In this paper, we present an a posteriori error analysis for the finite ele
ment approximation of convex optimal Neumann boundary control problems. We
derive a posteriori error estimates for both the state and the control appr
oximation, rst on polygonal domains and then on Lipschitz piecewise C-2 dom
ains. Such estimates, which are apparently not available in the literature,
can be used to construct reliable adaptive finite element approximation sc
hemes for the control problems. Explicit estimates are shown for some model
problems that frequently appear in applications.