Quick answer
A Plumbing Certificate of Compliance is required when you sell a property in the City of Johannesburg, and any geyser installation or replacement should be accompanied by one confirming SANS 10254 compliance. It certifies that the drip tray, tray drain, vacuum breakers, safety valve, isolator and pipework all meet the standard. Insurers increasingly ask for it too, and a missing COC is a common reason a geyser claim is queried.
Common causes
- Property sale in the City of Johannesburg requires a Plumbing COC before transfer
- New geyser installations and replacements should always be issued with one
- Insurance claims are frequently queried where no recent COC exists
- Conversions such as adding solar or a heat pump change the installation and need recertifying
- Any work that alters the geyser's valves, tray or isolator affects compliance
What you can do now
- 1Book the COC inspection before listing the property rather than during the transfer rush
- 2Find your last COC and check its date — a recent one shortens the current inspection considerably
- 3Keep the certificate with the property file; conveyancers ask for the original
- 4Ask what specifically failed if a certificate is refused, and get it in writing so you can compare repair quotes
When to call a professional
Book a COC inspection with a PIRB-registered plumber before listing, not once transfer is under way. Doing it early turns a handful of small compliance repairs into a scheduled job rather than an emergency that holds up the sale. The plumber inspects the full installation, completes any remedial work, and issues the certificate in their registered name.
Typical cost in Johannesburg
COC R950–R1,800 · Compliance repairs quoted separately
Indicative ranges only. We provide written, itemised quotes before any work.
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