Building consent system reform
Last updated: 10 February 2025
The Government is working to identify the best way to deliver building consenting services in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Background
There are 67 building consent authorities (BCAs) responsible for delivering building control functions within their region of Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes processing building consent applications, conducting inspections and producing code compliance certificates.
Having so many BCAs with differing interpretations of the Building Code leads to inconsistent decisions and outcomes in different parts of the country.
A clearer, more consistent building consent system will benefit everybody no matter where in Aotearoa New Zealand they are. It will mean homeowners, builders and designers will know what to expect with less variability and confusion.
What we’re doing
The Government is investigating significant reform of the building consent system in New Zealand to make it easier for Kiwis to build.
MBIE’s Building Performance teams are progressing work to identify the best way to deliver consenting services. This work includes looking at the:
- way BCAs are structured
- scope of building work exempt from a building consent, and
- liability settings and the role of private insurance in the consent system.
Initial ideas for improving BCA services are:
- making it easier for BCAs to consolidate their services
- establishing regional consenting authorities, or
- establishing a national single point of contact for building consent applications.
MBIE is also looking at what building work could be exempt from building consents and potential changes to liability settings across the whole building system. This may include ways of providing for private insurance to take a greater role, potentially as an alternative to a building consent.
This work is being done in addition to work already underway to improve the existing building consent process, such as:
- making it easier to build granny flats
- increasing the uptake of remote inspections, and
- mandating the acceptance and use of overseas building products.
What’s next?
Over the last few months, we have been meeting with representatives across the sector, gaining important feedback from those on the ground to help us understand the benefits and barriers of different options.
We have spoken with around 90% of New Zealand’s BCAs plus various industry groups. Insights from these conversations were provided to the Government at the end of last year.
We are currently working with the Building and Construction Minister to identify the best way forward.
Further updates will be published on this page as the work progresses.
Get in touch
If you have any questions, comments or feedback, email the team at