Plumbers and drainlayers self-certification scheme: information for plumbers and drainlayers

If you are a certifying plumber or drainlayer, self-certification gives you the option to sign off on eligible work yourself, instead of waiting for a BCA inspection.

This can mean fewer delays on site, more certainty around timeframes, and better control over when work is completed and documented.

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

Endorsed plumbers and drainlayers are certifying their work complies with the building consent. The plumbing and drainlaying work that you can self-certify must be listed on the building consent.

If your inspection does not occur, you cannot certify the work you have done so far if it is not already listed on the building consent as self-certifiable.

Opt-in and endorsement

Self-certification is not automatic. To participate, you must:

• hold the required certifying registration and a current practicing licence
• meet eligibility and competency requirements set out by the scheme
• be formally endorsed to self-certify.

Only endorsed plumbers and drainlayers can self-certify work under the scheme.

For more information on how to become endorsed:

Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board’s website

Your responsibilities

If you self-certify, you take on clear responsibilities:

• ensuring that the work meets all relevant Building Code requirements, as well as certifying that it complies with the building consent
• only eligible work can be self-certified
• completing and submitting the required documents to support a certificate of compliance
• keeping proper records of work, decisions, and statements around those decisions.

You are liable for the work that you sign off as self-certifiable plumbing and drainlaying instead of the building consent authority (BCA).

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

Self-certification relies on your professional judgement and integrity. If you self-certify work, you take on the responsibility for its compliance to the building consent.

Generally, it is not suitable for work you did not supervise on-site. More information on supervision will be published later this year.

Issuing a certificate of compliance

For self-certifiable work, you must issue a certificate of compliance confirming the work complies with the building consent. This certificate of compliance replaces the need for a building consent authority (BCA) inspection of that work and is used by the BCA as part of the code compliance certificate process.

It must also be supplied to both the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board and the owner.

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

Required content in certificates of compliance

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.

Information about you, the endorsed plumber or drainlayer

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

About other people involved

• Names (and IDs if available) of anyone else who carried out or helped with the work
• Statements you 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
• Your signature and the date.

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 building consent (or an explanation of the differences).

Accountability and oversight

Self-certification does not reduce accountability. If work does not comply with the building consent and the requirements of the Building Code:

• disciplinary action may be taken through professional regulation
• enforcement action may occur under building legislation
• consumer protections remain available.

You can also choose not to self-certify and instead have work inspected in the usual way. However, it is the responsibility of the building consent applicant to file an amendment to the building consent to reflect this. 

Benefits of self-certification

• Faster project completion.
• Less time waiting for inspections.
• Greater professional recognition and reliance on skills as an endorsed plumber or drainlayer.
• A more streamlined building consent process for eligible work.