Earthquake Prone Building Process

We will identify buildings that are potentially earthquake-prone and notify owners.

Identifying earthquake-prone buildings - MBIE (building.govt.nz)

Owners of potentially earthquake-prone buildings will then provide more information about their building to us.

We will then confirm whether the building is earthquake-prone or not.

Owners of earthquake-prone buildings will receive confirmation from us and will be issued an earthquake-prone building notice with a deadline to strengthen or demolish.

Owners of earthquake prone buildings will have a time frame of 25 years to carry out seismic work.

Owners of earthquake-prone buildings will then carry out seismic work to ensure that their building is no longer earthquake-prone.

Fixing an earthquake-prone building involves seismic work. This normally involves strengthening, demolishing, or partially demolishing the building.

The owners will notify us once seismic work has been completed and a code compliance certificate has been issued.

After the building has been strengthened to the New Building Standard (NBS) requirements, a report with the Building Consent and or Certificate Code Compliance should be provided verifying the “NBS number” after the building work has been completed.

Once we review the work, we will re-sticker or remove the notice. We will also inform the building owner that the building is no longer considered earthquake-prone.

An earthquake-prone building notice must be displayed on the main entrance/s to a building, informing the public that it is earthquake-prone, until we officially notify the owner the notice can be removed.

A notice also shows the deadline by when a building must be fixed. Building owner’s in the South Waikato District will have 25 years from the issue date of the notice to strengthen their building so that it is no longer earthquake-prone.