Div 6Commissioner and consumer guarantee

Division 6 Commissioner and consumer guarantee disputes 54F Commissioner of Residential Building Disputes ............................ 71 54FA Functions and powers of Commissioner ........................................ 71 54FB Technical inspection and report ..................................................... 72 54FC Application to Commissioner for decision ...................................... 73 54FD Consumer guarantee dispute procedures generally ...................... 73 54FE Concurrent consumer guarantee disputes and other contractual disputes....................................................................... 74 54FF Regulations.................................................................................... 75 Division 1 Building permit required 55 Building permit required ................................................................. 76 56 Who may make application............................................................ 76 57 Schedule 3 to apply ....................................................................... 76 58 Further information may be requested by building certifier ............ 76 58A Building permits ............................................................................. 76 Building Act 1993 vii 59 General requirements for grant of building permit ......................... 77 60 Historic buildings ........................................................................... 78 60A Notification of change of building contractor .................................. 78 60B Amendment and cancellation of building permit ............................ 79 62 Notification during building work .................................................... 79 63 Inspections .................................................................................... 80 64 Directions as to work ..................................................................... 80 Part 8 Occupancy certification and exemption certificates 65 Occupancy certification to be obtained .......................................... 81 66 Buildings etc. not to be used for public assembly without occupancy permit .......................................................................... 81 67 Application ..................................................................................... 82 69 Builder's declaration to accompany application ............................. 82 70 Granting occupancy permit ............................................................ 83 72 Effect of occupancy permits........................................................... 83 72A Application ..................................................................................... 83 72B Granting certificate of substantial compliance ............................... 84 72C Effect of certificate of substantial compliance ................................ 85 72D Application ..................................................................................... 85 72E Building certifier's recommendation to Director ............................. 86 72F Granting certificate of existence .................................................... 87 72G Effect of certificate of existence ..................................................... 87 Division 3A Exemption certificates and validation of exemptions 73A Exemption certificate and prescribed certification.......................... 88 Building Act 1993 viii 73B Schedule 4 applies ........................................................................ 88 73C Entitlement to apply for exemption certificate ................................ 88 73D Validation of exemptions and occupancy permits .......................... 89 74 Temporary occupation of buildings ................................................ 89 76 Conditions...................................................................................... 89 Division 5 General matters 76A Further information may be required ............................................. 90 76B Application of and information in occupancy certification .............. 90 76C Application of Schedule 3 .............................................................. 90 76D Liability for offences prior to grant of occupancy certification ........ 90 77 Protection work to be carried out ................................................... 90 78 Notice of building work to be given ................................................ 91 79 Owner of adjoining property to respond to notice .......................... 91 80 Effect of agreement ....................................................................... 91 81 Effect of disagreement ................................................................... 91 82 Appeals.......................................................................................... 92 83 Decisions of Appeals Board on appeals ........................................ 92 84 Work not to be carried out until protection requirements met ........ 92 85 Emergency procedures ................................................................. 92 86 Emergency protection works ......................................................... 93 87 Absent or incapable owners .......................................................... 93 88 Appointment of agents for owners ................................................. 93 89 Liability not affected ....................................................................... 94 90 Inspection of plans......................................................................... 94 91 Building owner to arrange insurance cover ................................... 94 92 Record of condition of adjoining property ...................................... 95 93 Work to conform to Regulations etc. .............................................. 95 94 Entry on adjoining property to carry out protection works .............. 95 95 Offences by adjoining owner ......................................................... 96 96 Service of plans after completion of work ...................................... 96 97 Saving for easements .................................................................... 96 98 Expenses of adjoining owner ......................................................... 96 99 Compensation ............................................................................... 97 Part 10 Enforcement of safety and building standards 100 Emergency orders ......................................................................... 97 101 Work may be carried out by Director ............................................. 98 Building Act 1993 ix 102 Police assistance ........................................................................... 98 103 Completion of work ........................................................................ 