GUIDE TO THE LETTERS OF ASSURANCE IN THE BC BUILDING CODE 2024 AND VANCOUVER BUILDING BY-LAW 2025 - Version 7.0

Sep 15, 2026

This guide explains the Letters of Assurance framework under the BC Building Code 2024 and the Vancouver Building By-law 2025, including definitions, scope, and what letters are and are not. It outlines accountability through the Community Charter, clarifies roles and responsibilities across key participants and registered professionals, and provides practical steps to complete and submit letters. It also covers handling changes to registered professionals and applying letters across multiple building code parts, including structural, environmental, plumbing, energy, and geotechnical contexts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages50

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Purpose of the Guide

Defined Terms

Legend

Scope of Letters of Assurance

Building Code Requirements for Design and Field Review

What Letters of Assurance Are

What Letters of Assurance Are Not

Components That Are Not Regulated by the Building Code or Plumbing Code

The Community Charter and Other Means of Achieving Accountability

Roles and Responsibilities for Letters of Assurance

Key Participants in Design and Field Review

Owner Responsibilities

Coordinating Registered Professional Responsibilities

Registered Professional of Record and Supporting Registered Professional Responsibilities

Authority Having Jurisdiction Responsibilities

How to Complete and Submit Letters of Assurance

Dealing with Changes in Registered Professionals of Record Before and After a Building Permit is Issued

When There is a Change Just Prior to a Building Permit Application

When There is a Change After the Building Permit Application but Prior to Issuance

When an Additional Registered Professional Becomes Involved After Issuance

When There is a Change During Construction

Change of Supporting Registered Professional During Construction

Design and Field Review Conducted by Different Registered Professionals of Record

Project Abandonment

Application to Part 4 Structural Design

GUIDE TO THE LETTERS OF ASSURANCE IN THE BC BUILDING CODE 2024 AND VANCOUVER BUILDING BY-LAW2025 VERSION 7.0 : Sept 17 , 2025 Construction Standards and Digital Solutions Branch Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs Province of British Columbia Table of Contents 1. Foreword 4 2. Purpose of the Guide 4 3. Defined Terms 5 3.1 Legend 5 4. Scope of Letters of Assurance 6 4.1 Building Code Requirements for Design and Field Review 6 4.2 What Letters of Assurance Are 7 4.3 What Letters of Assurance Are Not 10 4.4 Components That Are Not Regulated by the Building Code or Plumbing Code 10 5. The Community Charter and Other Means of Achieving Accountability 11 6. Roles and Responsibilities for Letters of Assurance 11 6.1 Key Participants in Design and Field Review 11 6.2 Owner Responsibilities 16 6.3 Coordinating Registered Professional Responsibilities 17 6.3.1 When is a Coordinating Registered Professional Required 18 6.4 Registered Professional of Record and Supporting Registered Professional Responsibilities 19 6.5 Authority Having Jurisdiction Responsibilities 20 7. How to Complete and Submit Letters of Assurance 21 8. Dealing with Changes in Registered Professionals of Record Before and After a Building Permit is Issued 22 8.1 When There is a Change of a Registered Professional of Record Just Prior to a Building Permit Application 25 8.2 When There is a Change of a Registered Professional of Record after the Building Permit Application but Prior to Issuance of the Building Permit 25 8.3 When an Additional Registered Professional Becomes Involved after Issuance of the Building Permit 26 8.4 When There is a Change of Coordinating Registered Professional or Registered Professional of Record During Construction 26 8.4.1 Responsibilities of the Outgoing Coordinating Registered Professional or Registered Professional of Record 26 8.4.2 Responsibilities of the Incoming Coordinating Registered Professional 27 8.4.3 Responsibility of the Incoming Registered Professional of Record 28 8.5 Change of Supporting Registered Professional During Construction 29 9. Design and Field Review Conducted by Different Registered Professionals of Record 30 10. Project Abandonment 31 11. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 4 Structural Design 32 12. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 5 Environmental Separation 32 13. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 6 Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning 32 13.1 NFPA 96 – Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations 33 14. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 7 Plumbing Services 34 15. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 9 Housing and Small Buildings 34 15.1 Factory-Built Roof Trusses 35 15.2 Beams 35 15.3 Alterations 36 16. Application of Letters of Assurance to Part 10 Energy Efficiency 36 17. Application of Letters of Assurance to Requirements for Existing Buildings 36 18. Application of Letters of Assurance to Geotechnical Components 37 18.1 Terms Used in Letters of Assurance for Geotechnical Components 38 19. Application of Letters of Assurance to Landscape Design and Field Review and Development Permits and Conditions 39 20. Application of Letters of Assurance to Building Alterations and Tenant Improvements 40 21. Application of Letters of Assurance to Phased (Staged) Building Permits and Phased (Staged) Occupancies 41 21.1 Acceptable Use of Letters of Assurance for Phased (Staged) Building Permits 41 21.2 Acceptable Use of Letters of Assurance for Phased (Staged) Occupancies 42 21.3 Unacceptable Use of Letters of Assurance for Phased (Staged) Occupancies 43 21.4 Delayed Completion of Landscaping and Other Development Permit Conditions 43 22. Application of Letters of Assurance to Civil Works 44 22.1 Roadways, Sidewalks, Fire Access Routes 44 22.2 Civil Plumbing Systems for On-Site Services 44 22.3 Off-Site

FAQs

What are Letters of Assurance under the BC Building Code 2024 and VBBL 2025, and what are they not?

The guide defines what Letters of Assurance are and distinguishes them from items that are not letters of assurance. It also specifies components not regulated by the Building Code or Plumbing Code.

Who has responsibilities for Letters of Assurance during design, field review, and permitting?

The guide outlines roles for key participants, owner responsibilities, coordinating registered professionals, registered professional of record and supporting registered professionals, and Authority Having Jurisdiction responsibilities.

How should changes to registered professionals of record be handled before and after a building permit is issued?

The guide provides conditions for changes just prior to a permit application, after application but before issuance, when additional professionals become involved, and when changes occur during construction, including responsibilities of outgoing and incoming parties.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks