BuildPath NZ logo

Compliance control

New Zealand Building Code Explorer

Use each clause as a project-control lens: identify the approved compliance pathway, protect the current documents, release hold points deliberately, and keep evidence that matches what was installed.

14 key clause groupsOfficial MBIE linksEvidence before concealmentLast reviewed 11 August 2026

Clause B1

Structure

Buildings, building elements and sitework must withstand the loads and physical conditions that can reasonably be expected during construction and use.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Keep the consented structural design, producer-statement requirements, engineer observations and construction records aligned. Do not approve an unreviewed structural substitution or site change.

Stages

  • Site investigation
  • Earthworks
  • Foundations
  • Framing
  • Structural steel
  • Construction monitoring

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • Project-specific Acceptable Solution or Verification Method cited in the consent
  • Specific engineering design where the design is outside a cited prescriptive pathway

Controlled documents

  • Consented structural drawings
  • Structural calculations
  • Specifications
  • Geotechnical report
  • Approved amendments and minor variations

Evidence and records

  • Engineer site observations
  • Concrete and reinforcing records
  • Fixing and bracing evidence
  • Producer statements where required
  • Inspection outcomes

Inspection questions

  • Is the current approved structural detail on site?
  • Are hold points released before work is concealed?
  • Do penetrations, substitutions or set-out changes have written design acceptance?

Stop and escalate

  • Cut, drilled or relocated structural members
  • Unapproved product substitution
  • Work concealed before observation
  • Founding conditions differ from the design assumptions

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause B2

Durability

Building materials, components and construction methods must remain functional for the required period when maintained as expected.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Control material exposure, treatment, compatibility, installation and maintenance information. Record anything that will be hidden and keep warranties tied to the installed system.

Stages

  • Specification
  • Procurement
  • Framing
  • Envelope
  • Finishes
  • Handover

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • B2/AS1 where applicable
  • Alternative Solution supported by project-specific evidence

Controlled documents

  • Material specifications
  • Product technical statements
  • Supplier installation requirements
  • Maintenance schedule

Evidence and records

  • Delivery and storage photos
  • Treatment and batch records
  • Moisture records
  • Warranty and maintenance documents

Inspection questions

  • Is the product suitable for its exposure and location?
  • Has storage or weather exposure compromised it?
  • Are compatible fixings, sealants and flashings being used?

Stop and escalate

  • Wet or damaged materials being enclosed
  • Missing treatment identification
  • Mixed systems without compatibility confirmation
  • Maintenance obligations absent at handover

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause C1-C6

Protection from fire

The C clauses address fire spread, structural stability during fire, movement to safety, firefighting access and protection of other property.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Treat the fire report and consented fire details as coordinated design, not isolated notes. Track rated assemblies, penetrations, doors, alarms, surface finishes and evidence before concealment.

Stages

  • Design coordination
  • Consent
  • Framing
  • Services
  • Linings
  • Commissioning

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • Applicable C/AS Acceptable Solution
  • C/VM Verification Method
  • Fire-engineered Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • Fire report
  • Consented fire plans
  • Rated-system details
  • Penetration schedules
  • Commissioning requirements

Evidence and records

  • Fire-stopping register
  • Installer statements
  • Product evidence
  • Alarm test records
  • Photographs before linings close

Inspection questions

  • Does every penetration have a compatible tested system?
  • Are rated walls continuous at junctions and roof spaces?
  • Are fire doors, hardware and clearances correct?

Stop and escalate

  • Unrecorded service penetrations
  • Substituted linings or insulation
  • Missing fire collars or labels
  • Fire details conflict with architectural or services drawings

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause D1

Access routes

Access routes must allow safe movement into, within and out of buildings for the people expected to use them.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Coordinate finished levels, widths, gradients, landings, thresholds, stairs, handrails and accessibility details before structure and external works make changes costly.

Stages

  • Site planning
  • Design
  • Foundations
  • Stairs
  • External works
  • Handover

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • D1/AS1 where applicable
  • Project-specific Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • Site plan
  • Floor plans
  • Sections and level schedules
  • Stair and handrail details

Evidence and records

  • Set-out checks
  • Finished-level survey
  • Stair measurements
  • Handover inspection

Inspection questions

  • Do actual finished levels preserve the designed route?
  • Are stair geometry and landings consistent?
  • Will doors, thresholds and hardware obstruct the route?

Stop and escalate

  • Late level changes
  • Steps appearing on an intended accessible route
  • Handrail details unresolved
  • Door clearances reduced by finishes

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause E1

Surface water

Surface water must be managed so buildings, people and other property are not put at unacceptable risk.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Protect the civil design, overland-flow assumptions, finished levels, detention systems and lawful discharge route through earthworks and landscaping.

