Compliance　checking　on　the　topological　spatial　relationships　of　building　elements　is　vital　for　ensuring　the　safety　and　the　quality　of　buildings.　However,　the　complex　topological　spatial　relationships　of　buildings　are　not　usually　expressed　in　the　design　scheme　directly.　Manual　checking　is　still　needed　to　analyze　the　design　scheme　and　extract　the　spatial　relationships.　Such　manual　checking　is　always　time　consuming　and　prone　to　error.　Therefore,　this　study　has　proposed　a　compliance　checking　method　based　on　a　building　information　model　(BIM)　and　building　ontologies　for　the　automatic　checking　of　topological　spatial　relationships.　Firstly,　the　topological　spatial　relationships　are　well　captured　and　represented　according　to　the　location　relation　of　building　elements.　The　checking　rules　are　further　established　based　on　regulations.　Then,　the　design　information　is　extracted　from　the　design　model,　mainly　including　the　location　information　of　building　elements.　Next,　the　review　ontology　is　developed,　and　the　design　information　is　organized　based　on　the　ontology.　Finally,　the　checking　is　completed　based　on　the　ontology　and　checking　rules.　The　authors　have　validated　the　proposed　method　through　a　case　study.　The　results　show　that　the　proposed　method　could　help　to　achieve　automatic　compliance　checking　on　topological　spatial　relationships　of　building　elements.