66 NZ Building Consent Authorities Meet New Inspection Standards, Saving Time and Construction Costs

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says the results are a major step forward in fixing long-standing inefficiencies in the sector.

The Government’s first performance report on building inspection wait times shows 66 of 67 Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) have successfully met the new national target designed to speed up construction and reduce delays.

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says the results are a major step forward in fixing long-standing inefficiencies in the sector.

In August, new regulations came into force requiring BCAs to complete at least 80% of building inspections within three working days of the request being made.

“Waiting for inspections is one of the most common frustrations I hear from builders and homeowners — and it isn’t cheap,” Penk said.

According to industry estimates, every day of delay adds around $400 to the cost of a construction project, meaning faster inspections can significantly reduce pressure on builders and property owners.

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Key Results Highlight Strong Performance

Recent Q3 data shows:

• 55 BCAs reported inspection wait time data

• Of those, 97.3% of inspections (around 67,000) were completed within the three-day target

• 57,900 inspections were carried out on the same day they were requested

• 13 BCAs reported inspection availability instead of wait time data, as they transition to the new standard measurement system

• 96.2% of available inspection slots were offered within three working days, with an average wait time of 1.2 days

Minister Penk said the figures demonstrate the value of transparency:

“Shining a light on system performance drives accountability and better outcomes.”

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Transition Phase and Next Steps

Authorities currently use two different reporting methods — wait time and inspection availability — due to variation in booking systems. All BCAs are required to move to the Government’s preferred reporting method by July next year.

Queenstown Lakes District Council demonstrated the transition can be made smoothly, switching methods partway through the quarter.

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Consent Processing Also Improving

Alongside inspection speed, the latest building consent processing data shows improvements:

• 95.7% of building applications, amendments, and Code Compliance Certificates were processed within the statutory 20-working-day limit — up from 93% in the same quarter last year.

Penk says these results indicate the system is moving in the right direction and delivering practical benefits:

“These results show real progress in building consent system performance — and how quickly tradies can get on with putting roofs over Kiwis’ heads.”