Making a Start
Building consents are issued by the Council to verify that your proposed work meets the New Zealand Building Code, the Building Act 2004 and associated regulations.
We recommend that you engage an experienced professional (e.g. an architect or draughtsperson) to help with design work, drawings, specifications and documentation before applying for a building consent. For further information on the detail required of plans and supporting materials, please see Build Waikato.
Note: It is the responsibility of the building owner (or their agent) to ensure that those professionals that are carrying out the work or providing professional opinions are legally allowed to do so and are working within the scope of their registration. For more information on this please see Build Waikato.
Do you need a building consent?
Building projects have different requirements and most projects require a building consent. You are likely to require a building consent before you start any building work unless the work falls into the category of exempted work.
If you’re planning any construction, demolition or alteration work that requires building consent, you’ll need to obtain one before the work can begin. Building consent is also often needed for tents or marquees, pools, and fireplaces.
For further information on the consent requirements for specific types of building projects see Build Waikato.
Other requirements
You should consider other relevant legislation such as the Resource Management Act 1991 and our District Plan which may require you to obtain a Resource Consent. If you're unsure whether your project would require this type of consent, you can contact us to arrange to speak with the Duty Planner.
Also, check out information available on Land Information Memorandums (LIM) and Consent Notices for more things to keep in mind when you're buying, selling or planning some building work.
You may decide to apply for a Project Information Memorandum (PIM). A PIM provides information about land and requirements of other Acts that may be relevant to your proposed building work. A PIM must be issued within 20 working days of receipt of application.
Please note: Council does not provide design advice. It does, in respect of natural phenomena, provide some information or the location of some sources of information that can be used as guidance. In all cases site specific analysis must be undertaken for building projects by the design professionals.
Does your project relate to building work in a public use area? If so you may need to apply for a Certificate for Public Use (CPU). More information on CPUs can be found on Build Waikato.
There are circumstances where a building owner must notify Council of a change in a building's status such as a change of the use of a building. More information on this can be found on Build Waikato. Other examples include extending the specified life of a building or subdivision of existing building. More information on these can be found here.
If your project involves alterations and/or additions, there may be some additional requirements. More information on these can be found here.
Waikato Building Consent Group
Our Council is part of the Waikato Building Consent Group, which provides consistent administration of building consents across the eight member councils.
More information on the Waikato Building Consent Group is available from their website Build Waikato.
The website provides comprehensive information for anyone involved in a building project whether large or small and provides information including:
Restricted Building Work
Building and design work that relates to a building’s structure, foundations, fire safety or moisture protection is classified as ‘restricted building work’. Restricted building work relates only to residential buildings and must be carried out by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). LBPs must be licensed under the Government's LBP scheme. More information on restricted building work and LBPs can be found on Build Waikato
Please note: Registered architects, chartered professional engineers and licensed or certified plumbers are automatically treated as LBPs.
There is an owner-builder exemption which ensures you can still carry out building work on your own home if you qualify for the exemption. This means you will not need to be, or use, an LBP for any restricted building work on your own home. However, you will still need to obtain a building consent. More information on the owner-builder exemption can be found here.
More information about restricted building work, licensed building practitioners, and the owner-builder exemption can be found on the MBIE website.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a hazardous substance that was used in the past in the manufacture of a wide variety of commercial and domestic construction products from the 1940's through to the 1990's. You need to think about the potential of asbestos being present before you carry out any building work. Find out more including what exactly is asbestos, hazards and risks, managing risks and requirements for removal on Build Waikato.
Download our handy Building Consent Guide(PDF, 486KB)