Self-Certification for plumbing and drainlaying

Introduction

In April 2025, the Minister for Building and Construction announced that Government will be introducing a self-certification scheme for plumbing and drainlaying. The scheme will allow eligible practitioners to certify their own simple plumbing and simple drainlaying work removing the need for this work to be inspected by the Council as part of the building consent process.

What’s involved in introducing the self-certification scheme        

Three things have to happen before the self-certification scheme can begin.

1. Changes to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006 and Building Act 2004

Currently, under the Building Act 2004, building consent authorities (BCAs) are responsible for inspecting plumbing and drainlaying work to ensure it complies with the applicable consent. Changes need to be made to the Building Act and the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act (PGD Act) to allow for plumbers and drainlayers to certify that their work complies with the building consent in place of a BCA inspection.

The PGD Act will need to be changed to give the Board responsibility for the self-certification of plumbing and drainlaying work. This includes giving the Board legal authority to:

• set out the types of eligibility criteria plumbers and drainlayers must meet to apply to certify their work
• receive applications from plumbers and drainlayers wanting to certify their work
• grant or decline applications to self-certify work
• identify plumbers and drainlayers who are endorsed to certify their work on the public register
• renew self-certification endorsements
• receive complaints about, investigate, and discipline plumbers and drainlayers in relation to the certification of work
• monitor and audit the self-certification practices of endorsed plumbers and drainlayers
• establish a database for plumbing and drainlaying certificates.

Changes to the PGD Act would also:

• set requirements around issuing plumbing and drainlaying certificates
• establish disciplinary and criminal offences around wrongfully issued certificates
• increase penalties for offences relating to wrongfully certified plumbing and drainlaying work.

Changes to the Building Act will establish the process for applying to a BCA for a building consent where the plumbing and/or drainlaying work will be self-certified and the way in which a BCA will grant a code compliance certificate in such cases.

2. New regulations

While the main parts of the self-certification scheme will be made through changes to the PGD Act, key details of the scheme will sit in regulations to be made once the PGD Act is amended. The regulations will:

• define “simple plumbing” and “simple drainlaying” which can be self-certified
• specify the minimum requirements for certificates of compliance for plumbing and drainlaying.

3. Notice to be issued by the Board

The final part of establishing the self-certification scheme will be a notice issued by the Board under section 30 of the PGD Act. The notice will set the:

• eligibility requirements plumbers and drainlayers must meet to certify their work
• fees and levies for the self-certification of plumbing and drainlaying
• forms for the self-certification of plumbing and drainlaying
• any other matters necessary for the self-certification of plumbing and drainlaying.

How these processes will happen

Changes to the PGD Act and Building Act will be made through a Bill introduced to Parliament. The steps a Bill must go through are:

1. Introduction to Parliament
2. First reading
3. Select Committee consideration
4. Second reading
5. Third reading
6. Royal Assent.

The steps new regulations made under the PGD Act must go through are:

1. Lodging the regulations with the Government
2. Cabinet approval
3. Commencement.

The steps the Board must take to develop a notice are:

1. Drafting the notice
2. Approval by the Board to consult
3. Consultation
4. Finalising the notice
5. Final approval by the Board
6. Approval by the Minister
7. Publication.

Timeline for introducing the self-certification scheme

Where to find out more

If you would like to know more about the process for making the self-certification scheme, you can check out the Parliament website the Track legislation page on the website will contain information about the Bill to amend the PGD Act and Building Act. The Select committees page has information about the parliamentary process and select committees, including how to make a submission to a select committee if you wish to have your say about the Bill.

Board will keep you updated

The Board will continue to provide practitioners with information about the progress of the scheme through Info Brief and our website.

In the meantime, if you have any questions contact us at comms@pgdb.co.nz