Processing and issuing a certificate of acceptance

Building Control has 20 working days to decide whether to grant or refuse a Certificate of Acceptance (COA) application from the date the application is submitted. The 20 working day period is suspended when further information is requested until the requested information is received.

The processing officer will consider all of the information, as well as visit the building site to inspect and record those parts of the building work that are visible and then make recommendations to either approve or refuse the application. The recommendation will include full details of which parts or components of the building are included, and which are not included, in any recommendation. The processing officer will consider and make recommendations if prosecution, under Section 40 of the Building Act 2004, for doing work without consent should proceed. The application will be approved or declined by the Building Control Group Manager, or a Senior Building Control Officer.

A COA will be refused where:

• There are dangerous or insanitary situations existing in the building work.
• Where compliance with the New Zealand Building Code has not clearly been shown, or determined during an inspection.
• Where the applicant refuses or fails to provide requested information within one calendar month of request, or a building consent already covers the work.

It will only be recommended that a COA be granted where:

• To the best of the knowledge and belief of the processing officer and on reasonable grounds, the building work complies with the New Zealand Building Code.
• The extent of the work covered by the COA is clearly identified.
• The extent of the building work not included in the COA is also clearly identified.

If a COA is refused then a Notice to Fix must be issued.

View MBIE information on acting on a Notice to Fix

When it is recommended that a COA be granted the COA will only be granted after all outstanding fees have been paid. It will also be on the standard form (Form 9) and include details of the work covered by the COA. It will be accompanied by a Compliance Schedule for the building where this is applicable and include exclusions of all work or parts of the work that were unable to be inspected. Additionally it will not take away any responsibility or liability for the work that has been completed without consent.