what's new

17 April 2009: Non load-bearing timber issues - guidance information for building consent authorities.

31 October 2008: Guide to Building Consent Amendments

15 October 2008: Building Act 2004: Gudie to exemptions from building consent requirements

24 June 2008: Download the Building infringement scheme guidelines [PDF 275 KB, 24 pages]

Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006 in PDF format [PDF 86 KB, 15 pages]

keep up to date

The following publications contain the latest building controls information.

Building consent authority accreditation and registration scheme updates

Codewords: Building controls newsletter | Subscribe to Codewords update.

Building Controls Update: Periodic email news update service | Subscribe to Building Controls Update.

Licensing Update: Quarterly email news update service | Subscribe to Licensing Update.

publications

The material in this section includes information from these publications:

Building Officials’ Guide to the Building Act 2004
Guide to applying for a building consent (simple residential buildings): Guidance is now available from the Department of Building and Housing called Applying for a building consent.
Building officials' FAQs

related information

essential resources

ConsumerBuild: Help with building, renovating and maintaining your home.

Smarter Homes: Creating healthy, affordable homes for better living.

Your Council: Look up the contact details of your local council.

Information about the Resource Management Act

building A-Z

A glossary of building terms with links to further information.

Building officials

This section provides a summary of some of the most pertinent parts of the Building Act 2004 for building officials, as well as an explanation of what some sections in the Act mean, and what implementing those sections will require - the day-to-day operational activities that territorial authorities and building consent authorities undertake.

Although this section focuses on territorial authorities and building consent authorities, much of it will also be applicable to regional authorities. Regional authorities are required to become building consent authorities to undertake building control work on dams. They will also perform many territorial authority functions in respect of dams, including issuing project information memoranda, being responsible for the compliance schedule regime, and issuing certificates of acceptance.

Main topics in this section:

an overview of the Building Act 2004, including key changes and new provisions
project information memoranda
building consents
code compliance certificates
compliance schedules
building warrants of fitness
certificates of acceptance
notices to fix
certificates for public use
dangerous and insanitary buildings
earthquake-prone buildings
building safety evaluation following an earthquake or other emergency
buildings intended for public use and offences under section 363
dam safety
non load-bearing timber issues.

In addition, this section contains information for building officials on:

estimated building costs
events and education opportunities.

Building consent authorities

Building consent authorities (BCAs) have a key role to play in ensuring New Zealand’s regulatory building control system works effectively.

A BCA is a territorial authority, regional authority or a private body that is registered as a BCA by the Department of Building and Housing, having been successfully assessed and accredited by the building consent accreditation body. They have demonstrated that the necessary competencies, processes and systems are in place to meet the accreditation standards for BCAs.