Compliance schedules and building warrants of fitness

Building owners are responsible for keeping their building's safety features and essential systems in good working order.

Compliance schedules
Building warrants of fitness

Compliance schedules

A compliance schedule is a document issued by Auckland City Council that lists a buildings' safety features and essential system. These systems are specified in the Building Act 2004 and include:

automatic fire sprinkler systems
automatic or manual emergency warning systems for fires (or other dangers)
electromagnetic or automatic doors or windows, including those that close on fire alarm activation
emergency lighting systems
escape route pressurisation systems
riser mains for fire service air conditioning systems
building maintenance units used for providing access to the exterior and interior walls of buildings
automatic back-flow preventers connected to a potable water supply
lifts, escalators, travelators or other system for moving people or goods within buildings
mechanical ventilation or air conditioning systems

laboratory fume cupboards
systems that assist people with visual or hearing disabilities
smoke control systems
emergency power systems for any of the systems listed above
signs that form any part of any of the systems listed above
other electronic mechanical systems
means of escape
- spoken information to facilitate evacuation
- final exits
- fire and smoke separations
- signs to facilitate evacuation

A compliance schedule also contains the inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures to be followed to keep these systems in good working order. The number and timing of inspections will vary depending on the individual feature.

New buildings receive their compliance schedule when the Code Compliance Certificate is issued. Building owners must display the Compliance schedule statement (valid for one year) in a public place, to meet the requirements of section 105 of the Building Act 2004.

After a 12 month period the compliance schedule statement is replaced by a building warrant of fitness.

Building warrants of fitness

Building owner's / manager's sign a statement (each year) to confirm the requirements of the compliance schedule have been fully met in the previous 12 months, as required by section 108 of the Building Act 2004.

All records of inspections and testing of features identified on the warrant must be retained for two years. They must be made available for any inspection at the locations stated on the building warrant of fitness.

Inspections must be carried out by a registered Independent Qualified Person (IQP).

Renewing your building warrant of fitness

Building warrants of fitness must be renewed annually. This is a confirmation that the requirements of the compliance schedule for the previous year have been met.

We send a reminder notice to building owners requesting a renewed warrant of fitness approximately four weeks before the expiry date. The renewed warrant must be processed before the expiry date. Failure to do so becomes a breach of the Building Act.

Before signing the renewed warrant, owners / agents need to ensure

that all requirements of the compliance schedule have been met
that all the details on the warrant are accurate. Incorrect information could make the warrant invalid

After signing the warrant, owners / agents must ensure that Certificates of Compliance (Form 12A) are attached to the warrant (supplied by the IQP) and must

cover each specified system
provide a cover of the warrant for public display on the premises.

Independent Qualified Person (IQP)

An Independent Qualified Person (IQP) is an individual (or a firm) authorised to carry out Warrant of Fitness Inspections for the purposes of the Building Act 2004. 'Independent' means that the person has no financial interest in the building.

From 30 November 2009 IQPs will become Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP).

For information on registered IQPs, please contact us.