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The guidance explains that payment certifiers must follow the required legal process under the Builders Lien Act (SBC 1997, c 45), and that incorrect handling can render the certificate ineffective. It highlights seven key “issues,” covering requests, prescribed forms, dating, delivery within required timelines, notices, proper posting location, documentation, and record-keeping via dated communications, including email and photographs.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":46,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/paper-templates/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/certificates-of-completion-dont-do-it-wrong-issue-summary-checklist/274974/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/certificates-of-completion-dont-do-it-wrong-issue-summary-checklist/274974.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Emma Wilson","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-08","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"Why are certificates of completion important in construction projects?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"They start lien periods and enable contractors and subcontractors to obtain their holdback payments. Incorrect issuance can make the certificate ineffective.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"What steps must be followed before a certificate of completion can be issued?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"A payment certifier must issue it only on the request of a contractor or subcontractor, and the request should be documented (for example, by email with a dated record).",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What are the common mistakes involving the notice of certification of completion?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Failing to complete the notice in addition to the certificate, using the wrong form, and posting the notice in an incorrect location are highlighted as frequent errors. The notice must be in the prescribed form and posted in a prominent place on the actual improvement.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},274974,1790292696,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":45,"category_name":46,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":9},3848291630094,"https://eur-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","Certificates of Completion: You’re (Probably) Doing it Wrong  \nCertificates of completion are crucial documents in the construction industry. They start lien periods running and ultimately enable contractors and subcontractors to obtain their holdback payments. Despite the important role played by certificates of completion, payment certifiers (usually the project’s architect, engineer, owner, or contractor as specified in the contract) often do not follow the correct process. If the certificate of completion process is not completed properly, the certificate is not worth the paper it is printed on. The following “Issues” highlight the common pitfalls at each step of the process and suggests best practices which will ensure your certificates of completion are unimpeachable.  \nARTICLE I . ISSUE 1: THERE MUST BE A REQUEST  \nA certificate of completion cannot be issued unilaterally. Section 7(3) of the Builders Lien Act, SBC 1997, c 45 (the “Act”) states that the payment certifier must issue a certificate of completion “on the request of a contractor or subcontractor.” The best practice is to require a written request from the relevant contractor or subcontractor via email to ensure that there is a dated record of that request.  \nARTICLE II . ISSUE 2: USE THE CORRECT FORM FOR THE CERTIFICATE  \nSection 7(10) of the Act states that the certificate of completion may be in the prescribed form and that if the certificate is in the prescribed form, it is sufficient to comply with the Act. The prescribed form can be found in the Builders Lien Forms Regulation, B.C. Reg. 1/98 which is accessible online. 1 Eventhough a different form that contains the same information could be acceptable, there is no reason to deviate from the prescribed form . The best practice is to use the prescribed form to ensure that you comply with the Act.  \nIn terms of the content of the certificate, the certificate of completion must not be backdated – meaning the date on the document cannot be earlier than the actual date at the time of filling it out. The courts have been clear that the process of issuance is not complete unless there is some communication of the document.  \nARTICLE III . ISSUE 3: DELIVER THE CERTIFICATE  \nOnce the payment certifier determines that the certification of completion should be issued, section 7(4)(a) of the Act states that the payment certifier must, within 7 days, deliver a copy of the certificate to the owner, the head contractor (if there is one), and the person at whose request the certificate was issued. Again, best practice is for the payment certifier to deliver that certificate by email to ensure that there is a dated record of that delivery.  \nARTICLE IV . ISSUE 4: DON’T FORGET THE NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION!  \nThe most common mistakes relating to certificates of completion are:  \n(1) failing to complete the notice of certification of completion in addition to the certificate of completion itself, or  \n(2) not using the correct form for the notice.  \n1 [http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/10_1_98](http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/10_1_98)  \nThe notice of certification of completion is defined in section 1 of the Act as a notice in the prescribed form stating that a certificate of completion has been issued. The prescribed form can be found in the Builders Lien Forms Regulation which is accessible online (see above) . The form set out in that regulation is the form that must be used as the notice of certification of completion.  \nARTICLE V . ISSUE 5: POST THE NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION CORRECTLY  \nSection 7(4)(c) of the Act requires that the payment certifier post the notice of certification of completion“in a prominent place on the improvement”. It is crucial to note that the improvement is the actual thing being built. It is not acceptable to post the notice of certification of completion in a site office or on the site trailer; it must be","cbCaiqeUAESbHY9E","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqeUAESbHY9E","pdf",111448,"English","# ARTICLE I . ISSUE 1: THERE MUST BE A REQUEST\n# ARTICLE II . ISSUE 2: USE THE CORRECT FORM FOR THE CERTIFICATE\n## Content requirements: no backdating\n# ARTICLE III . ISSUE 3: DELIVER THE CERTIFICATE\n# ARTICLE IV . ISSUE 4: DON’T FORGET THE NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION!\n# ARTICLE V . ISSUE 5: POST THE NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION CORRECTLY\n# ARTICLE VI . ISSUE 6: DOCUMENT AND DELIVER THE NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION\n# ARTICLE VII . CHECKLIST SUMMARY","[{\"question\":\"Why are certificates of completion important in construction projects?\",\"answer\":\"They start lien periods and enable contractors and subcontractors to obtain their holdback payments. Incorrect issuance can make the certificate ineffective.\"},{\"question\":\"What steps must be followed before a certificate of completion can be issued?\",\"answer\":\"A payment certifier must issue it only on the request of a contractor or subcontractor, and the request should be documented (for example, by email with a dated record).\"},{\"question\":\"What are the common mistakes involving the notice of certification of completion?\",\"answer\":\"Failing to complete the notice in addition to the certificate, using the wrong form, and posting the notice in an incorrect location are highlighted as frequent errors. The notice must be in the prescribed form and posted in a prominent place on the actual improvement.\"}]","Certificates of Completion: Don’t Do It Wrong - Issue Summary Checklist | PDF",1789484316]