Information Required
In this section
What you need to provide depends on your project.
At a minimum, all applications must include the following with any type of application:
Drawings
Clear, scaled drawings showing
- a site plan showing boundary, building layout dimensions and north point – see site plan for more details
- a floor plan showing clear measurements
- building elevations with views from all sides
- proposed or existing services (eg drainage, water, power)
- construction details, including cross sections
Other key documents and information
- a copy of the record of title
- a SDC flood assessment certificate
- the intended use of the building
- a restricted building work memorandum or owner-builder declaration (if it is restricted building work)
- any applicable resource consents or other approvals
- information showing how your project meets other legislation (as relevant) – eg Historic Places Act, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, council bylaws
- construction details and specifications showing how your design meets the building code
- any supporting documents – eg product information, technical details
- an engineering acceptance
- resource consent that conditions building before s224
Document requirements
Upload files as PDFs and printable to scale (maximum A3 size for residential projects).
Check your documents before you submit
We’re taking a stricter approach to poor-quality applications, so it’s important to get it right first time.
Before you submit
Make sure you review all documents before submitting your application.
- Do not include confidential or sensitive information that isn’t required.
- Only provide documents that are relevant to your application.
- Provide documents in the requested order.
- Make sure your information is complete and easy to follow.
Check all your information carefully, especially:
- Owner details and legal description are correct.
- The correct wind and earthquake zones are used.
- Your plans clearly show what is included in your application (and clearly identify anything that is not included in the project).
- You’ve provided all required documents – eg specifications, percolation test, reports.
- All producer statement(s) (PS1s, etc) match the documents.
Why it matters
A quality application means
- Faster processing
- Lower costs with less time spent reviewing your application
- Few delays or requests for more information.
To make sure you’ve included everything, use the relevant checklist for your project type before submitting your application:
What to supply
Your application must have enough detail so a builder can complete the work correctly from the approved consent documents.
To avoid delays and extra costs, only include:
- the relevant page(s) from product manuals (not full brochure)
- reference commonly used products directly on the plans or in an addendum to the specification (eg Gib, Ecoply, Thermakraft, Pink Batts)
- full details and supporting information for alternative solutions (ie not commonly used or new to the market) - eg asphalt shingles, infloor heating, alternative claddings, heat pump hot water
- clear references to your specification documents (eg BRANZ appraisals and numbers, manufacturer technical manual versions)
- proof building code compliance for specific engineering design (eg producer statement design (PS1), calculations, sketches/drawings).
Owner contact details
If you’re applying on behalf of an owner you must provide the owner’s full contact details.
Both you and the owner will receive all communications during the process. The owner can’t contract out of this, because it enables them to meet their obligations under the Building Act.
It means that council can contact the owner if there are any enquiries after the building consent has been issued.
Applications won’t be accepted without full owner details, so include these upfront to avoid delays.
Record of title/proof of ownership
You must provide a record of title with your building consent or PIM application.
This must be no older than 6 months.
Note: the customer portal states that the proof of ownership must have been issued within the last 3 months. You can ignore this and continue to upload your title by dropping the file or browsing to the file as you would normally.
This information helps confirm:
- Who owns the land.
- The legal property description.
- Any rights or restrictions that could affect your building work.
Where to get a record of title:
- Your solicitor (if you recently purchased the property), or
- Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) (for a fee).
Other sources for records of title do not disclose the full information we need.
What proof of ownership you supply depends on your situation:
Situation | What to provide |
Title in owner’s name |
|
Title not in owner’s name |
Note: you’ll need to supply the updated title in the owner’s name later, when applying for the code compliance certificate (CCC). |
Title not yet issued (eg property part subdivision not yet complete) |
For new subdivisions with 10+ lots:
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Lease agreement in place (ie tenant wanting to do building work) |
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Common terms that you may see on a record of title
- Covenant – an agreement that requires you to do (or not do) certain things on the property.
- Easement – allows others to use, but not own, part your land (eg drains, power, shared driveways).
- Consent notice – conditions from a previous resource consent that apply to the property.
Resource consent
Required where the application is submitted before issue of the s224 certificate for the subdivision.
Flooding assessment certificate (FAC)
Required where the application is for a new dwelling or principal building, or an extension to a dwelling over 25m2, and the property is located in flood management area. Therefore, this requirement applies for most of Selwyn.
See Flood assessment certificates for more details.
Engineering acceptance
Required for some urban projects (i.e. residential, commercial/mixed or industrial zones) to confirm outfalls and services requirements from the network utility operator (NUO).
See Urban multi-unit prior - Engineering acceptance for more details.
PLG1 form
You must include a completed PLG1 form [PDF, 322 KB] application (National Environmental Standard (NES) for assessing and managing contaminants in soil to protect human health, as well as Earthworks subject to a building consent).
This form checks:
- Where the land may be contaminated (based on past activities as on the Hazardous Activities or Industries List (HAIL).
- Whether earthworks could affect move floodwater onto surrounding land
For more information:
How to supply your documents
Providing your documents in a clear and consistent way helps us process your application faster and avoids delays.
That is why we ask you to provide your supporting documents in the order listed below.
File format & setup
Make sure your documents are:
- Combined into clearly grouped files – see file order below.
- Saved as a searchable PDF – so we can easily find information (see our tips on searchable[PDF, 201 KB] for guidance).
MBIE’s Guidance to applying for a building consent (residential buildings) provides a minimum benchmark on the acceptable standard of documents.
Applications that are not compiled properly may not be accepted.
Required document order
Upload your files to the relevant area of the customer portal in the following order:
Note: Maximum file size is 250 MB. If your file is larger than that you will need to split it into one or more files and upload to the relevant area.
Residential buildings
Document upload area | Expected order of file |
Proof of ownership | Current record of title (less than 6 months old) in the applicant’s name
See What to supply above for more information. |
Architectural plans | All construction drawings – do not load the structural plans separately:
|
Architectural specifications |
|
Other supporting documents | All other supporting documents in one file (where file size limit allows) – do not load these separately:
|
Commercial/industrial buildings
Also include:
Document upload area | Expected order of file | |
Architectural plans |
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Structural plans |
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Structural specifications |
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Fire reports |
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Accessibility report |
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MEP plans | Engineering services Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, civil:
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MEP specifications | Engineering services Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, civil:
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Other supporting documents |
Note: Use the Specified System guidance [DOCX, 1761 KB] when completing this form. | |
What to show on your site plan
Building coverage | Building coverage of all buildings on the site, including the proposed building – eg
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Site levels | All site plans must:
Note: if the site already has a Flood Assessment Certificate issued that references the minimum floor height in relation to the LVD37, then all site levels and onsite datum/benchmark shall be provided in LVD37 format. In addition, refer flood assessment certificates information. |
Existing buildings | Label the use of existing buildings on the site eg
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Net site area | Net site area of the site = xm2 |
North point | North point |
Outdoor living space | Outdoor living space (if a dwelling in the residential zone) showing the actual area and size – eg 60m2 |
Setbacks | All setbacks from site boundaries in metres, including from any easements, record of title restrictions etc |
Vehicle access | Width of access |
Water | If not on reticulated water:
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