CCC (Certificate of Completion and Compliance) in Malaysia explained (2026): who issues it, handover and subsale checks

By Jason Lim, REN 84424 · IQI Realty · Checked on 9 November 2026

The Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC, Perakuan Siap dan Pematuhan) says a building in Peninsular Malaysia, Johor included, was finished according to its approved plans and is fit to occupy. Since 12 April 2007 it has been issued by the project’s own architect or engineer, the Principal Submitting Person, not by the council. For buyers it matters twice: a developer cannot validly hand over a new home without it, and in a subsale it is one of the papers to see before you pay.

What the CCC is, and what it replaced

Until April 2007, the council inspected a finished building and issued a Certificate of Fitness for Occupation. The Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Act 2007 (Act A1286) and amendments to the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 moved that job to the professionals who design and supervise the project. Shah Alam City Council’s CCC page gives 12 April 2007 as the start date.

	Old: CF	Now: CCC
Applies to	Buildings certified before 12 April 2007	Buildings certified from 12 April 2007
Issued by	Local council	Principal Submitting Person
Based on	Council inspection	21 stage certificates (Forms G1 to G21)
Council’s role	Issuer	Monitors the site, can order fixes or direct that the CCC be withheld; keeps a deposited copy

Bernama reported on 21 June 2026 that the housing ministry (KPKT) would set up a task force to review the CCC framework, aiming to cut red tape and improve digital integration. No change had been announced when I checked in November 2026.

Who issues it: the PSP and Forms G1 to G21

Under section 70(20) of the Act, only a PSP may issue a CCC. Section 70(21) makes the PSP responsible for supervising the work against the approved plans, meeting the technical conditions and making sure the building is safe and fit to occupy. Each part of the work is first certified on its own Form G, several of them only after an outside agency signs off:

Forms	What they cover	Outside clearance, examples
G1 to G3	Earthworks, setting out, foundations	Licensed land surveyor
G4 to G12	Structure, plumbing, wiring, fire protection, ventilation, lifts, the building	Fire and Rescue Department; DOSH for lifts
G13 to G21	External water, sewerage, electricity, roads and drains, street lighting, telecoms, landscape	Water, sewerage and electricity operators; roads authority

The PSP then issues the CCC on Form F. KPKT’s One Stop Centre (OSC) manual, citing by-law 25(3) of the by-laws, says the PSP must deposit a copy with the council and the PSP’s professional board before giving it to the developer or owner. In Johor Bahru that means Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) or, in Iskandar Puteri, Majlis Bandaraya Iskandar Puteri (MBIP). Under section 70(23), the council can require defects to be fixed and direct that the CCC be withheld until they are.

Why the CCC matters at handover

For a new launch, the CCC is the gate to your keys. The statutory sale agreements under the Housing Development Regulations 1989, Schedule G for landed homes and Schedule H for strata units, let you into vacant possession (VP) only when the CCC is issued and water and electricity are ready for connection. The Board of Architects’ circular 3/2008 says the same: the CCC must be issued before the developer can give VP.

• Deadline. VP is due within 24 months of the SPA under Schedule G and 36 months under Schedule H. Keys without a CCC are not a valid handover.
• Late delivery. The developer owes liquidated ascertained damages (LAD) of 10% a year of the price, counted daily. See LAD claims for late vacant possession.
• Utilities must work. In a 2020 case, the High Court at Shah Alam held that “ready for connection” means real water and electricity supply at handover, not just fittings (Focus Malaysia, March 2022).
• Defect period. The 24-month defect liability period runs from VP. Use my vacant possession checklist on the day.

Partial CCC. The by-laws allow a partial CCC (Form F1) for part of a building or a phase. A December 2019 commentary in The Sun noted that the Housing Development Act’s definition of CCC does not include a partial one, leaving phased handovers in a grey area. If you are offered keys on a partial CCC, ask your lawyer whether it counts as valid VP under your SPA.