Stages

  • Due diligence
  • Civil design
  • Earthworks
  • Drainage
  • External works

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • E1/AS1 where applicable
  • Civil-engineered Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • Civil drawings
  • Stormwater calculations
  • Survey
  • Network approvals
  • Resource-consent conditions

Evidence and records

  • As-built drainage
  • CCTV or test records where specified
  • Surveyed levels
  • Inspection and connection records

Inspection questions

  • Is the installed route the approved route?
  • Are sumps, falls and overflow paths unobstructed?
  • Have changes to landscaping or retaining altered flow?

Stop and escalate

  • Ponding
  • Unapproved discharge
  • Drain routes conflict with foundations
  • Finished levels block an overland flow path

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause E2

External moisture

Roofs and external walls must prevent water entering in a way that causes undue dampness or damage.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Run a buildability review of junctions, penetrations, cavities, flashings, clearances and sequencing. Capture evidence while the drainage plane remains visible.

Stages

  • Design coordination
  • Roofing
  • Windows
  • Cladding
  • Decks
  • Envelope testing

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • E2/AS1 where its scope and limitations apply
  • Project-specific Alternative Solution supported by evidence

Controlled documents

  • Consented envelope details
  • Window and cladding shop drawings
  • Product installation manuals
  • Alternative Solution evidence

Evidence and records

  • Pre-cladding inspection
  • Flashing and cavity photos
  • Installer statements
  • Moisture checks
  • Test records where specified

Inspection questions

  • Can water drain continuously to the exterior?
  • Do all junctions match the approved detail?
  • Are clearances protected after paving, decking and landscaping?

Stop and escalate

  • Detail cannot be physically assembled
  • Sealant used instead of a designed flashing
  • Cladding installed over wet substrate
  • Penetrations added after envelope completion

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause E3

Internal moisture

Internal moisture must not cause fungal growth, contamination or damage, and water from fixtures must be contained appropriately.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Coordinate wet-area substrates, waterproofing systems, falls, penetrations, ventilation and finish compatibility before tiling or lining conceals the work.

Stages

  • Services
  • Wet-area linings
  • Waterproofing
  • Tiling
  • Commissioning

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • E3/AS1 where applicable
  • Proprietary or project-specific Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • Wet-area details
  • Waterproofing specification
  • Product system requirements
  • Ventilation design

Evidence and records

  • Substrate and fall checks
  • Membrane photos
  • Installer documentation
  • Flood or water tests where specified

Inspection questions

  • Is the substrate compatible, dry and correctly formed?
  • Are penetrations and junctions treated as a complete system?
  • Will finished falls drain as designed?

Stop and escalate

  • Mixed waterproofing components
  • Membrane damaged by later trades
  • No record before tiles
  • Flat or back-falling surfaces

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause F2

Hazardous building materials

Materials must not create an unreasonable health hazard for building users in their normal use.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Use specified compliant products, retain declarations and safety information, and escalate suspected hazardous existing materials before disturbance.

Stages

  • Due diligence
  • Demolition
  • Procurement
  • Finishes
  • Handover

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • F2/AS1 where applicable
  • Product-specific evidence accepted for the project

Controlled documents

  • Hazardous-material survey
  • Product specifications
  • Safety data
  • Removal plan

Evidence and records

  • Clearance evidence
  • Product declarations
  • Disposal records
  • Handover information

Inspection questions

  • Has suspect material been assessed before disturbance?
  • Does the delivered product match the approved specification?
  • Are exposure controls and records complete?

Stop and escalate

  • Unidentified legacy material
  • Missing product documentation
  • Dust-generating work without assessment
  • Unapproved substitution

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause F4

Safety from falling

Barriers must reduce the risk of people falling from an opening or change in level where a fall is possible.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Resolve barrier geometry, fixings, openings, climbability and substrate support before manufacture. Verify the installed system against the consent and supplier design.

Stages

  • Design
  • Framing
  • Balustrades
  • Stairs
  • Final inspection

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • F4/AS1 where applicable
  • Engineered or tested proprietary solution

Controlled documents

  • Consented barrier details
  • Shop drawings
  • Fixing design
  • Product evidence

Evidence and records

  • Substrate photos
  • Fixing records
  • Producer statement where required
  • Final measurements

Inspection questions

  • Does the actual substrate support the designed fixing?
  • Do finished levels change the effective barrier geometry?
  • Are openings and climbable features consistent with the design?

Stop and escalate

  • Balustrade ordered before final set-out
  • Unverified fixings
  • Waterproofing compromised by posts
  • Landscape or furniture changes the fall risk

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause F7

Warning systems

Appropriate warning systems must alert people to emergencies where required.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Coordinate locations, power, interconnection, commissioning and required documentation across architectural, electrical and fire information.

