How do I get a PDF copy of existing approved building plans from the municipality?

Provide Building Compliance Agency with your Erf number, suburb/township name, street address, and property owner's details. Our council archive runners physically search the municipal records in the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane (Pretoria), or City of Ekurhuleni, retrieve your approved building plans, SG diagrams, and zoning certificates, and scan them into high-resolution PDF copies.

Why would I need a copy of old building plans?

Copies of previously approved plans are essential for property sales (banks and buyers require proof of approved plans), planning renovations or additions, verifying the legality of existing structures, or resolving boundary disputes. They serve as the official municipal record of what the council has approved for your site.

Is the council guaranteed to have my plans, and what if they are missing?

While municipalities keep microfiche and physical archives, older plans can occasionally be missing or incomplete. If the council has no plans on record or if extensions were built without approval, our SACAP-registered architectural team measures your property on-site and prepares As-Built Council Drawings for submission and approval.

How long does it take to retrieve building plans from council archives?

Because our dedicated archive runners visit the Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni municipal records departments multiple times per week, we typically locate and digitize existing approved building plans within 5 to 15 working days, depending on archive availability.

Copy of Existing Approved Building Plans | Johannesburg, Tshwane & Ekurhuleni Council Archives

Retrieving Historical Plans from Council Archives

Whether you are planning an alteration, selling your property, or trying to resolve a legal query, having a copy of the council-approved building plans is essential. These documents are the official record of what has been legally constructed on your property. However, accessing these records from vast and often complex municipal archives can be a challenging and slow-moving task.

At Building Compliance Agency, we take the frustration out of this process. Our experienced runners are familiar with the archival systems of the City of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni. We handle the entire retrieval process, from submitting the formal application and paying the search fees to locating and digitizing the plans for your convenience.

Our Plan Retrieval Service:

Application Lodgement: We submit the official application to access property records on your behalf.
Archive Navigation: Our team physically searches the municipal archives to locate your files.
Document Verification: We ensure the plans we find correspond to the correct property and approval dates.
High-Quality PDF Scanning: Once found, we provide high-resolution digital PDF copies of the approved building plans, SG diagrams, and zoning certificates.

How to Get a Copy of Building Plans from the Municipality

To request a copy of existing building plans in the City of Johannesburg (Regions A–G including Sandton, Randburg, Midrand, Roodepoort, and Joburg Central), City of Tshwane (Pretoria & Centurion), or City of Ekurhuleni (Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni, Kempton Park, Edenvale, Alberton), simply provide us with your Erf number, suburb/township name, street address, and owner's details. If the municipality has no historic building plans on file, our SACAP architectural team can measure your property and prepare As-Built Council Drawings to legalize all structures.

Planning a renovation?

Once you have your plans, our experts handle the new Building Plan Submissions.

Learn More About Building Plan Submissions

When Do You Need This?

Planning Renovations: To provide your architect with the as-built base plans before undertaking a new building plan submission.
Selling a Property: To prove to buyers that all structures are legal and approved.
Resolving Disputes: To confirm boundary lines and building restrictions.

Find Your Plans

Frequently Asked Questions

Request Copies of Your Approved Building Plans

Full Name

Email Address

Cell Number

Municipality / Council Area

Service of Interest

Property Details (Erf Number, Suburb & Street Address)

Get a Tailored Quote

Prices for our services vary depending on the specific municipality and the complexity of the application. Please provide us with some details about your project, and we will get back to you with a comprehensive quote.

[email protected]

+27 68 614 6624

Service Areas

We primarily operate within the following municipal areas:

City of Johannesburg
City of Tshwane (Pretoria)
City of Ekurhuleni

Obtain Copies of Approved Building Plans