98 104 Appeals.......................................................................................... 99 105 Duration of order............................................................................ 99 106 Contravention of emergency order ................................................ 99 107 Fire hazards ................................................................................... 99 108 Building notices ........................................................................... 100 109 Building notices by building certifiers ........................................... 100 110 Content of notice ......................................................................... 100 111 Representations by owner ........................................................... 101 112 Building orders............................................................................. 101 113 Contents of building orders .......................................................... 101 114 Building orders to stop building work ........................................... 101 115 Director to be notified .................................................................. 102 116 Fire upgrading reports ................................................................. 102 117 Assistance of Fire Service ........................................................... 102 118 Representations by owner ........................................................... 102 119 Building orders relating to fire hazards ........................................ 102 120 Failure to comply with order of building certifier........................... 103 121 Work may be carried out by Director ........................................... 103 122 Police assistance ......................................................................... 103 123 Completion of work ...................................................................... 103 124 Appeals........................................................................................ 104 125 Amendment or cancellation of certain building orders ................. 104 126 Onus of proof on appeals ............................................................ 104 127 Duration of order.......................................................................... 105 128 Contravention of building order.................................................... 105 129 Register of orders ........................................................................ 105 Part 10A Appeals Board and disability access decisions 129A Definitions .................................................................................... 105 129B Disability access provisions ......................................................... 105 129C Application of Part 11 .................................................................. 106 Division 2 Alternative solution decisions and access modification decisions 129D Application for alternative solution decision ................................. 106 129E Alternative solution decision ........................................................ 107 129F Application for access modification decision................................ 107 129G Access modification decision ....................................................... 107 Building Act 1993 x 129H Circumstances to be taken into account for access modification decision ................................................................... 108 129J Notice and registration of disability access decision .................... 110 129K Effect of disability access decision .............................................. 111 Part 11 Appeals and applications to Appeals Board generally 130 Who may appeal.......................................................................... 111 130A How appeal is commenced.......................................................... 112 131 Modification of application of Building Regulations ...................... 112 132 Sittings of Appeals Board ............................................................ 112 133 Constitution of Appeals Board in a matter ................................... 112 134 Authentication of documents ....................................................... 113 Division 2 Procedures for appeals, referrals and applications 135 Procedure generally .................................................................... 113 136 Fresh hearing .............................................................................. 114 137 Decisions of Appeals Board......................................................... 114 138 Decision of Appeals Board to be final .......................................... 114 139 Form of appeals and applications ................................................ 114 140 Decisions – form .......................................................................... 114 141 Evidence of determinations ......................................................... 115 142 Enforcement of determinations .................................................... 115 143 Adjournments .............................................................................. 115 144 Hearings to be open .................................................................... 115 145 Rights of representation .............................................................. 115 146 Attendance of witnesses .............................................................. 115 147 Witnesses to answer questions ................................................... 115 148 Evidence on oath ......................................................................... 116 149 Costs ........................................................................................... 116 150 Prosecution of offences ............................................................... 116 151 Offences by corporations ............................................................. 116 152 Additional orders that may be made by the Court........................ 117 153 Protection from liability ................................................................ 118 159 Application of limitation on taking action ...................................... 119 Building Act 1993 xi 160 Limitation on time when action may be taken .............................. 119 161 Effect of other legislation ............................................................. 119 162 Access to buildings and land ....................................................... 119 163 Access to residential premises .................................................... 120 164 Additional powers of authorised officer ........................................ 120 165 Access where safety of public at risk ........................................... 120 166 Offences ...................................................................................... 