Self-certification of Plumbing and Drainlaying work

• Self-certified plumbing and drainlaying work became law in New Zealand on 2nd June 2026, when the Building and Construction Sector (Self-certification by Plumbers and Drainlayers) Amendment Act 2026 received Royal Assent.
• The associated operational regulations came into force on 7th July 2026
• Self-certification allows trusted plumbers and drainlayers to carry out defined low-risk work without BCA inspections.
• This is designed reduce inspection delays and allow BCAs to focus on higher-risk work.
• Self-certification applies to both residential and commercial building work

Work can be self-certified if it is:

• routine, low-risk and simple
• done by a plumber or drainlayer with a self-certifying endorsement
• regulations will define eligible plumbing and drainlaying work
• applicants choosing self-certification must use an endorsed plumber or drainlayer
• applicants must declare self-certification of plumbing or drainlaying work at the time the application is submitted to the BCA
• the BCA will confirm eligibility and still check plans for Building Code compliance
• the BCA will not inspect self-certified plumbing or drainlaying work
• within 10 working days of completion, the practitioner must submit a Certificate of Compliance that:
• confirms compliance with the building consent
• includes evidence such as tests, photos and as-built designs
• forms part of the Code Compliance Certificate application.
• the BCA must accept the Certificate as evidence the work complies
• certificate information will go on a public register. The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board may audit certificates and take disciplinary or enforcement action
• with the scheme in place, the applicant may still choose inspections.

Information about building consent inspections

The BCA has implemented the following interim procedure, which will remain in place until Monday 7 September 2026 when the functionality is available in the BCA’s online building consent system, Objective Build.

Building Consent Applications pre-7 September 2026:

1. Complete a Form 2 application for a building consent (available on KDC’s Website) that features self-certified plumbing and drainlaying work. (This declaration will remove the need for typical council site inspections by the BCA on plumbing or drainlaying work that is eligible for self-certification).
2. The BCA records the specific plumbing and drainlaying tasks listed by the applicant as intended for self-certification.

Note: The applicant does not need to name the endorsed tradesperson at the initial application stage. However, before work begins, the applicant or owner must notify the BCA of the specific practitioner's name and registration number.

1. The BCA will verify via the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board public register that the nominated professional holds a valid self-certification endorsement. Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board
2. The BCA will process the building consent application within Objective Build and approve/ issue the Form 5 building consent (including specific plumbing and drainlaying tasks) and excluding on-site council inspections for the approved self-certifiable plumbing and drainage components.

Building Consent Applications effective 7 September 2026:

1.      Building consent applications may be lodged directly in Objective Build as the system will have full functionality available.

Building inspectors will not be required to inspect any self-certified plumbing and drainlaying work that has been declared on the building consent.

If an inspector finds completed plumbing and drainage work that was not declared for self-certification on the building consent, the inspector will typically halt the sign-off process and require a formal amendment or a specific compliance check.

Undeclared building work:

• Inspection Failure or Hold: The building inspector cannot pass the work because it falls outside the approved inspection or self-certification pathway on the consent.
• Notice to Fix: If the uninspected pipes or drains have already been covered up (such as poured over with concrete or walled in), the BCA may issue a formal Notice to Fix.
• Proof of Compliance: The applicant may be required to provide retrospective evidence, such as pressure test results, as-built plans, or a certificate from a licensed certifying plumber.

Resolution:

• Consent Amendment: The applicant or their designer/ agent must apply for a minor variation or an amendment to the building consent to correctly document the completed plumbing and drainage.

Exposed Work: If the work is still visible, the inspector may arrange a standard, retroactive inspection after the applicant pays for any extra BCA inspection fees

Certificate of Compliance (CoC):

• Within 10 working days of finishing, the practitioner must supply a formal certificate and evidence (such as test results and photos) to the owner, the BCA, and the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board public register
• The BCA must accept this certificate as proof of compliance when issuing the final CCC

Processing / Issuing CCC:

CCC’s pre 7th September 2026:

• Upon receiving a manual Form 6 application for CCC, the BSO will save the application into Objective Build
• The BSO accepts the practitioner's Certificate of Compliance as verification of Building Code compliance for that scope of work, proceeding to issue the CCC if all other building aspects pass inspection
• The Form 7 CCC can then be issued through Objective Build 

CCC’s effective 7 September 2026:

• Application for CCC can be completed directly in Objective Build
• The BSO accepts the practitioner's Certificate of Compliance as verification of Building Code compliance for that scope of work, proceeding to issue the CCC if all other building aspects pass inspection
• The Form 7 CCC can then be issued through Objective Build