Applying to become an accredited organisation
Last updated: 10 April 2017
This section of the website details how to apply to become accredited and sets out the fees payable to the accreditation body for an accreditation assessment.
Accreditation assessment
The accreditation body undertakes all accreditation assessments against the accreditation requirements set out in the Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006 (the Regulations) and detailed in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE’s) regulatory guidance. No additional accreditation requirements will be imposed by the accreditation body. In addition, MBIE will provide advice and guidance on the accreditation requirements where clarification is required.
The Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006 are available on the Legislation website.
Detailed regulatory guidance on the BCA accreditation scheme has further information.
Authorised representatives
The accreditation body and MBIE require the Chief Executive of an applicant, accredited organisation or building consent authority (BCA) to nominate an authorised representative. An authorised representative must be a person with sufficient authority to ensure their organisation’s compliance with its accreditation requirements.
An authorised representative will be responsible for:
- engaging with the accreditation body to schedule any required accreditation assessments
- signing out all materials the accreditation body requires to support an assessment
- attending any on-site pre- and post-assessment meetings with the accreditation body
- notifying the accreditation body of actions planned to address non-compliance
- complying with the BCA accreditation scheme’s (the scheme) notification requirements
- engaging with MBIE on matters related to the effective functioning of the scheme
- sharing information about the scheme distributed by MBIE.
The nature of an authorised representative’s role means that they may also be able to identify opportunities and raise issues or concerns about the scheme, the accreditation process or the minimum standards and criteria for accreditation with MBIE.
If an authorised representative resigns, is reassigned or replaced then the accreditation body and MBIE must be informed consistent with the scheme’s notification requirements.
Regulation 6A: Notification requirements has further information.
Access to policies, procedures and systems, and premises
For the purpose of accreditation assessments, the accreditation body’s assessment team and technical experts, and MBIE, require reasonable access to an applicant, accredited organisation or BCA’s:
- documented policies, procedures and systems
- records related to the implementation of their policies, procedures and systems
- premises and facilities
- employees and contractors performing building control functions.
Where an MBIE officer is provided access to any property, it will be consistent with their powers and functions under section 204 of the Building Act 2004 (the Act) and/or any agreement made between MBIE and the accredited organisation or BCA.
Section 204 of the Building Act 2004 is available on the Legislation website.
Access to private property
Where the accreditation body assessment team and technical experts, or MBIE, require access to private property, permission must be sought from:
- the building owner, or
- the occupier, or
- any person engaged in the building work.
A person engaged in the building work may include an owner-builder and/or any unpaid friend or family member of the owner-builder engaged to assist him or her in the building work.
Obligation to comply with accreditation requirements
An accredited organisation and BCA must comply with the accreditation requirements set out in the Regulations and the regulatory guidance at all times. Ongoing compliance is essential to maintaining accreditation.
Changes to accreditation requirements
Notification of changes
MBIE will attempt to notify all accredited organisations and BCAs of any changes to the Regulations and accreditation requirements. Notification to accredited organisations and BCAs will generally be sent to their authorised representative.
There is no legislative requirement for MBIE to notify organisations or BCAs of any changes. For this reason MBIE accepts no responsibility for the failure of any organisation or BCA to maintain compliance with accreditation requirements where MBIE notification is not received or actioned by the authorised representative.
All accredited organisations and BCAs (and interested stakeholders) should register for updates to the MBIE guidance on the minimum standards and criteria required to meet the accreditation requirements.
To register for MBIE BCA updates please contact consentsystem@mbie.govt.nz
Implementation of changes
Any changes to the legislative requirements for accreditation must be implemented by an applicant, accredited organisation or BCA on the date upon which they come into effect. However, section 254 of the Act provides that neither the MBIE Chief Executive, nor the accreditation body, will revoke accreditation for a three-month period where the prescribed accreditation requirements are amended and an accredited organisation or BCA no longer meets those criteria and standards solely as a result of the amendments.
Fees for accreditation assessments
This section details the fees that must be paid by applicants, accredited organisations and BCAs as part of the accreditation process from 1 July 2017.
Accreditation assessment fees
The accreditation body charges a fee-for-service for accreditation assessments at the rates detailed in the table below. The accreditation body will provide a fee estimate to an applicant or accredited BCA in advance of any assessment. A detailed invoice will be provided when their invoice for payment is made.
Where the assessment process results in costs five percent or greater than the estimate, the accreditation body will identify this to the applicant or accredited BCA and provide a reason for it.
| Description | Fee (GST excl) | |
| Personnel cost | An hourly rate for accreditation body staff to:
|
$215 per hour, to a maximum daily rate of $1,720 |
| Technical expert cost | An hourly rate for technical experts supporting accreditation assessments. | $156 per hour, to a maximum daily rate of $1,248 |
| Passive travel cost | An hourly rate for accreditation body staff and technical experts when travelling for the purpose of accreditation assessment and not actively working during that travel time. | $105 per hour, to be included in the relevant maximum daily rate |
| Disbursement cost | Costs for accreditation body staff and technical experts associated with travel, including accommodation, to be charged at actual and reasonable cost. | Actual and reasonable |
| Administrative overhead cost | An accredited organisation or BCA is also liable for an ongoing accreditation fee that covers the administration of the scheme. It is payable in arrears and will be charged based on the months that have passed since an accredited organisation or BCA’s last assessment. | $106.25 per month, for each month that they are accredited by the accreditation body |
The accreditation assessment fees are payable upon receipt of a determination from the accreditation body stating whether it has granted or declined an applicant, accredited organisation or BCA’s application for accreditation. Granting or continuation of accreditation will not take effect until all fees are paid.
Where relevant, the revocation process will continue whether or not fees have been paid, although an accredited organisation or BCA remains liable for all fees. Where accreditation is revoked, any reinstatement of accreditation will not be effective until all outstanding fees have been paid.
Fees for requested assessments or advisory visits
Any accredited organisation or BCA may request an assessment or advisory visit from the accreditation body at any time. Any requested assessment or advisory visit is outside the formal legislative requirements of the scheme and can be charged at a rate agreed with the accreditation body.
Schedule 2 of the Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Amendment Regulations 2017 on the Legislation website sets out the fee framework.