120 166AA Acquisition on just terms .............................................................. 121 166A Certified copies of documents ..................................................... 121 167 Evidentiary provisions .................................................................. 121 167AA Service of documents .................................................................. 122 167A Approved forms ........................................................................... 122 167B Guidelines.................................................................................... 122 168 Regulations.................................................................................. 122 Part 15 Repeals and transitional matters for Building Act 1993 169 Repeal ......................................................................................... 123 170 Matters in process before commencement of this Act ................. 124 171 Repeal of Regulations and savings ............................................. 124 172 Transitional Regulations .............................................................. 124 Part 15A Building areas before 16 September 2004 172A Retrospective application of declaration ...................................... 125 172B Validation of things done or omitted before 16 September 2004 ............................................................................................ 125 Part 15C Transitional matters for Part 2 of Building Amendment Act 2005 172H Regulations may contain savings or transitional provisions ......... 125 Part 16 Transitional matters for Building Amendment Act 2004 173 Renewal of registration granted before commencement of Building Amendment Act 2004 .................................................... 126 174 Determinations under section 14 of Building Act 1993 to continue in force .......................................................................... 127 175 Commencement of Part 4A of Building Act 1993......................... 127 176 Commencement of Part 4B of Building Act 1993......................... 127 179 Transitional Regulations .............................................................. 128 Building Act 1993 xii Part 17 Transitional matters for Building Legislation Amendment Act 2010 180 Definitions .................................................................................... 128 181 Application for exemption certificate ............................................ 129 182 Declaration made by corporation after commencement day for building work completed before commencement day .................. 129 183 Declaration made by owner-builder after commencement day for building work completed before commencement day............. 129 Part 18 Transitional matters for Building Amendment (Registration and Other Matters) Act 2012 184 Definition...................................................................................... 131 185 Application of Part ....................................................................... 131 186 Replacement provisions apply to existing registration applications.................................................................................. 131 187 Requirement to continue to hold determined net financial assets .......................................................................................... 132 188 Compliance with supervision requirement ................................... 132 189 Continuation of delegations ......................................................... 132 Part 19 Transitional matters for Building Amendment (Residential Building Consumer Protection) Act 2012 190 Definitions .................................................................................... 132 191 Continuation of building permit and approved insurance policy for relevant building work ............................................................. 133 192 Relevant building work under residential building contract .......... 133 193 Relevant building work for which residential building contract not required ................................................................................. 134 Part 20 Transitional matters for Building Amendment (Occupancy Certification) Act 2016 194 Definitions .................................................................................... 134 195 Applications for certificate of occupancy under repealed Act....... 135 196 Relevant applications – building certifiers .................................... 136 197 Application in relation to building work approved or commenced before commencement ........................................... 137 198 Period of cover under approved insurance policy ........................ 137 Building Act 1993 xiii Part 21 Transitional matters for Building Amendment Act 2022 200 Definitions .................................................................................... 139 201 Application of increased inquiry period to building practitioners whose registration ceased before commencement ..................... 139 202 Application of increased amount of civil penalty to professional misconduct engaged in before commencement .......................... 139 203 Application of increased amount of civil penalty to contraventions of Commissioner's decision before commencement ........................................................................... 139 Part 22 Transitional matters for Building Legislation Amendment Act 2024 204 Definitions .................................................................................... 140 205 NTCAT review limited to decisions made after commencement.. 140 206 Appeals not commenced before commencement........................ 140 207 Appeals not determined before commencement ......................... 141 208 Commercial building work commenced before commencement.. 141 Part 23 Transitional matters for Lands, Planning and Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2025 209 Application of amendment to section 24D ................................... 142 Part 24 Transitional matter for Building Legislation Amendment (Fidelity Fund) Act 2025 210 Continuation of trustees of approved scheme ............................. 142 Schedule 2 Members and procedures of Advisory Committee, Practitioners Board and Schedule 3 Building permits and occupancy certification Building Act 1993 xiv ____________________ As in force at 10 February 2026 ____________________ BUILDING ACT 1993 An Act to provide for the establishing of technical standards for buildings, the registration of building practitioners and certifiers, the regulation of building matters, the granting of building permits and occupancy certification and the establishing of a building appeal process, and for related purposes