Apply for a building consent

• continuing to recruit additional staff in a very tight market
• outsourcing work to external consultants where possible
• exploring and adopting continual improvement processes to manage applications more efficiently and streamline reporting and meetings

• Please allow more time than usual to receive correspondence on your application for building consent or for code compliance certificate (CCC).
• Ensure that your application is complete and comprehensive, and includes all the necessary plans, specifications, calculations and other supporting information. Having a detailed and complete application will minimise the need for us to request further information.
• Consider engaging a design professional to prepare and submit the application for you as your agent; well-prepared information is quicker to process.

If you’ve never applied for a building consent before, you may find it a time-consuming and complex process. We recommend that you:

• ask a professional – such as an architect, engineer or builder – to prepare the design, drawings, specifications and documentation for you. This is the approach that most people take
• get in touch with us to arrange a pre-application meeting for any commerical or complex residential projects.
• read our guide to getting a building consent (PDF 229 kb) – it covers most of the things you need to know
• use our online building consent application guidance
• familiarise yourself with your obligations under the New Zealand Building Code and the Building Act 2004. Your building consent and your building project must comply with their requirements.

A building consent application is typically made up of:

1. Application
2. Plans
3. Specification
   1. Architectural General
   2. Architectural Product Data
   3. Structural General
   4. Structural Product Data
4. Reports
5. Calculations
6. Producer Statements

The main application forms that you’ll need to provide are:

• a completed building consent application form (PDF 511 kb)
• a completed checklist for your project, such as one for:
  • multi-residential, industrial and commercial buildings (PDF 333 kb)
  • single residential houses (PDF 171 kb)
  • wood burners (PDF 110 kb)
  • building relocations (PDF 173 kb)
  • temporary buildings (PDF 149 kb)
  • signs (PDF 76 kb)
  • cable cars (PDF 171 kb)
• proof of ownership, such as the property's Certificate of Title, dated within 3 months

1. if your project includes restricted building work, a Memorandum (Certificate of Design Work) (PDF 173 kb) and a list of the ‘licensed building practitioners’ (PDF 228 kb) who will do the work .

You might also need to provide:

• an application form and checklist for a Certificate for Public Use
• an application for an amendment to a building consent (PDF 964 kb).

The plans you provide could include:

• architectural plans
• structural plans
• mechanical plans
• landscaping plans.

Please make sure that all plans are provided in landscape format and are no larger than A1 in size.

Specification documents include those for:

• mechanical services
• manufacturer product specifications
• plumbing and drainage.

These are documents that support your application and are not covered by the other categories. They include:

• Architectural and structural engineering plans and calculations.
• Any special arrangements you’ve made for inspections during construction, such as checking by an engineer:
  • Any producer statements required to certify that plans, specifications or completed works comply with the New Zealand Building Code (and the calculations on which they’re based).
  • A list of the specified systems added or modified by the proposed building work. This also needs to include the performance standards, inspection maintenance and reporting procedures for the specified systems.

In most cases, your architect, designer or builder will act as your agent and lodge the building consent application on your behalf.

If you’re doing it yourself you can lodge your application online

Once we have received a complete application, we will send you an initial invoice for the fees for your application.

It will include:

• Our standard fee for the processing, inspecting and issuing the code compliance certificate for the proposed work. If more time than is stated is taken additional fees will be charged before the building consent or Code Compliance Certificate is released.
• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and BRANZ levies.
• Once payment is made we will start processing your application.

You need to complete four steps to lodge a building consent online:

1. Complete and sign the relevant documents.
2. Sort the documents into four groups.
3. Convert the documents to PDF files, under four headings.
4. Lodge the application.

Step 1: Complete and sign the relevant documents

Check that you have:

• completed all the required documents and checklists accurately and in full
• signed and dated the documents where required
• gathered together any other required forms, plans, specifications and supporting documents.

Step 2: Sort the documents into four groups

The four groups are:

• application documents
• plans
• specification documents
• supporting documents.

Step 3: Convert the documents to PDF format

1. Scan hard copy documents to PDF.
2. Use a resolution of at least 300dpi.
3. Ensure that the PDF files aren’t locked or password protected.
4. Sort the files into folders with the four headings: Application, Plans, Specifications and Supporting Documents. Create sub-folders as required.

You don’t need to zip your files - our online portal can accept large files.

Step 4: Lodge the application

1. Submit your application online. Use Chrome or Firefox internet browsers.
2. Complete the required fields – your email address, the property address and the subject line (‘Building consent’).
3. Attach the documents or folders you’ve prepared.

Once you have completed the above steps send the email by clicking ‘Send’ button.