What is a Victorian Regulation 126 (R126) Engineering Certificate?
Under the Victorian Building Regulations 2018, a Regulation 126 Certificate of Compliance is one of the most critical legal documents required to obtain a building permit or occupancy certificate.
Who Can Sign an R126?
An R126 certificate can only be signed by a registered building practitioner recognized as an engineer under the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) and the VBA (Victorian Building Authority). In Victoria, structural engineers must hold current RPEV (Registered Professional Engineer Victoria) endorsement.
Two Types of Regulation 126 Certificates
- Certificate of Compliance: Design: Issued prior to the building permit. Confirms that all structural drawings, calculations, and specifications comply with the National Construction Code (NCC), Volume One or Two, and relevant Australian Standards (such as AS 3600, AS 4100, and AS 5216).
- Certificate of Compliance: Inspection: Issued following mandatory site stage inspections (e.g., reinforcement placement, post-installed anchor pull-out testing, or structural steel connections) certifying that works comply with approved design documentation.
Why Fastening Design Requires Separate R126 Sign-Off
Private Building Surveyors (PBS) in Victoria increasingly demand specific R126 certificates for specialized structural connections and high-risk anchors, such as:
- Curtain wall and façade bracket fixings
- Heavy cantilevered balustrades and canopies
- Post-installed remedial hold-down bolts
- Machinery and crane rail anchorages
KiVo Engineering provides rapid, authoritative R126 certificates across Metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.