A Guide to the New - Building Commission

The New Terms - What do they Mean
(With Building Act 2011 section numbers)
Permit Authority - s124 to s127
A permit authority is the organisation that grants all the permits that are required
under the new building approval system. It ensures that all statutory requirements
for the lodgement of a permit application are met, and that the paperwork is
complete.
It also has responsibility for keeping building records and providing building
information to the Building Commission. A permit authority has an enforcement role
and can issue building orders to require builders to rectify building work that doesn‘t
meet approved requirements.
Registered Building Surveyor - (Building Services (Registration) Act)
A registered building surveyor can work in either the private sector or the
government sector. They are registered under the Building Services (Registration)
Act in one of three tiers. A level 1 building surveyor can certify any building, a level 2
can certify a building no higher than 3 storeys and less than 2000sqm in area and
until 30 June 2013 a building surveyor technician can certify buildings no higher than
2 storeys and no more than 500sqm in area. After 30 June 2013 there will only be
level 1 and 2 building surveyors. They are the only ones who can sign a certificate
of design, construction or building compliance.
Certified Application - All Buildings - s14
A certified application has a certificate of design compliance prepared before the
application is lodged. The permit authority (normally the local government) will then
issue the permit within 10 business days. If the prescribed time elapses without a
permit being issued or the application being rejected, the application is deemed
refused.
Uncertified Application - Class 1 & 10 Buildings - s17
For prescribed buildings only (classes 1 and 10 in the National Construction Code),
the Building Act 2011 requires a local government, in its role as a permit authority, to
accept an uncertified application. The permit authority must arrange for a registered
building surveyor to sign a certificate of design compliance and issue the permit
within 25 business days. If the prescribed time elapses without a permit being issued
or the application being rejected, the application is deemed refused.
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