Stages

  • Fire design
  • Electrical rough-in
  • Fit-off
  • Commissioning
  • Handover

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • F7/AS1 where applicable
  • Project fire design and referenced standards

Controlled documents

  • Fire report
  • Electrical layout
  • Equipment schedule
  • Commissioning specification

Evidence and records

  • Electrical certification
  • Commissioning result
  • Equipment data
  • Owner instructions

Inspection questions

  • Do installed locations match the coordinated design?
  • Is interconnection and power arrangement verified?
  • Is commissioning evidence assigned and complete?

Stop and escalate

  • Device omitted after ceiling changes
  • Uncoordinated services clash
  • No commissioning owner
  • Missing handover instructions

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause G4

Ventilation

Occupied spaces must have ventilation that supports suitable air quality and removes moisture, odours and contaminants as required.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Coordinate duct routes, termination clearances, make-up air, equipment performance and commissioning before ceilings and cabinetry close access.

Stages

  • Services coordination
  • Framing
  • Mechanical installation
  • Fit-off
  • Commissioning

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • G4/AS1 where applicable
  • Mechanical design or project-specific Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • Mechanical layout
  • Equipment schedule
  • Duct and termination details
  • Electrical coordination

Evidence and records

  • Concealed duct photos
  • Equipment data
  • Airflow or commissioning records
  • Maintenance instructions

Inspection questions

  • Is the duct route continuous and suitable for the fan?
  • Does the outlet terminate where approved?
  • Can the equipment be maintained?

Stop and escalate

  • Crushed flexible duct
  • Discharge into roof space
  • Long route added without review
  • Equipment inaccessible after fit-out

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause G12

Water supplies

Buildings must have safe, adequate water supplies and systems that avoid contamination, leakage and unacceptable temperatures or pressure.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Control approved materials, backflow requirements, pressure assumptions, hot-water safety, testing and licensed-plumber documentation.

Stages

  • Civil services
  • Plumbing rough-in
  • Waterproofing
  • Fit-off
  • Commissioning

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • G12/AS1 or G12/AS2 where applicable
  • Project-specific hydraulic design

Controlled documents

  • Hydraulic drawings
  • Fixture schedule
  • Network approval
  • Product data

Evidence and records

  • Pressure and test records
  • Concealed pipe photos
  • Plumbing certification
  • Backflow records where required

Inspection questions

  • Are pipework and penetrations coordinated and protected?
  • Do products and valves match the design?
  • Are tests complete before enclosure?

Stop and escalate

  • Unapproved pipe route
  • Missing sleeve or protection
  • Fixture substitution changes demand
  • Certification responsibility unclear

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause G13

Foul water

Sanitary systems must safely collect, convey and dispose of foul water without creating illness, nuisance or damage.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Verify lawful connection, invert levels, gradients, access, venting and separation from structure and other services before backfill or enclosure.

Stages

  • Due diligence
  • Civil design
  • Drainage
  • Plumbing rough-in
  • Testing

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • G13/AS1, G13/AS2 or G13/AS3 where applicable
  • Project-specific hydraulic or civil design

Controlled documents

  • Drainage plan
  • Network approval
  • Works Over approval where applicable
  • Plumbing layout

Evidence and records

  • Drain inspection
  • As-built drainage
  • Test and CCTV records where required
  • Connection approval

Inspection questions

  • Do actual inverts support the design?
  • Are inspection and maintenance points accessible?
  • Has every change been reflected in the as-built?

Stop and escalate

  • Unexpected wastewater location
  • Insufficient fall
  • Drain under a footing without approved detail
  • Backfilled before inspection

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.

Clause H1

Energy efficiency

Housing and other buildings within scope must meet energy-efficiency performance requirements for the building envelope and relevant systems.

Open official MBIE source

Project manager focus

Keep the consented calculation and construction build-up aligned. Control insulation continuity, thermal bridges, glazing data, installation quality and changes to conditioned space.

Stages

  • Energy design
  • Procurement
  • Framing
  • Insulation
  • Windows
  • Pre-line inspection

Compliance pathway to confirm

  • Applicable H1 Acceptable Solution
  • Applicable H1 Verification Method
  • Project-specific Alternative Solution

Controlled documents

  • H1 calculation
  • Consented plans and schedules
  • Window performance data
  • Insulation specification

Evidence and records

  • Product delivery records
  • Insulation photos
  • Pre-line checks
  • Glazing labels or supplier evidence

Inspection questions

  • Does the installed build-up match the calculation?
  • Is insulation continuous and correctly fitted?
  • Do substituted windows preserve the approved performance?

Stop and escalate

  • Missing insulation at junctions
  • Compressed or wet insulation
  • Window substitution without recalculation
  • Services displace the thermal layer

Official source reviewed 11 August 2026. Recheck before relying on it for a live project.