Building Consent System Performance Monitoring

This report establishes consistent monitoring on the performance of the building consent system, with a particular focus on building consent and code compliance certificate timeframes.

The data shown here is as reported by Building Consent Authorities (BCAs).

Timeframes for building consent or code compliance certificate approval, or both, are some of the key indicators for building consent system performance. Delays in the system can have flow-on effects for builders and homeowners and limit the capacity of the industry to work as efficiently and quickly as possible.

By establishing regular performance monitoring, we aim to identify and address these delays promptly, thereby enhancing our operational and system efficiency.

Overall timeframes — all applications

The overall timeframe results include all application data (ie building consent applications, amendments, and code compliance certificates).

Data for the second quarter of 2024 shows the overall median time to process an application was 9 working days. All BCAs had a median processing time of less than 20 days (see figure 1 below).

In total, 91.4% of applications were processed within the statutory period (see figure 2 below). Of the 69 BCAs, 7 processed 100% of their applications within the statutory timeframe.

Figure 1. Median number of days for processing all applications

Text description for figure 1

Timeframes — application types

During the second quarter of 2024, a total of 20,864 applications for Building Consents (including amendments), and 18,534 applications for Code Compliance Certificates (CCCs), were processed.

Out of all the Building Consent applications, 89.2% were processed within the statutory timeframe. The median processing time for these applications was 13.0 working days.

On the other hand, the median processing time for Code Compliance Certificates were much shorter at 5 working days. Nearly all (93.9%) of CCCs were processed within the statutory timeframe.

Almost all (66 out of 67) BCAs (excluding the regional authorities due to the low number of applications) had a median processing time for Building Consents at or below 20 working days, and all 67 BCAs had a median processing time for Code Compliance Certificates below the statutory timeframe.

Figure 2. Median days for processing Building Consent applications, excluding regional authorities and Consentium

A map of New Zealand showing median days for processing Building Consent applications by region for the April to June quarter of 2024.

Text description for figure 2

BCA Median processing days
Ashburton 12.0
Auckland 16.0
Buller 7.0
Carterton 6.0
Central Hawke's Bay 11.0
Central Otago 8.0
Christchurch City 15.0
Clutha 10.5
Dunedin City 12.0
Far North 9.0
Gisborne 9.0
Gore 8.0
Grey 7.0
Hamilton City 18.0
Hastings 9.0
Hauraki 11.0
Horowhenua 19.0
Hurunui 13.0
Hutt City 16.5
Invercargill City 5.0
Kaikōura 9.0
Kaipara 11.0
Kawerau 9.0
Kāpiti Coast 9.0
Mackenzie 8.0
Manawatu 7.0
Marlborough 12.0
Masterton 15.0
Matamata-Piako 19.0
Napier City 21.0
Nelson City 15.0
New Plymouth 11.0
Palmerston North City 11.0
Porirua City 11.0
Queenstown Lakes 13.0
Rangitikei 6.0
Rotorua Lakes 11.0
Ruapehu 6.0
Selwyn 17.0
South Taranaki 11.0
South Waikato 9.0
South Wairarapa 13.0
Southland 14.0
Stratford 3.0
Tararua 13.0
Tasman 9.0
Taupō 9.0
Tauranga City 15.0
Thames-Coromandel 13.0
Timaru 14.0
Upper Hutt City 19.0
Waikato 19.0
Waimakariri 8.0
Waimate 7.0
Waipa 12.0
Wairoa 19.0
Waitaki 10.0
Waitomo 10.0
Wellington City 10.1
Western Bay of Plenty 13.0
Westland 20.0
Whakatāne 6.0
Whanganui 10.0
Whangārei 13.0
Ōpōtiki 11.0
Ōtorohanga 12.0

Timeframes — building categories

The median time to process all applications (building consent applications, amendments, and code compliance certificates) was 8 days for residential buildings, and 15 days for commercial buildings.

93.2% of residential applications and 79.6% of commercial applications were processed within the statutory timeframe.

Note that most of the applications processed (85.8%) were for residential buildings.

Figure 3. Median days for processing applications for residential buildings, excluding regional authorities and Consentium

A map of New Zealand showing median days for processing applications for residential buildings by region for the April to June quarter of 2024.

Text description for figure 3

BCA Median processing days
Ashburton 6.0
Auckland 9.0
Buller 6.0
Carterton 3.0
Central Hawke's Bay 2.0
Central Otago 9.0
Christchurch City 11.0
Clutha 6.0
Dunedin City 12.0
Far North 7.0
Gisborne 3.0
Gore 5.0
Grey 5.0
Hamilton City 18.0
Hastings 7.0
Hauraki 9.0
Horowhenua 19.0
Hurunui 14.0
Hutt City 12.0
Invercargill City 5.0
Kaikōura 5.0
Kaipara 3.0
Kawerau 3.0
Kāpiti Coast 7.0
Mackenzie 2.5
Manawatu 5.0
Marlborough 9.0
Masterton 11.0
Matamata-Piako 12.0
Napier City 7.0
Nelson City 11.0
New Plymouth 10.0
Palmerston North City 5.0
Porirua City 8.0
Queenstown Lakes 11.0
Rangitikei 5.0
Rotorua Lakes 8.0
Ruapehu 4.0
Selwyn 6.0
South Taranaki 7.0
South Waikato 4.0
South Wairarapa 12.0
Southland 13.0
Stratford 3.0
Tararua 8.0
Tasman 4.0
Taupō 8.0
Tauranga City 9.0
Thames-Coromandel 6.0
Timaru 4.0
Upper Hutt City 16.0
Waikato 10.0
Waimakariri 6.0
Waimate 6.0
Waipa 6.0
Wairoa 8.0
Waitaki 10.0
Waitomo 4.0
Wellington City 9.8
Western Bay of Plenty 8.0
Westland 16.0
Whakatāne 4.0
Whanganui 8.0
Whangārei 9.0
Ōpōtiki 10.0
Ōtorohanga 3.0

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