In this section

Read this section alongside the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Building work that does not require a building consent guidance document. This provides the scope of work already exempt from the need to obtain a building consent under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 (the Act).

If you’re unsure, don’t start building work until you’re certain it is exempt or have a building consent.

Applications likely to be refused include:

  • where the building is undergoing a change of use,
  • where clear evidence of a proven track record in similar building work is not provided,
  • where there are multiple different restricted elements to be managed and that have to be coordinated with each other to achieve overall compliance,
  • those that include building details that clearly do not comply with the building code, because non-compliant design details do not give the Council confidence that the work is likely to be built in compliance with the building code,
  • multiple applications for the same work that has been previously refused,
  • where Council considers that potential non-compliance of the proposed work creates risks to people or other property which are not reasonable.