Specified systems and compliance schedules

What are specified systems?

Specified systems are features of the building that are vital to ensure the health and safety of building occupants. These systems are defined by:

Building (Specified Systems, Change the Use, and Earthquake-prone Buildings) Regulations 2005 (legislation.govt.nz)

For example, they include items such as:

  • fire alarms
  • sprinklers
  • lifts
  • emergency lighting
  • mechanical ventilation or air-conditioning systems.

What is a compliance schedule?

A compliance schedule is a list of all the specified systems in a building, which outlines their performance standards, and details the inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures required to keep them in safe working order.

To confirm these systems are being periodically inspected and remain in a working order, building owners must:

  • Sign and issue a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) every 12 months to Council.
  • Display the BWOF in a visible location within the building.

We issue a compliance schedule together with a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) at the end of the building consent process. It can be amended throughout the life of the building as upgrades or alterations to a building take place – adding, modifying or removing specified systems from the building.

Building consent applications submitted to us must list what specified systems are proposed to be added, modified or removed from a building and the relevant performance standards. 

More information regarding these systems is collected during the construction process of the works to enable us to produce the compliance schedule to be issued with the Code Compliance Certificate.

Important: No specified systems may be added, removed or altered in a building without a building consent. 

By email

Step 1.Complete form(s) 

Download, print and complete the required specified system detail sheet(s) by hand.

Step 2.Email us

Email your completed specified system detail sheet(s) to:

Email: mailroom@wdc.govt.nz

In-person

Step 1.Complete form(s) 

Download, print and complete the required specified system detail sheet(s) by hand.

Step 2.Bring into us

Bring your completed specified system detail sheet(s) into one of our service centres.

Te Iwitahi (civic centre)
9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei
Hours: Monday to Friday – 8:00am to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays

Ruakākā service centre 
9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā
Hours: Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 4:00pm
Closed public holidays

Service centre at isite
92 Otaika Road, Raumanga
Hours: Monday to Friday – 9:00am to 12:00pm and 12:30pm to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays