What Is a Section 184 Certificate? The Key Document in Every NSW Strata Report

If you are buying an apartment, unit, or townhouse in New South Wales, your conveyancer will almost certainly mention a Section 184 certificate. It is one of the most important documents in the entire conveyancing process -- and yet most buyers have never heard of it until their solicitor requests one.

This guide explains what a Section 184 certificate is, what information it contains, why it matters for your purchase decision, and what red flags to watch for.

What Is a Section 184 Certificate?

A Section 184 certificate (often shortened to s184 certificate or simply a strata certificate) is a legally required disclosure document issued by the owners corporation of a strata scheme in NSW. It takes its name from Section 184 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), which sets out the obligation for the owners corporation to provide this certificate when requested.

The certificate is a formal, point-in-time snapshot of the financial, legal, and administrative status of a specific lot within the strata scheme. Unlike verbal assurances from a real estate agent, the information in a Section 184 certificate is legally binding. The owners corporation is accountable for the accuracy of the details it discloses -- making it the one document where the facts must be put on the record.

What Does a Section 184 Certificate Contain?

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 prescribes the information that must be included. A properly issued Section 184 certificate will cover the following areas:

Levies and Contributions

• The amount of the current administrative fund levy (day-to-day running costs) and capital works fund levy (long-term maintenance and repairs) for the lot
• Whether there are any levy arrears outstanding for the lot -- this is critical, because unpaid levies can transfer to the new owner upon settlement
• Whether any special levies have been raised or are proposed

For a deeper understanding of how levies and fund balances affect your purchase, see our guide on understanding strata levies and sinking funds.

Financial Position

• The current balances of the administrative fund and capital works fund
• Whether the owners corporation has any outstanding debts or liabilities
• Details of the capital works fund plan (the 10-year forecast of major maintenance expenditure)

Insurance

• Confirmation that the building is insured and details of the insurance policy
• The sum insured, the insurer, the policy number, and the expiry date
• Any excess amounts applicable to claims

By-Laws

• The by-laws currently registered against the strata scheme
• Any proposed by-law changes that have been passed but not yet registered
• Whether there are by-laws that restrict renovations, pets, short-term letting (such as Airbnb), or other uses of the lot

Legal Proceedings and Orders

• Whether the owners corporation is involved in any current or pending litigation
• Whether any orders have been made by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) or any court affecting the strata scheme
• Details of any mediation or dispute resolution proceedings

Other Disclosures

• Whether any building defect rectification orders are in effect
• Whether the building is subject to a building bond under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015
• Any other matters the owners corporation is required to disclose

Why the Section 184 Certificate Is So Important

The s184 certificate matters because it is the only legally binding disclosure the owners corporation is required to provide to a prospective buyer. Every other source of information -- the real estate agent's remarks, the strata manager's verbal assurances, the vendor's Section 32 or contract disclosures -- does not carry the same legal weight.

Here is what makes it essential:

Levy arrears transfer to you. If the lot you are buying has outstanding levy arrears, those arrears become your responsibility upon settlement. The Section 184 certificate is the definitive document that confirms whether any arrears exist.

Special levies signal upcoming costs. A special levy of $10,000 or $20,000 per lot for building repairs can fundamentally change the economics of your purchase. The s184 certificate will disclose whether a special levy has been raised or is being considered.

Litigation creates financial risk. If the owners corporation is involved in legal proceedings -- whether as a plaintiff or defendant -- there is a risk that legal costs or an adverse judgement will be passed on to lot owners through levies. The certificate must disclose any active or pending litigation.

Insurance gaps leave you exposed. The certificate confirms that the building is insured and provides policy details. If insurance is inadequate, lapsed, or has exclusions, this is a significant risk factor.

For a comprehensive overview of what to look for beyond the certificate, read our guide on what to look for in a strata report before buying.

Section 184 Certificate vs Full Strata Inspection Report

It is important to understand that a Section 184 certificate and a full strata inspection report are not the same thing.

A Section 184 certificate is a single, prescribed-form document issued by the owners corporation. It contains specific, legally mandated disclosures. It is relatively brief -- typically a few pages -- and it answers a defined set of questions about the lot's financial and legal status.

