What Is It
The Building Confirmation Certificate (建築確認済証, kenchiku kakunin sumisho) is issued when a building's construction plans are officially approved by the designated confirming authority under Japan's Building Standards Act (建築基準法). It proves that the proposed building design was reviewed and found to comply with all applicable building standards, zoning regulations, and fire safety codes before construction began.
The certificate is issued as part of the Building Confirmation Application process (建築確認申請, kenchiku kakunin shinsei), which every new building or major renovation in Japan must go through. The confirming authority — either the local government's building department or a designated private inspection agency — reviews the plans and issues the certificate if everything is in order.
This is a one-time document issued at the time of construction approval. It is not re-issuable. If the original certificate is lost, it cannot be replaced with an identical copy. However, alternative records can be obtained to prove that building confirmation was granted.
Who Needs It
- Property buyers — to verify the building was legally constructed and not built in violation of standards
- Renovation planners — to understand the original approved specifications before planning changes
- Building extension applicants — required when applying for confirmation of additions or modifications
- Property sellers — buyers and their agents will ask for this as part of due diligence
- Insurance companies — may require it for property insurance claims or underwriting
- Mortgage lenders — to verify the building's legal status as collateral
What's Included
- Confirmation number — unique identifier for the building confirmation
- Approval date — when the building plans were approved
- Confirming authority — the government body or designated agency that reviewed and approved the plans
- Building specifications — use category, structure type, number of floors, total floor area
- Site details — lot address, site area, building coverage ratio, floor area ratio
- Applicant information — the builder or owner who applied for confirmation
How to Obtain
The original 建築確認済証 should be in the possession of the property owner, as it was issued to the applicant (typically the builder or original owner) at the time of construction. It is passed along with the property during sales.
If the original is lost, you can obtain a 建築計画概要書 (building plan summary) from the local building authority (特定行政庁) where the building is located. This document summarizes the key details of the original building confirmation application. You can also request a 台帳記載事項証明書 from the same authority as official certification that building confirmation was issued.
Through JapanPropertyDocs: We research the building confirmation records, obtain the available summary documents or registry certificates, and provide them with English explanations of the building's approved specifications and compliance status.
Processing Time
Retrieval of the building plan summary (建築計画概要書) is typically same day at the local building authority, though the process varies by municipality. Some require advance application. The registry record certificate (台帳記載事項証明書) may take a few days. Through JapanPropertyDocs, expect 5 to 10 business days depending on the municipality.