Self-certification

To apply for self-certification endorsement from 7 September 2026 you must:

• Hold a current certifying plumber or certifying drainlayer licence
• Complete the Board's online self-certification training
• Have appropriate insurance
• Have appropriate business systems and recordkeeping processes
• Pay the application fee and audit levy of $2,260.

If your plumbing or drainlaying work needs a building consent, you can choose how eligible work is signed off. You can use an endorsed plumber or drainlayer who can self-certify their work, or you can have the work inspected by a building consent authority (BCA).

Only plumbers and drainlayers who have an endorsement can choose to self-certify that eligible work complies with the building consent. Search for an endorsed plumber or drainlayer near you on our public register.

Before you engage a plumber or drainlayer

• Search for an endorsed plumber or drainlayer, or check whether a plumber or drainlayer can self-certify work, on our public register.
• Ask the plumber or drainlayer to confirm that they hold civil liability insurance.
• On the building consent application:
• • list the work proposed to be self-certified
  • provide the name and registration number of the self-certifying plumber or drainlayer, if known.

After you engage a plumber or drainlayer

• Before the work begins, let your BCA know the name and registration number of the self-certified plumber or drainlayer (if you haven’t already provided this in the building consent application).
• Keep the certificate of compliance and supporting documents issued by the plumber or drainlayer.
• Make sure the certificate of compliance is included in the application for a code compliance certificate.
• Keep the code compliance certificate provided by the BCA.

For more information, visit MBIE's website.

Check a property

Search the self-certification public property register to find a property and view all certificates of compliance that have been issued by an endorsed plumber or drainlayer under the Self-Certification scheme (Building Act 2004).

If you have any questions about the self-certification scheme please contact the Board at self-cert@pgdb.co.nz