Upgrading existing buildings
The types of building that must be accessible for people with disabilities are those to which section 118 of the Building Act 2004 applies, and include the buildings listed in Schedule 2 of the Act.
Compliance schedules can give you more information.
When an existing building that must be accessible undergoes an alteration or change of use, under section 112 or 115 of the Act its access must be upgraded to the standard of a new building as nearly as is reasonably practicable. Accessible car parking is one of the access features that may need to be provided when an older building is upgraded.
All buildings constructed with car parking since 1993, when the Building Code came into effect, should have accessible parks. However, an accessible park can disappear because removal of its paint marking and signage can easily be done when a parking area is reconfigured, with no building consent required.
Consequently, alterations or changes of use are an opportunity for the territorial authority to check that the accessible parking is being maintained.