Frequently asked questions

Typical works exempt from requiring a building consent are like-for-like replacement of building elements (e.g., replacing roofing with the same type of roofing if it is older than 15 years, etc.,) Check out the full list of exempt works to see if you need a building consent.

We have 20 working days to issue a decision on your building consent application, except for MultiProof consents where 10 working days apply. If any information is required to confirm compliance with the Building Code, the clock will stop until the information is received. You can contact us to find out the status of your application - make sure you have the consent number or property address handy. For details see our Residential building consents page.

Please note that building work cannot start until the building consent has been issued.

You have 12 months to start building from the date your consent is issued otherwise your consent will lapse and you will need to reapply. Please contact us if you think you may need to extend this time, a fee may apply.

You have two years from the date the building consent is granted. Contact us if you need to have this extended, a fee may apply.

Give us a call on 06 759 6060 to book your inspection. Make sure you have your building consent number handy. We need at least 24 hour’s notice but will try and fit your inspection in within three days.

CCCs must be processed within 20 working days of receiving your complete application. If we need more information or documentation from you, we will stop the clock until the information is received.

You can apply for a waiver or modification to certain requirements of the Building Code so that a building consent may be issued even though it does not comply, e.g. a firewall along a boundary wall that is alongside a right of way. You need to declare on your building consent application what part of the building code you are applying for a waiver or modification.

Application for waiver or modification form

If the work was done after July 1992 you will need to apply for a certificate of acceptance. The building work will be assessed against current Building Code requirements.

If the work was done before July 1992, you need to apply for registration of unpermitted/unrecorded work. We may inspect the work, especially where there is a possibility of safety or sanitary issues.

We can check and ascertain whether the work being done by your neighbour does require a consent or not. If it does, then we can request the owner to stop work until the matter is resolved. Please contact us with the address and building work details.

If building work has not been carried out recently on the property or if it is not Council-owned then unfortunately this is a private issue between neighbours.

If the property or pipes responsible for the stormwater overflow are Council-owned then let us know and we’ll get one of our team to check it out.

If the property has recently had building work carried out we will see if there is a building consent and see if the building work has been finished (e.g., the downpipes may not have been connected).

The only way to find the true boundary is to contact a Registered Surveyor, however, we can let you know the approximate distances from one boundary to another. Just give us a call on 06 759 6060 or pop in to the Civic Centre or one of the service centres.

You can read all the requirements on our Swimming pools page.

Until the works stated in the letter are rectified, the pool needs to be made safe (by emptying it to a level of 400mm or less). Once the works are completed, contact us to book an inspection. 

Our online application system has been designed to make it easier for you as a customer to apply and pay online, track the progress of your application, check any correspondence from us in one place, and download your approved consent.  For NPDC, the online system streamlines our process, enabling us to action your application more efficiently, and allow multiple staff to work on different aspects of a consent at the same time.

We usually process consents within 20 working days from the date of application.  However if we need to contact you requesting further information for your application, or you’ve submitted an incomplete application, the length of time will depend on how long it takes for us to receive the information we require. For further information on consent processing, please refer to our booklet Information about the building consent process.

If the application is in a draft state and not yet submitted, you’ll have the option to delete it yourself. You’ll find a button in the submission that says, “delete draft”.

If you’ve submitted the application: Please contact the Building Support Services Team to cancel your application. Note: This must be in writing or by email to enquiries@npdc.govt.nz , and cannot be withdrawn via a phone call. You may have some fees to pay if the application has progressed through any stages of the consent process.

Yes. However, to improve the efficiency of your application being processed you should complete your application online if you have access to a computer.

Documents that have been approved by NPDC will be available in the portal for you to download. You will still be required to have approved documents on site during inspection.