Building consent authority glossary

Building Consent (BC)

A building consent is the formal approval granted by a building consent authority that building works meet the requirements of the New Zealand Building Act, Building Regulations, and Building Code. A building consent is required before you can begin building works.

Building Code

Sets out the rules for the construction, alteration, demolition and maintenance of new and existing buildings in New Zealand.

Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF)

A building warrant of fitness (BWOF) is an annual certificate that confirms that:

• specified systems in your building have been inspected and maintained
• requirements of the compliance schedule(external link) have been met.

CCC

A code compliance certificate (CCC) is a formal statement confirming that we are satisfied on reasonable grounds that all building work has been completed in accordance with the building consent we issued for your project. Without a CCC, you may face difficulties when trying to buy, sell or insure a property.

COA

A Certificate of Acceptance provides some verification for a building owner/future building owner that part or all of certain work carried out complies with the Building Code.It's based on the Building Code at the time application is made, rather than what was in place at the time the work was actually carried out.

Conditions

Your building consent may be granted subject to subject to five conditions. Owners, builders and/or developers should ensure that they understand them and their implications IF any of the following conditions are stated:

• The approved plans contain waivers or modifications to the building code granted by the Territorial Authority, under Section 67 of the Building Act(external link). These may be subject to their own unique conditions so please check your documentation.  For further guidance see the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment web page(external link).
• The building consent could be granted with a notification, condition that the land is subject to natural hazards, which can mean flooding or landslips for example, see section 72 of the Building Act(external link) For further guidance see our Natural Hazards web page(external link)
• The building consent may have been granted subject to condition where if building over two (or more) allotments, these cannot be transferred or leased except in conjunction with the other allotments, see section 75 of the Building Act(external link)
• The building consent could have been granted with the condition that inspections will need to be conducted, see section 90 of the Building Act(external link). This condition will always apply and will need to be complied with fully to ensure that a Code Compliance Certificate can be issued.  For further guidance see the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment web page(external link)
• Some buildings have a specified intended lifespan, either due to code compliance inadequacies or because they were constructed to be temporary buildings. When a building consent is issued for a building like this, it is subject to the condition that it be altered, demolished or removed before the end of its life, see section 113 of the Building Act(external link)

Certificate for Public Use (CPU)

If the public uses all or part of your building, and you want them to access it before your building work has been signed off as complete, you can apply to your council for a certificate for public use. Your application will need to show that all or part of the building (whatever you are applying for) can be used safely by members of the public.

If you don't have a certificate for public use, you could be fined up to $200,000, and fined up to a further $20,000 for every day or part of a day the offence continues.

Read more on Certificates for Public Use:

• Tasman District Council- Certificate for Public Use
• MBIE - Certificate for Public Use(external link)

Compliance Schedule (CS)

Buildings containing certain safety and essential systems, known as specified systems, are issued with a compliance schedule and regular inspections (not including buildings used wholly or partly as a single household unit).

Read more on Compliance schedules:

• Tasman District Council - Compliance Schedules
• MBIE - Compliance Schedules(external link)

DC

Development Contribution means a contribution—

1. provided for in a development contribution policy of a territorial authority; and
2. calculated in accordance with the methodology; and
3. comprising—

• money; or
• land, including a reserve or esplanade reserve (other than in relation to a subdivision consent), but excluding Māori land within the meaning of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, unless that Act provides otherwise; or
• both

Grant

The Building Consent Authority must grant a building consent when it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work will comply with the Building Code(external link) when the building work is completed as per the consented plans.

Issue

When the building consent has been granted and the invoice has been paid in full.

Specified life extension 

Some buildings have a specified intended lifespan, either due to code compliance inadequacies or because they were constructed to be temporary buildings. When a building consent is issued for a building like this, it is subject to the condition that it be altered, demolished or removed before the end of its life.

However, Council can approve an ‘extension of life’ if satisfied that the building can continue to perform for a longer period.

If you would like to extend the life of a building, you’ll need to provide Council with written notice.

Read more on extension to specified life here.(external link) 

Specified Systems

Specified systems are systems or features that contribute to the proper functioning of the building. Specified systems require ongoing inspection and maintenance to ensure they function as required, because if they fail to operate properly, they have the potential to adversely affect health or life safety.

Read more on guidance for buildings that contain specified systems.

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