Building work that does not require a building consent

A guide to Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004

alternative format

Published in November 2008

A building consent is not required for the following building work:

(ab) the opening and reinstatement of any purpose-made access point within a drainage system that—

(i) is not a network utility operator (NUO) system or part of a NUO system; and

(ii) is carried out in accordance with the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 1976.

This exemption allows a licensed registered drainlayer to do maintenance on a private drain.

Examples where this exemption could apply	Examples where building consent is required
A drain is blocked resulting in a back-up of waste material within the drainage system. The blockage is caused by a broken pipe from tree roots. The drain is unblocked via an access point and repaired by a licensed registered drainlayer.	The drain is damaged by tree roots and the drain needs to be replaced. The owner asks the licensed registered drainlayer to reposition the drain away from the tree. New work has resulted due to the repositioning of the drain, so a building consent is required.