Determinations under the Building Act

A determination is a binding decision made by the Department of Building and Housing. It provides a way of solving disputes or questions about the rules that apply to buildings, how buildings are used, building accessibility, health and safety.

The law that covers determinations is the Building Act 2004 (sections 176-190). The Act talks about ‘a building consent authority’, ‘a territorial authority’ and ‘a regional authority’. In this section, we call them all ‘the council’.

In this section you will find information about

• what determinations are and how the process works
• how to apply for a determination
• what is the cost of applying for a determination?
• how to get a code compliance certificate after the cladding determination is issued
• FAQs about determinations
• how to view past determinations
• how to subscribe to be notified by email about any new determinations issued.

Advice about leaking houses or apartments

If you have a problem with a leaky house or apartment, and the building is less than 10 years old, you may be able to get help from the Weathertight Services. Read more about Weathertight Services and how its services differ from a determination under the Building Act.

Need help?

If you’re unsure whether applying for a determination is your best option, contact the Determinations Team for further information on 0800 242 243, or email determinations@dbh.govt.nz.