Building consent application | Hamilton City Council

Prepare your application

If your project includes restricted building work then your plans will need to be drawn by a Licensed Building Practitioner Design class or an engineer.

Restricted building work involves work on a home that affects its primary structure, weathertightness and some aspects of fire design. Restricted building work is defined here.

If your project does not include restricted building work then the plans may be drawn by an Engineer, an architectural designer, a tradesperson or yourself in some cases. Your plans and supplied information in your application will show how the work will comply with all the relevant codes of the NZ Building Code. Include the product specification of materials that you plan to use.

Common application errors

The application is online, you will require a NZ Government RealMe login to register yourself before starting the application.
The most common reasons for a building consent application to be rejected are:
• Insufficient supporting documents about the project such as floor plans, drainage plans, bracing plans, materials to be used, specifications for products.
• Missing information about existing plumbing fixtures or specified systems such as Mechanical ventilation, Emergency exit signs, Backflow prevention in commercial buildings (shops, warehouses, factories)
• Giving the incorrect property address or legal description, please note a copy of the Record of Title dated no older than 3 months old is required.

The consent process is slowed down for you when information is missing or incorrect. If necessary, engage someone who has the technical knowledge about the Building Code to assist you with your application.

Homeowners who are proposing projects such as installing a solid fuel heater, swimming pool fence, or an ensuite and are unsure of the level of detail required in their plans and specifications, can speak to the Building Technical Officer by emailing buildingtechnical.inquiries@hcc.govt.nz

Processing the application

Your building consent application will be processed within 20 working days. Within the first 2 days you will receive confirmation that the application has either been accepted to be processed by a Building Review Officer or a request for further information will be made to you to complete the application. If the information is not supplied your application will be rejected. You can re-apply after sourcing the required information.

If you are having difficulty with navigating the online building consent application portal please email a screenshot of the problem area to building.unit2@hcc.govt.nz and an Applications officer will assist you.

Application outcomes
• The consent application can be withdrawn by you before it is granted
• The consent application can be put on hold while you supply information that was missing, the clock will be stopped during this time.
• The consent application can be successful and granted once all the information has been supplied. The consent will be issued once all the application fees are paid.

Building consent fees

Fees are due before the consent can be issued. Your building consent will be invoiced according to the fee category that is appropriate to your building project. The fees listed are inclusive of GST. If you have applied online your invoice will be uploaded to the online portal for you, otherwise it will be emailed or posted.

You can pay your invoice either via the online portal, through internet banking or in person at the main Council office
There could be additional fees associated with your application, and you can find these in our list of fees and charges here.

Click here to pay building invoices

Starting building work and inspections

Building work must start within 12 months of the consent being issued. Council needs proof building work is underway or the consent will lapse. A good way to achieve this is to book a building inspection. If you do not book a building inspection within 12 months of the issue date the consent will lapse, and you will need to apply for another consent. You can make an Extension of Time application by completing the Extension of Time form and emailing to building.unit2@hcc.govt.nz

For costs associated with an extension of time please see the list of fees and charges.

Building inspections are required at certain stages of the building work. These inspections are listed in the BC ready letter which will be provided to you when the consent is issued. It is your responsibility to make a booking for an inspection once that particular stage of work has been reached. Inspections are vital to ensure the new work complies with the approved plans. The Building inspector may refuse to inspect a site that is unsafe.

To make an Inspection booking ph 07 838-6677 during business hours or a request for an inspection can be made through the building consent portal. You will need the address and consent number to make an online request, please note this is not for lapsed, withdrawn or completed building consents.

The final step – Code Compliance Certificate (CCC)

Once the building consent is granted you have two years to complete the work. Council must decide whether to issue a Code Compliance Certificate within 20 working days of the two-year anniversary date from the time the consent was granted. If the building work is not completed at the two-year period you can apply for an Extension of Time.
The homeowner or their agent is responsible for applying for the Code Compliance Certificate once the building work is completed. The application form is kept on the Build Waikato (Co-Lab) website.

The CCC application form should be accompanied by any energy works certificates, Records of works from Licensed Building Practitioners who completed restricted building works, and manufacturer’s certificates for building work consented under the BuiltReady Scheme. A list of these was provided in the BC ready letter when the consent was granted. Email the documentation to building.unit2@hcc.govt.nz.

Uploading/ submitting application

To apply for a building consent in the online portal you will require a Real Me login. It is advised that if you work for a company that you utilise a company email address for this process, as once an application has been submitted you cannot update the email address for the portal to correspond with. You will need a copy of a Record of Title no older than 3 months and you will need all your plans and specifications.

Building consents can be applied for here