Self-Certification for Plumbers and Drainlayers

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1. What is the plumber and drainlayer self-certification scheme?

It's a voluntary, opt-in system that allows endorsed certifying plumbers and drainlayers to certify that eligible work complies with the building consent without a BCA inspector coming out to check it.

Think of it as the same framework gasfitters have operated under for the past 13 years. Plumbers and drainlayers are now getting the same.

"We have advocated strongly for self-certification for years and have worked closely with the Minister to ensure it will deliver the cost and time-saving benefits intended." - Greg Wallace, Master Plumbers Chief Executive

The scheme is administered by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB). The Board ran a webinar on 18 May 2026 covering the eligibility criteria, endorsement process, and documentation requirements. It’s worth watching if you're getting ready to apply.

Self-certification webinar 2 - 18 May 2026

2. Which plumber or drainlayer can self-certify?

Not every plumber and drainlayer can apply for self-certification. Eligibility is tightly controlled. To self-certify, you need to:

• Hold a certifying class licence with the PGDB
• Be in good standing with the Board
• Apply for and receive a self-certifying endorsement from the PGDB
• Meet minimum standards including technical competencies and the ability to meet potential civil liability — which will include insurance requirements

Once endorsed, your name appears on the PGDB's public register so clients can verify you're authorised to self-certify.

If you're not yet at certifying class, this scheme isn't available to you. The work still goes through the standard BCA inspection process.

Self-certification is also not suitable for work you didn't supervise on-site. The PGDB will publish more detail on supervision requirements later in 2026.

3. What type of plumbing and drainlaying work can be self-certified?

The scheme covers low-risk, routine plumbing and drainlaying work on everyday buildings, the kind of jobs most certifying plumbers and drainlayers do regularly.

Plumbing

You can self-certify sanitary plumbing work if it's on a qualifying building (see below) and follows standard Building Code compliance pathways, what the regulations call an acceptable solution or verification method.

You cannot self-certify sanitary plumbing work that:

• Is in or between shared walls (common walls)
• Penetrates a fire separation

Drainlaying

The same qualifying building and compliance pathway rules apply. One key difference: the shared wall and fire separation exclusions don't apply to drainlaying, only to sanitary plumbing.

What about on-site systems?

Septic tanks, water tanks, greywater systems, solar hot water, and irrigation can all be self-certified, even if there's no standard compliance pathway for that specific system design. The on-site system exception covers both plumbing and drainlaying.

What's a qualifying building?

Three storeys or under, and not an apartment block. That covers the vast majority of residential, commercial, and light-industrial work that most plumbers and drainlayers take on.

One thing that doesn't change: building consent is still required for the project. What self-certification replaces is the BCA inspection of the plumbing and drainlaying component, not the consent itself.

4. How to get my self-certification for NZ Plumbers and Drainlayers

If a client chooses to use self-certification (and it's their choice, not yours to impose), here's how it works:

• The building consent application notes the intent to use an endorsed plumber or drainlayer
• The BCA checks whether the work qualifies for self-certification and that the plans comply with the Building Code
• You carry out the work
• Within 10 working days of completion, you issue a Certificate of Compliance to both the building owner and the PGDB
• The Certificate includes supporting evidence: testing results, photos, and as-built plans
• The Certificate is included in the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) application to the BCA

If an amendment or minor variation causes work to fall outside the scope of self-certification, standard BCA inspections apply. If a client changes their mind and wants BCA inspection instead, it's the building consent applicant's responsibility to file an amendment to the consent.

5. What goes in the plumber and drainlayer Certificate of Compliance?

The Certificate of Compliance is a prescribed form set by the PGDB. It's not just a signature; it's a formal record that you're standing behind the work. The regulations specify exactly what must be included.

