and is required before any CP building permit applications can be fully accepted. The CP and Coordinating Registered Professional are required to attend the meeting and present their digital project proposal, guiding the building official through an overview of the project and highlighting all proposed Alternative Solutions in the building’s design. The building official will perform a cursory review of the rest of the building permit application package.

The initial intake meeting is free; however, any additional intake meetings may incur a rescheduling fee.

Following a successful intake meeting, City staff will contact the CP by email with an attached invoice and instructions for payment, which will include the permit number(s). Refer to the Fees and Charges Bylaw Schedule "D" (PDF) for application intake fees. 

Upon receipt of the payment, the permit application is now queued for plan review and processing.

City staff will review the application and instruct the CP on the next steps.  Any requested documents or drawings will be required to be submitted through the City’s file transfer service, Coquitlam QFile.

City staff will contact the CP by email with attached invoice(s) and instructions for payment.  

Upon notification of receipt of the payment, the permit is issued.

City staff will contact the CP by email with the information on how the drawings will be released.

A full-size printed copy of the City approved drawings (30” x 42”) and printed permit must be onsite for all City reviews.

The CP will be required to notify the City within five business days once construction begins and the CP will prepare and submit monthly summary reports of the project construction progress to the Certified Professional Program by email. These reports will identify any major code-related issues that have occurred during construction. The monthly site-monitoring reviews will occur throughout the lifecycle of the project. 

• Certified Professional Program - Monthly Progress Report Form (PDF)

To initiate the occupancy process, the CP must make a request to the building official for an occupancy plan meeting 30 business days prior to the demonstration. It is during this meeting that the CP and Coordinating Registered Professional highlight the milestones met. Submission of the Occupancy Certificate Application Checklist, Schedule CP-2 and occupancy documents is required at least five business days prior to the anticipated life safety demonstration. If the demonstration is successful and all outstanding requirements are met, the occupancy is granted.

• Certified Professional Program - Occupancy Certificate Application Checklist (PDF)
• Certified Professional Program - Schedule CP-2 (PDF)