Approved Products Certified Overseas

Last updated: 29 August 2025

Approved Products Certified Overseas is the recognition of overseas certified building products and methods, which provides more choice of Building Code compliant products for designers, specifiers and consumers.

Approved Products Certified Overseas is a part of three pathways introduced by the Building Amendment Act 2025 to provide New Zealanders with:

more choice of building products, and
healthier, safer and more durable buildings while costing less.

Building Amendment Act 2025 – legislation.govt.nz

What are Approved Products Certified Overseas?

Approved Products Certified Overseas are certified building products or methods recognised by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Recognised products will be deemed to comply with the Building Code and must be accepted for use by building consent authorities (BCAs), when they both are:

used as intended including any conditions or limitations of recognition
supported by the required technical information.

Pyramid diagram showing the multiple layers that make up the Building Code regulatory framework.

Figure 1: Where Approved Products Certified Overseas fits in the Building Code regulatory framework

Text description for figure 1

Benefits of using Approved Products Certified Overseas

Approved Products Certified Overseas provides several benefits to the wider sector:

A robust way to show an overseas building product or method meets the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.
More choice of Building Code compliant products or methods for designers, specifiers and consumers.
An opportunity for overseas manufacturers and suppliers to import to Aotearoa New Zealand, as Approved Products Certified Overseas will have a greater level of market acceptance since they are deemed to comply with the Building Code.
Consistency and certainty during the consenting process as recognised products and methods must be accepted by all BCAs.
Consumers can have confidence in Approved Products Certified Overseas as the overseas certification scheme ensures robust quality assurance processes for certified products and methods (including evaluation, testing and surveillance).

How the Approved Products Certified Overseas recognition process works

MBIE will evaluate building products or building methods certified under an overseas product certification scheme.

If MBIE is satisfied that those products or methods meet criteria to be set out in new regulations, it recognises the products on behalf of MBIE’s Chief Executive.

MBIE’s process for recognition will include:

an evaluation of the product certification scheme to ensure it is accredited as meeting appropriate standards by an accreditation body, and has robust processes for:
- evaluating, certifying, and monitoring building products or methods
- ensuring certifiers act impartially and independently from product manufacturers and suppliers
- staff carry out their roles with integrity and professionalism.
determining that product certificates, and any associated information are accessible and contain enough technical detail so Aotearoa New Zealand users can understand how the product or method will perform in relation to its intended use
ensuring there is no warning or ban in place for the product or method (either in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas), and the certification body had not had its accreditation suspended or revoked under section 264 of the Building Act (the CodeMark scheme)
there is sufficient evidence that the product or method would comply with the Building Code when used as intended (including any conditions or limitations of recognition).

If a product or method is recognised on behalf of MBIE’s Chief Executive, MBIE will publish a recognition notice. The recognition notice will include any relevant limitations and conditions.

A BCA must accept a recognition notice as evidence of compliance with the Building Code, if every relevant limitation and condition of the recognition is complied with.

This puts the Approved Products Certified Overseas recognition notice at the same level of compliance as (among other forms of evidence) a CodeMark product certificate, a determination, or a MultiProof approval.

Recognition notices for Approved Product Certified Overseas are secondary legislation and will be published at www.building.govt.nz.

Recognition notices will detail what New Zealand Building Code clauses apply to that product or method and if there are any conditions or limitations of the recognition.

Recognition notices can be amended or revoked.

MBIE will monitor and review Approved Products Certified Overseas on a regular basis.

How to get your product recognised as an Approved Product Certified Overseas

MBIE is taking a measured approach in implementing this new deemed to comply pathway.

Currently, plumbing and drainage products certified under the Australian WaterMark certification scheme are being evaluated for possible recognition. This is because Australia (which has a similar regulatory environment to Aotearoa New Zealand) mandates Watermark certification for specific plumbing and drainage products.

We are also in the process of developing an application process for Approved Product Certified Overseas recognition. When released in 2026, product manufacturers, suppliers and importers of building products or methods with overseas certification can apply directly to MBIE for recognition.