Processing and issuing a Certificate for Public Use

On receipt of an application for a Certificate for Public Use, Building Advisory Officers will review the documentation supplied and will check that all inspections have been completed and passed.

Statutory processing timeframes

The Building Act requires us to process an application for a Certificate for Public Use within twenty (20) working days. The “20 day clock” starts when the application is received for processing by Council.

The period between 20 December and 10 January each year is classed as one working day with regards to the “20 day clock”.

Issuing a Certificate for Public Use

A Building Consent Authority (BCA) must issue a Certificate for Public Use if it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work complies with the building consent.

Where a compliance schedule is required or an amendment to an existing compliance schedule is required, the BCA must also be satisfied that the specified systems are capable of performing to the performance standards set out in the consent.

If the building consent authority is not satisfied that the building work complies with the building consent, the BCA may refuse to issue the Certificate for Public Use. If this occurs you will be notified in writing of the decision and provided with the reasons for the refusal.

If your application for a Certificate for Public Use is refused, you can appeal this decision by applying to the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment for a determination.