Supporting documents for a building consent application

All documents must be in PDF format.

Documents required for all building consents

Proof of ownership

Your application must include proof of ownership that is less than 3 months old. You can order a record of title (previously called a certificate of title) from Land Information NZ.

If you're doing work in a common area of a subdivided building (like the lobby of an apartment block), you'll need to provide the record of title for the underlying land. If this doesn't exist, you can submit a record of title for a unit along with the supplementary record sheet.

Order a record of title – Land Information NZ

If the record of title is not up to date, you can include a sale and purchase agreement.

Detailed drawings and plans

Your architect or designer will need to supply detailed drawings and plans showing existing and proposed modifications or new building designs.

Specifications

You need to show the exact systems and products that will be used in your building, such as bracing systems, cladding and roofing materials.

Specifications can be submitted on the drawings themselves or in a separate document. They shouldn't be generic, irrelevant or contradictory to your drawings.

You'll also need to provide the manufacturer's specification documents, including installation and maintenance requirements.

Certificate of Design Work (Memorandum of Licensed Building Practitioners) – for restricted work

A certificate of design work identifies all the restricted building work that will be done and who will supervise the work. This will need to be completed by a licensed building practitioner.

Certificate of Design Work (Memorandum of Licensed Building Practitioners)

Extra document for the first stage of a staged building consent

Extra document for the first stage of a staged building consent (61KB PDF)

Extra documents that may be required

You may need to provide extra documents depending on the type of building work you're proposing.

Third-party inspection list

If the work requires extra inspections by an engineer or specialist, you'll need to provide a list of the proposed inspections with the details of who will be carrying them out.

Bracing calculations

If your building work requires changing the loading of a sub-floor, large deck, wall and ceiling and/or roof bracing, you'll need to provide calculations showing that the new bracing is to be no worse than before or meets the required demand as per NZS3604.

Build Magazine - bracing supplement

Specific design (SD) wind documents 

If your building is in a specific design wind zone, you'll need to provide a wind speed calculation from an engineer and evidence that the proposed products and systems you plan to use are within the design constraints and will meet the Building Code.

Weather-tightness risk matrix E2

If the building work will affect the weathertightness of the building, your designer will need to provide design details in compliance with the risk matrix from the acceptable solution or a specific design (SD) meeting the performance requirements of E2.

External moisture guide to E2/AS1 risk matrix – Building Performance

Quality assurance (QA) plans

A QA plan helps complex building projects demonstrate that the work meets the requirements of the building consent. It outlines the checks and documentation that must be provided before we issue a code compliance certificate.

Quality assurance plans for complex building projects

Truss design producer statement (PS1)

If your building design includes the use of manufactured trusses, you will need to provide a producer statement (PS1) from the truss manufacturer declaring that the design will be in compliance with the Building Code.

Structural engineering components

Specifically designed engineering components are generally provided by engineers a part of the building consent process. We review these components of consents using a risk-based approach.

Supervising engineer producer statement (PS4)

A PS4 is a professional statement of opinion on a piece of design or building work. If you're applying for a certificate of acceptance, you might need a PS4 if we require another opinion from an engineer.

Maintenance processes for durability (B2)

B2 durability ensures that a building and the materials used to build it will continue to comply with the Building Code throughout its specified intended life.

If you need to provide maintenance for any part of your building, you must show us how you plan to maintain it to ensure it will remain functional for the minimum period specified (50, 15 or 5 years).

B2 durability – Building Performance

Energy efficiency compliance H1

An Energy Effficiency (R-Value) calculation is required to demonstrate compliance with H1 for any new habitable spaces in your building.

H1 Energy efficiency support – BRANZ website

'Alternative solution' supporting documents

An 'alternative solution' can be presented to us if your proposed plans are designed to meet the requirements of the Building Code in a different way than specified in the compliance documents.

If the alternative solution deviates significantly from an acceptable solution, then an independent peer review may be required.

Site management plan

A site management plan is required for major projects or ones that require the removal of waste.

Advice of licensed building practitioners

You need to let us know the name and details of all licensed building practitioners who'll be carrying out or supervising restricted building work before work begins. This costs $51.50 per building consent.

Advice of licensed building practitioners (58KB PDF)

Extra documents for all commercial buildings

Fire report

A fire report documents the fire safety design for the building and specifies the safety features that must be incorporated in order for the building to comply with the Building Code.

Fire design plan

You'll need to provide a fire design plan if it is required by the NZ Gazette. The plan must be submitted with your fire report and clearly show the specifications and safety features in your building. This can be done by a fire designer.

Guidelines for documenting fire safety designs – Building Performance

MEP plans and specifications

These are the plans or drawings prepared by the mechanical, electrical and plumbing consultants. The specifications are supporting documents that include:

• MEP Engineer Producer statements
• MEP calculations.

Design coordination statement form

Design coordination statement form (125KB PDF)

Extra documents for commercial buildings with specified systems and products

Compliance schedule

A compliance schedule is a document that contains specific information and procedures for specified systems within a building. It must show the proposed maintenance and test regime of each system.

Product and installation details

You'll need to provide the full details of the brand and type of product you're going to use, including installation and maintenance requirements. You can usually get these from the manufacturer or installation provider.

Specified systems and compliance schedules

If you're using less common products

If you're using less common or tailored products that have different specifications or installation instructions, you'll need to provide accredited agency information to prove it's compliant, such as a BRANZ appraisal.

Getting BRANZ appraisal

Extra documents for changing the use of a commercial building and alterations

Fire protection assessment checklist

This must be submitted as part of the fire report for your consent application if an acceptable solution (C/AS1-2) cannot be demonstrated. We use the checklist to assess the existing building against the provisions of the Building Code that relate to means of escape from fire.

The assessment checklist should be filled in by someone with suitable knowledge of the building and New Zealand Building Regulations.

Means of escape from fire assessment – supporting information (76KB PDF)

Accessibility assessment for people with disabilities

An accessibility assessment looks at how your building provides access and facilities for people with disabilities if you're altering an existing building or changing the use of a building. You'll need to provide a report and the assessment checklist with your application.

Access and facilities for people with disabilities – supporting information (162KB PDF)

The assessment report must:

• cover the whole building
• include a statement confirming that a site visit was conducted – or a justification statement (if you didn't have a site visit).

Extra documents for commercial buildings that may be required

Contamination management report

If your building has any hazardous agents or contamination on site, such as toxic chemicals, you might be required to provide a management report to meet the F1 clause in the Building Code.

Hazardous substances and processes

If your building stores, uses or processes hazardous substances, such as asbestos-based materials, you must let us know in your plans and in your fire report.

Food premise documentation

If your premise will be used to manufacture, store, prepare or sell food products you'll need to supply details of how you plan to do it.

Information for Design Engineers

See Information for Design Engineers for useful information about documentation requirements for building compliance.