Unauthorised building work is more common than you'd think — especially in the Far North. Whether you did the work yourself, inherited it from a previous owner, or discovered it when trying to sell, we can help you sort it out with a Certificate of Acceptance.
A Certificate of Acceptance (COA) is the legal way to regularise building work that was done without a building consent, or where the consent lapsed before a Code Compliance Certificate was issued.
A COA records the building work on your property's official records, acknowledging it exists and documenting what council was able to assess. It's the only legal path to deal with work that was done without consent.
Unlike a Code Compliance Certificate, a COA doesn't confirm the work meets the Building Code. Council can only assess what they can see — hidden work like foundations and framing will have limitations noted. But it's still far better than having no documentation at all.
Unauthorised building work flagged on a LIM report scares buyers and their lawyers. A COA demonstrates the work has been assessed and acknowledged by council, giving buyers and lenders much more confidence.
You must apply for a COA within 6 months of the work being completed (or 6 months from when you became aware of it). Council has discretion to accept late applications, but earlier is always better.
Unauthorised building work turns up in all sorts of situations. Here are the ones we deal with most often.
Your lawyer flags building work on the LIM that has no consent or CCC. The previous owner built a shed, enclosed a carport, added a room, or made alterations without going through the proper process. Now it's your problem to sort out.
You did work on your own property without realising you needed consent. Maybe you thought it was too small to need one, or you didn't know the rules. It happens — and the sooner you sort it, the easier it is.
You had a building consent but didn't get a Code Compliance Certificate within the timeframe, and the consent has lapsed. A COA is the path to getting this documented properly.
You start a new building project and discover that previous work on the property was done without consent. Council may require the old work to be addressed before they'll issue consent for the new project.
Your buyer's lawyer or your bank identifies unconsented work. The sale or refinance can't proceed until it's addressed. Time pressure makes getting expert help even more important.
Here's how we help you get unauthorised work sorted
We review the unauthorised work, check your property records, and assess what's needed. We'll also check whether resource consent is needed alongside the COA — for example, if the work breaches boundary setbacks or site coverage rules.
We coordinate any specialist reports council will need — structural engineering, weathertightness assessments, electrical compliance, plans of the existing work. We push back on anything that's not strictly necessary.
We prepare the full COA application with all supporting documentation and lodge it with FNDC. If resource consent is also needed, we manage both applications together.
Council will inspect the work and assess what they can. We manage this process, respond to any queries, and coordinate access for inspections.
Once council is satisfied, they issue the Certificate of Acceptance. The work is now formally recorded on your property records, and the compliance issue is resolved.
Unauthorised building work often triggers resource consent issues too. If the work breaches district plan rules — setbacks, height limits, site coverage — you may need retrospective resource consent alongside your COA. We handle both.
The unconsented structure is too close to a boundary. We apply for resource consent for the infringement alongside the COA.
The additional building has pushed total site coverage over the permitted limit. We handle the impervious surface or coverage consent.
Common questions about COAs and unauthorised building work
A Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) confirms that building work was completed in accordance with the building consent and Building Code. A Certificate of Acceptance (COA) acknowledges work done without consent and records what council was able to assess — it doesn't confirm full compliance but legally documents the work.
As the current owner, yes. You're responsible for the building work on your property regardless of who did it. You may have legal recourse against the seller depending on your sale and purchase agreement and what was disclosed — but getting the COA sorted is the immediate priority.
Council must issue a COA if the application is properly made and fees paid. However, the COA only covers what council can reasonably assess. If the work is dangerous, they may require remedial work first. The COA may also note limitations on what couldn't be inspected (hidden framing, foundations).
Possibly. If the unauthorised building work breaches district plan rules — boundary setbacks, height limits, site coverage — you'll need retrospective resource consent as well. We assess both and handle both applications if needed.
It depends on your insurer. Some insurers are comfortable with a COA, others may exclude the unconsented work from cover or adjust premiums. Having a COA with supporting specialist reports (especially structural) helps. No documentation at all is worse for insurance than a COA.
The longer you wait, the more complicated it gets. Get in touch for a free initial assessment.
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