Moving in without a CCC

Section 70(27)(f) makes it an offence to occupy, or permit anyone to occupy, a building without a CCC, with a fine of up to RM250,000, jail of up to 10 years, or both. Practical points:

• Safety sign-offs. Fire systems, lifts and sewerage are certified before the CCC. Without it, you cannot be sure they passed.
• Early access is not handover. If a developer lets you in early to measure or renovate, get it in writing and do not move in.
• Tenants. Letting out a unit with no CCC is “permitting occupation”, and may also complicate insurance. Ask your insurer.

CCC, vacant possession and title are different things

Item	What it shows	Who gives it	Why you care
CCC	Building complete, follows plans, fit to occupy	PSP	Legal occupation; valid new-launch handover
Vacant possession	You receive the keys	Developer or seller	Starts the defect period; stops LAD
Strata or individual title	Your unit or lot is registered on its own	Land office or PTG Johor	Easier selling, refinancing and foreign-buyer consent

A condo can have its CCC for years before strata titles are issued, and owners can live in and sell units in the meantime through a deed of assignment. See strata titles in Johor Bahru, the SPA explainer and the progressive payment guide.

How to check a project’s CCC

1. Under construction. Ask the developer for the expected CCC and handover dates and compare them with your SPA deadline. Ask for a copy of the CCC with the VP notice.
2. Completed or subsale. Ask the seller, developer or management office (JMB or MC) for the CCC covering your block or phase; your lawyer can request it too. A Phase 1 CCC does not cover a Phase 2 block.
3. Council records. The council holds a deposited copy. Ask MBJB’s or MBIP’s One Stop Centre what an owner, or a buyer with the owner’s consent, can request; rules and fees vary by council.
4. Older buildings. Buildings certified before April 2007 have a CF instead.

At a sales gallery, ask about CCCs on the developer’s earlier phases; see my sales gallery checklist and how I verify projects.

Renovations and extensions on landed homes

The CCC covers the house as built. Later extensions need their own approval, and this is where many JB terraces and semi-detached homes fall short.

• Minor works. MBJB’s minor alterations guide (updated 2016) has standard sketch plans for terrace, semi-detached, cluster and detached houses, corner lots included. The owner applies for a permit, valid one year. Works outside the standard plans are submitted separately.
• Bigger works. Specialist works such as a reinforced concrete roof need an architect, engineer or registered draughtsman, and new upper floors need an engineer’s check. Works approved through building plans end with their own CCC from the PSP.
• Neighbours. For shared structures MBJB asks for a neighbour’s certificate, and written consent if walls or fences touch the next lot.
• No approval. MBIP told The Star in October 2021 that owners can apply after the fact if the work meets the rules, but face a charge of up to 30% of its cost, and that renovating without a permit can mean a fine of up to RM250,000 and 10 years’ jail.

Condo alterations also need JMB or MC approval (see checking condo management). For budgets and contractors, see renovation costs and hiring a designer or contractor.

Subsale checklist

Ask for	Why	Red flag
CCC (or CF for older buildings)	Confirms legal occupation	Nobody can produce it, or it covers another phase
Approved plans or permit for any extension	Shows the extra rooms or roof were approved	Extension on site, no paperwork
Title search	Owner, charges, caveats, restrictions	Name differs from the seller
Condos: JMB or MC letter	Arrears and renovation approvals	Enclosed balcony with no approval record

An unapproved extension does not block a sale, but the risk passes to you: the council can act against the current owner, and a bank valuer may not give the extra space full value (see low bank valuations). Raise it in your offer and pair it with a subsale house inspection.

If the developer is late or hands over badly

The Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims (Tribunal Tuntutan Pembeli Rumah) under KPKT hears claims of up to RM50,000 (section 16M, Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966). Under section 16N(2), you file within 12 months of the latest of: the CCC date for the home or its common facilities, the end of the defect liability period, or termination of the SPA if that came before the CCC. The Edge Malaysia has reported a RM10 filing fee. Larger claims go to court. For later problems, see latent defects after the DLP.

Foreign buyers and MM2H

The CCC rules apply to everyone, but foreigners have extra reasons to favour completed homes. Johor generally sets a RM1 million minimum for most residential purchases by foreigners, with exceptions in designated zones (New Straits Times, April 2026); state consent is needed; and residential transfers to foreign buyers carry 8% stamp duty from 1 January 2026 (The Star, December 2025). MM2H participants must buy a home after approval, and many prefer a finished one. For MM2H I coordinate with a MOTAC-licensed MM2H agent and handle the property side; approval rests with the authorities. See Johor’s foreigner minimum price, MM2H property support and buying without flying in.

