He Tiwhikete whakaae mahi hanganga kāhore i whakaaetia Certificate of Acceptance (CoA) for unconsented building work

A Certificate of Acceptance (CoA) is proof that building work done without consent meets the current New Zealand Building Code. However, it does not have the same value as having an approved building consent. 

Eligibility for a CoA

You can apply for a CoA only if building work was constructed without a building consent from 1 July 1992 onwards, or in specific circumstances, when a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) cannot be issued.

A CoA may be issued for building works in the following circumstances:

• when urgent work is carried out to protect life or health, or prevent serious damage to property, and it is not practical to obtain a building consent in advance
• when a building consent authority (that is not a territorial authority or regional authority) or an organisation accredited to the BCA regulations is unable or refuses to issue a CCC for work carried out under a building consent.

Before you apply for CoA

Before you apply for a CoA, we recommend you apply for and attend a CoA pre-application meeting. This is not mandatory and is recommended.

The purpose of the meeting is to determine whether:

• a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) is required (this document contains planning and building advice)
• a building consent is required (note that some building work is exempt from requiring a building consent under Schedule 1 of the Building Act)
• resource consent is required (all work must comply with the Unitary Plan. We recommend getting the resource consent first if it is required).
• the building work is likely to obtain approval.

Request a CoA pre-application meeting

To request a CoA pre-application meeting, visit our request pre-application guidance page.

When we confirm your CoA pre-application meeting, we may request additional information or documents. You should provide these at least three working days before the meeting.

What you need to apply for CoA 

Depending on your application type, we may ask for the following documents: 

• certificate of title
• lease agreement
• sale and purchase agreement or other document showing the full name of all owners of the building
• pre-application meeting minutes (if applicable)
• Project Information Memorandum (PIM) (if applicable)
• resource consent
• reasons why the application is necessary
• building report to show the building work meets the New Zealand Building Code from a:
  • chartered professional engineer
  • registered architect
  • registered building surveyor (NZIBS)
  • Level 3 Accredited Building Surveyor (BOINZ) 
  • solid fuel appliance installation technician (SFAIT) (only for solid fuel heaters)
• statements by the owner 
• delivery dockets (proof of delivery of a product you installed) 
• invoices
• photographs 
• certificates or statements from the people who did the work or witnessed it
• energy works certificates (gas or electrical)
• report with engineering, bracing Supports in a building that help with its stability so it can withstand movement. and energy efficiency calculations. 

Application fees for CoA

You must pay the fixed fee plus the deposit at the time you lodge your application.

How to apply for a CoA

You can apply for a CoA for all or part of a building.

Check Ways to pay online for information on all payment options.

We only accept online applications for this certificate. If you are unable to apply digitally, visit one of our libraries with council services for assistance.

What happens when you submit your application

If we do not need further information, we can take up to 20 working days to review your CoA application. We will let you know by email if your CoA is approved or declined.

We will put your application on hold if we need further information from you. 

We will not issue the CoA if you have unpaid  Development contributions. 

What happens once the COA application is accepted

Council officers will check the building work, plans and specifications against the Building Code by looking at the:

• evidence you included in your application 
• opinion of the person who wrote your building report. 

In most cases, they will also need to do an inspection to check that everything meets the rules.

CoA for unconsented work before 1 July 1992 

We cannot issue a CoA for building work completed without approval before 1 July 1992. Any work before this date was done according to the old building bylaws and the building permit system. 

 You can choose to:

• remove the unconsented building work and rebuild after getting a building consent:
  • refer to schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 to check if you need a building consent to remove the building
  • refer to the Auckland Unitary Plan to find out if you need a resource consent
• get a report from an independent expert.