About the work:

• Address and description of the completed work
• Building consent number
• Start and finish dates
• Supporting documentation showing the work complies with the consent

About you:

• Your name and unique identifier (e.g. registration number)
• Confirmation you're a self-certification endorsed plumber or drainlayer
• Confirmation you carried out, assisted in, or supervised the work while endorsed

About others involved:

• Names and unique identifiers (if applicable) of anyone else who carried out or assisted with the work

Statements you must make:

• Performance tests were done at the appropriate stages of construction
• The tests confirmed the work functions according to the building consent specifications
• You are satisfied that the work complies with the building consent
• All required supporting documentation is included

Supporting documents:

• Photographs of the work
• Details, date, and results of any tests completed; pressure tests, flood tests, water temperature tests
• As-built plans if the work differs from what was approved in the consent, or an explanation of the differences

Final sign-off: a statement that everything in the Certificate is true and accurate, plus your dated signature.

The jobs where self-certification works smoothly are the ones where your records are tight from the start; photos taken as you go, test results logged on the day, notes made before you leave the site.

6. How does self-certification impact my liability?

This is the part worth sitting with before you apply for endorsement. Under the traditional process, a BCA inspector signs off on the work. Under self-certification, you sign off on it. You are liable for the work you certify. If it doesn't comply with the Building Code:

• Disciplinary action may be taken through the PGDB
• Enforcement action may occur under building legislation
• Consumer protections remain available to the building owner

Your endorsement can also be removed. This isn't a reason to avoid the scheme; it's a reason to go in with your eyes open, your insurance reviewed, and your paperwork in order.

The endorsement requires you to demonstrate the ability to meet potential civil liability, so if you're not already carrying adequate professional indemnity and public liability cover, talk to your broker before you apply.

 7. Is drainlayer and plumber self-certification the same as the granny flat exemption?

The short answer is: No. And the PGDB has flagged that there's genuine confusion here. They're two separate schemes with different legal pathways:

• Granny flat exemption: No consent or inspections required for plumbing and drainlaying in small standalone dwellings. Any authorised person can do the work.
• Self-certification scheme: Building consent is still required. Only endorsed certifying plumbers and drainlayers can self-certify their own work in place of BCA inspections.

Different rules, different responsibilities.

8. How to get endorsed for self-certification?

Endorsement applications are now open through the PGDB. Here's how it works:

• Log in — access your account via the PGDB Trade Login portal
• Apply — complete the self-certification endorsement application form and supply proof of insurance and qualifications
• Get listed — once approved, your endorsement appears on the public register, and you can start signing off eligible work
• Renew every three years — endorsements aren't a one-off; you'll need to renew to stay on the register

9. What does this mean for your business day-to-day?

Potentially, faster job turnaround. If you're doing routine work that currently sits in a queue waiting for a BCA inspection, self-certification removes that bottleneck. You complete the work, you certify it, you move on.

That's good for your clients. It's good for your scheduling. And it's good for your cash flow because faster job completion means faster invoicing.

But the admin side matters. You'll need to issue a Certificate of Compliance within 10 working days, with supporting evidence. That means your job records, including photos, test results, and as-built notes, need to be captured as you go, not reconstructed after the fact.

If you're still running jobs on paper or trying to remember what you did on a job three weeks ago, that's going to be harder to manage. Having your job records in one place — photos, notes, and documents attached to each job — makes the compliance side of self-certification a lot more straightforward.

Tradify lets you run your plumbing business with every job, quote, invoice, and document in one place, so when you need to pull together a Certificate of Compliance, the evidence is already there.

Try Tradify free for 14 days. 

10. Self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers

The self-certification scheme is a genuine win for the plumbing and drainlaying trade. It gives experienced, licensed practitioners more autonomy, reduces consent delays for clients, and aligns plumbers and drainlayers with the framework gasfitters have had for over a decade.

But the sign-off is yours. The documentation is yours. The liability, if something goes wrong, sits with you.

Get endorsed, get insured, and get your job records in order. That's the foundation for making this work well.

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