Where to buy if this matters to you

• Completed homes near the Causeway: occupied buildings where you can see the CCC and management record.
• JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar: older and newer high-rises near the CIQ and RTS Link; older blocks may have a CF.
• Mount Austin: completed condos and terraces, where extensions are common.
• Iskandar Puteri: newer townships under MBIP; ask about phase-by-phase CCCs.
• Bukit Indah and Gelang Patah: landed estates where extension approvals matter.
• Landed homes and new launches in JB: finished versus off-plan.

Compare areas on my JB property map and in new launch vs subsale.

More Johor living guides: Strata title explained · Vacant possession checklist · Serviced apartments on commercial title · Gated and guarded homes in JB

Frequently asked questions

What is a CCC in Malaysia?

The Certificate of Completion and Compliance (Perakuan Siap dan Pematuhan) confirms a building follows its approved plans and the building by-laws and is fit to occupy. It replaced the council’s Certificate of Fitness for Occupation from 12 April 2007.

Who issues the CCC?

The Principal Submitting Person, a registered architect, professional engineer or building draughtsman, issues it on Form F once Forms G1 to G21 are complete, and deposits a copy with the local council.

Can a developer hand over the keys without a CCC?

Not validly. Under Schedules G and H, vacant possession needs the CCC plus water and electricity ready for connection. Until then, late-delivery damages of 10% a year can run after the 24- or 36-month deadline.

Is it illegal to move in without a CCC?

Yes. Section 70(27)(f) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 makes occupying, or permitting occupation of, a building without a CCC an offence: a fine of up to RM250,000, up to 10 years’ jail, or both.

Is the CCC the same as the strata title?

No. The CCC covers the building and comes from the architect or engineer. The strata or individual title is registered through the land office and can come years later.

How do I check if a building in Johor Bahru has a CCC?

Ask the developer, seller or management office for the CCC covering your block or phase, and have your lawyer check it. MBJB or MBIP holds a deposited copy; ask its One Stop Centre what you can request. Pre-2007 buildings have a CF instead.

Want a CCC and title check on a JB property?

Send me the project and unit, or the house address. I will check whether the CCC is out, where the title stands and whether any extension looks unapproved, and tell you which papers to ask for before you commit. You can also book an appointment to view, or a Zoom consultation from abroad.

Sources: Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam, Application for Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC), checked November 2026; KPKT, OSC 3.0 Plus manual (Form G, Form F/F1 and deposit of the CCC under by-law 25(3)), as published by Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru, checked November 2026; Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, Part V, section 70 (as published by the National House Buyers Association), checked November 2026; Bernama, KPKT to review the CCC framework, 21 June 2026; Berita RTM, “KPKT semak semula kerangka CCC”, 21 June 2026; Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (Board of Architects), General Circular No. 3/2008 on certification under Schedules G and H, 27 November 2008; Universiti Malaya Legal Aid Clinic (Klinik Bantuan Guaman), rights and obligations of strata property buyers (Schedule H delivery period and LAD), checked November 2026; Focus Malaysia, “Court tightens the screw on errant developers over water, electricity supply”, 19 March 2022; The Sun, “Issuance a legislative anomaly” (partial CCC), 6 December 2019; Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966, sections 16M to 16P (Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims), checked November 2026; The Edge Malaysia, “Five things you need to know about the Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims”, first published 19 January 2018; Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru, Buku Panduan Ubah dan Tambahan (minor alterations and additions guide), updated 2016; The Star, “MBIP: Seek approval before carrying out renovations”, 21 October 2021; New Straits Times, “Foreigners hit Johor property resale wall”, 20 April 2026; The Star, “The Malaysian tax landscape in 2026”, 23 December 2025

Jason Lim, REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd. E (1) 1584/6. General information checked on 9 November 2026, not legal advice. Building and housing rules change; confirm the position for your property with your lawyer, the local council and the developer before you commit.