A full strata inspection report (also called a strata search or strata records inspection) is a much more comprehensive review. A strata inspector physically attends the strata manager's office (or reviews records remotely) and examines the complete body of records, including:

• Years of meeting minutes (AGMs and committee meetings)
• Financial statements and audit reports
• Correspondence between the strata manager, owners, contractors, and solicitors
• Defect reports, engineer's assessments, and remediation plans
• The full capital works fund plan
• Insurance certificates and claims history

The strata inspection report provides context that the Section 184 certificate cannot. For example, the certificate might confirm there is no current special levy, but the meeting minutes reviewed in a full inspection might reveal that the committee is planning to raise one at the next AGM.

In short, the Section 184 certificate gives you the legally binding facts. A full strata report gives you the full picture. Most experienced conveyancers will recommend obtaining both.

For a step-by-step breakdown of what a full report covers, see our guide on how to read a strata report.

Equivalent Certificates in Other States

The Section 184 certificate is specific to NSW. Other states have equivalent documents:

• Victoria -- Section 108 certificate under the Owners Corporations Act 2006
• Queensland -- Section 205 certificate (body corporate information certificate) under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997
• Western Australia -- strata information certificate under the Strata Titles Act 1985
• South Australia -- Section 39 certificate under the Strata Titles Act 1988

If you are buying in another state, ask your conveyancer for the equivalent certificate. The principle is the same: obtain the legally binding disclosure before you commit.

How to Request a Section 184 Certificate

A Section 184 certificate can be requested by the lot owner, their authorised representative (such as the vendor's solicitor), or a prospective buyer and their conveyancer. The request is made to the owners corporation, which in practice usually means the strata managing agent.

Cost: The prescribed fee is typically $100 to $150, though strata managers may charge additional administration fees. The fee is usually paid by the purchaser as part of their conveyancing disbursements.

Turnaround: The owners corporation must provide the certificate within 14 days of receiving the request. Most strata managers issue it within five to ten business days.

In most NSW transactions, your buyer's conveyancer or solicitor will request the certificate as a standard part of their pre-purchase searches. You should not need to arrange it yourself, but it is worth confirming it has been ordered -- especially if you are on a tight timeline during a cooling-off period.

Red Flags to Look for in a Section 184 Certificate

When you receive the certificate, pay close attention to the following warning signs:

Levy arrears on the lot. Any amount of unpaid levies is a concern. These arrears will become your liability after settlement. If the vendor has not been paying their levies, it may also indicate broader financial issues with the lot or the scheme.

Low fund balances. If the administrative fund or capital works fund has a very low balance relative to the size and age of the building, the owners corporation may be underfunding future maintenance. This increases the likelihood of special levies down the track.

Special levies raised or proposed. A current or proposed special levy means a significant expense is either already committed or under active discussion. Find out what it is for, how much it will cost per lot, and whether the vendor or the buyer will be liable.

Active litigation. Any legal proceedings involving the owners corporation deserve close scrutiny. Ask your conveyancer to investigate the nature of the dispute, the potential financial exposure, and whether costs could be passed on to lot owners.

Insurance concerns. Check that the sum insured is adequate for the replacement value of the building. Also look for any exclusions, high excess amounts, or difficulty obtaining insurance -- these can indicate underlying building issues such as combustible cladding or flood risk.

Building defect orders. If the certificate discloses a building defect rectification order or a building bond, there are known defects in the building. Investigate the scope, cost, and timeline for remediation.

Missing or incomplete information. If the certificate does not provide answers to questions it is required to address, this is itself a red flag. Raise it with your conveyancer immediately.

Get Your Section 184 Certificate Analysed

A Section 184 certificate provides essential facts, but understanding what those facts mean for your specific purchase decision is another matter entirely. Combined with the hundreds of pages in a full strata report, there is a lot of information to parse.

Already have your Section 184 certificate or full strata report? Upload it to CheckStrata.ai for just $5 and get a complete AI analysis with every finding cited to the exact page. Instead of spending hours reading through dense legal and financial disclosures, you get a clear, plain-English breakdown of the risks and red flags that matter most -- in minutes.