4. Plumbing and drainage
This section includes all exempt plumbing and drainage work such as the repair, maintenance and replacement of sanitary plumbing, drainage, and existing water heaters.
Self-certification for plumbing and drainlaying does not change plumbing and drainlaying work that can be already undertaken without a building consent, as defined in Schedule 1 of the Building Act.
The changes allow for certain types of plumbing and drainlaying work to be carried out by endorsed plumbers and drainlayers, who must certify that the work complies with the building consent and the Building Code.
This removes the requirement for the building consent authority to inspect any plumbing and drainlaying work completed, so long as the requirements for the scheme are followed.
For further information, see Self-certification for plumbing and drainlaying scheme
The table below shows the exemptions included in this section and the professional you will need to hire.
| Description* | Exemption | Is an authorised professional legally required? | Who can provide professional advice? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Repair, maintenance, and replacement of sanitary plumbing and drainage | 32 | Yes |
All sanitary plumbing work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. All drainlaying work must be carried out by an authorised drainlayer. |
| 4.2 | Drainage access points | 33 | Yes | All drainlaying work must be carried out by an authorised drainlayer. |
| 4.3 | Repair and maintenance of existing water heater | 36 | Yes | All sanitary plumbing work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. |
| 4.4 | Replacement of open-vented water storage heater connected to supplementary heat exchanger | 37 | Yes | All sanitary plumbing work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. |
| 4.5 | Replacement or repositioning of water heater connected to controlled heat source | 38 | Yes | All sanitary plumbing work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. |
| 4.6 | Minor alteration to drains | 34 | Yes | All drainlaying work must be carried out by an authorised drainlayer. |
| 4.7 | Alteration to existing sanitary plumbing (excluding water heaters) | 35 | Yes | All sanitary plumbing work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. |
*Owners must look at the relevant section of guidance to identify under which detailed conditions the building work qualifies for the exemption.
Search the register of authorised plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers