Letters of Assurance for building construction in B.C.
Last updated on April 25, 2025Letters of Assurance are legal documents that clearly identify the responsibilities of architects, engineers and other registered professionals when designing building components and reviewing them in the field.
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About Letters of Assurance
Letters of Assurance are required for Part 3 and some Part 9 buildings by the BC Building Code and the Vancouver Building By-law.
These letters:
- Identify the registered professionals responsible for the design and field review of construction projects
- Confirm that the work meets BC Building Code requirements and that necessary field reviews have been completed
Role of each registered professional
In most projects:
- The coordinating Registered Professional oversees multiple disciplines and ensures everything works together
- The registered Professional of Record is responsible for a specific area, like electrical, structural, or architectural work
Letters of Assurance Guide
Read the Letters of Assurance guide for BC Building Code 2018 and Vancouver Building By-law 2019 (PDF, 526 KB) for more information about:
- The scope and intent of the Letters of Assurance
- The roles and responsibilities of individuals involved
- When and how the Letters of Assurance should be completed
Current Letters of Assurance
|
Purpose |
Time of submission |
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
Confirms that a Coordinating Registered Professional like an architect or engineer has been hired by the building owner. |
Building permit application |
|
|
Confirms that a Registered Professional of Record takes responsibility for certain building components and applicable field reviews. |
Before construction begins on each building component |
|
|
Confirms the Coordinating Registered Professional fulfilled their obligations under Schedule A. |
After project completion but before an occupancy permit or final inspection |
|
|
Confirms the Registered Professional of Record fulfilled their obligations under Schedule B. |
After project completion but before an occupancy permit or final inspection |