Building consent authorities and the plumbers and drainlayers self-certification scheme

Self-certification changes how certain plumbing and drainlaying work is inspected, but it does not remove a building consent authority’s (BCA) role in the building consent system.

BCAs will still:

• assess building consent applications for Building Code compliance
• issue building consents
• issue code compliance certificates.

It is the building owner’s choice about whether they want to use self-certification or not.

Building consents can have a mixture of work that has self-certifiable plumbing and drainlaying and work that follows the standard building consent inspections process.

No inspections for self-certified work

The BCA does not inspect plumbing or drainlaying work if it:

• fits the definition of self-certifiable work
• is listed in the building consent as self-certifiable work
• is carried out, supervised or assisted by an endorsed self-certifying practitioner.

Instead, the BCA must accept the plumber or drainlayer’s certificate of compliance, as well as accompanying documentation, as evidence the work complies with the building consent.

The endorsed plumber or drainlayer takes on the liability for work they’ve signed off instead of the BCA.

What work can be self-certified

The scheme applies only to eligible plumbing and drainlaying work:

• on residential, commercial and industrial buildings up to three storeys (except apartment blocks)
• designed to an Acceptable Solution or Verification Method
• for on-site systems – these can be self-certified using a different compliance method if there is no Acceptable Solution or Verification Method that exists for that on-site system.

An on-site system means a system for the independent management of water that does not connect to a network utility operator (NUO) system. This includes systems for circulating, disposing of, storing, supplying, pumping or re-using water, as well as irrigation.

All plumbing and drainlaying work still needs to comply with the Building Code.

What BCAs still check

At the application for building consent stage, BCAs continue to check:

• whether the proposed work is eligible to be self-certified – the applicant must list what work they intend to be self-certified
• whether the overall building work meets Building Code requirements
• once the building consent has been issued and building work has been completed, whether required documentation has been provided with the certificate of compliance when applying for a code compliance certificate.

The building consent applicant does not need to know who their endorsed plumber and/or drainlayer at the building consent application stage. 

Before plumbing and drainlaying work starts, they must notify the BCA of who the endorsed plumber and/or drainlayer is, preferably with their registration number.

BCAs should check whether the endorsed plumber and/or drainlayer holds the endorsement to self-certify.

Required content in certificates of compliance

When BCAS receive applications for code compliance certificates, BCAs are expected to check certificates of compliance have all the required information. 

They must accept certificates of compliance as evidence of complying with the building consent, and in turn, the Building Code.  

Certificates of compliance will be in a prescribed form set by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.

What must be included in a certificate of compliance

About the work

• Where the work was carried out (for example, the address)
• What work was completed
• The building consent number
• When the work started and finished
• Any required supporting documents showing the work complies with the building consent.

About the certified plumber or drainlayer

• Their name and registration (or unique ID)
• Confirmation they are approved to self-certify
• Confirmation they carried out or supervised the work.

About other people involved

• Names (and IDs if available) of anyone else who did or helped with the work
• Statements they must make about the work
• Tests were carried out at the required stages
• The tests show the work performs as required
• The work complies with the building consent
• All required supporting information is included.

Final sign-off

• A statement that everything in the certificate is true and accurate
• A signature and date by the endorsed plumber or drainlayer.

Supporting documents that must be included

• Photos of the work
• Test details and results (for example, pressure or flood tests)
• “As-built” plans if the work differs from the consent (or an explanation of the differences).

BCAs may still inspect other parts of the building work, as well as work that is not eligible for self-certification. 

There may be situations where some parts of the building work are self-certifiable and other parts are not, within the same building consent. 

When work is not self-certifiable

If work falls outside the scope of self-certification, inspections occur as usual.

Applicants can also choose not to use self-certification.

Standard inspections apply if an amendment or minor variation causes work to fall outside the scope of self-certification.

Managing non-compliance with the Building Code

If a BCA becomes aware of potential noncompliance, follow-up actions remain available through existing enforcement and referral processes – this includes issuing a notice to fix.

Professional oversight and disciplinary pathways continue to apply through the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.

Benefits for BCAs

• Reduced inspection demand for eligible work.
• Ability to focus on higher risk or more complex building work
• Clearer allocation of responsibility to endorsed practitioners.