Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF)

What is the annual Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF)

The Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) is an annual certificate that proves that:

• specified systems in your building have been inspected and maintained
• all the requirements and procedures of the compliance schedule have been met.

What you need to do

As a building owner you must:

• engage an Independent Qualified Person (IQP) to inspect and certify that the procedures of the specified systems have been completed
• ensure a copy of the BWOF certificate is supplied to us on or before the date it is due to expire
• supply us with copies of all IQP certificates of compliance and related recommendations
• ensure the BWOF certificate is on display in a public area of the building where it can be seen by building users.

You may need to supply a BWOF even if you:

• renovate or refurbish the building in part or in full
• have vacant tenancies or a vacant building
• have decommissioned specified systems
• have taken out a consent.

BWOF form

We do not issue the BWOF (Form 12). The building owner or an agent should complete this form and submit it to us.

Form 12A: Certificate of compliance with inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures should be completed by an IQP.

What to do if there are missed inspections, reporting and maintenance procedures

When a BWOF cannot be supplied because of missed inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures, the building owner should:

• issue a BWOF Report and Declaration (B-RaD)
• include all form 12As for the specified systems where no procedures have been missed
• submit a Specified System Report and Declaration (S-RaD) issued by an IQP for each specified system where procedures were missed.

To download the required documents, visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) Building Performance website.

How to submit your BWOF

Online

If you are unable to apply online

Email regsupportbwof@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz for help if:

• you cannot apply for a BWOF renewal online
• you cannot provide digital copies of your BWOF and IQP certificates.

A document handling charge will be applied per application for any documents our staff must scan into our system.

What happens if you do not display a BWOF

You need to display a BWOF so that people using your building know that:

• all the systems in the building are functional and operating effectively
• there is no risk to their health and safety.

If you do not display a BWOF, or display a false one, you can get a fine of up to $20, 000.

If your BWOF has expired you may be prosecuted.

Building Warrant of Fitness fees

Detailed guidance on your responsibilities relating to building warrants of fitness

​Inspections and on-site BWOF audits

Each year we conduct BWOF inspections and audits on randomly selected buildings.

You may be contacted if:

• it has been more than five years since your building was last audited
• a BWOF renewal is overdue or where there is a history of BWOF renewals being supplied late
• a building has had no building work done for an extended period of time
• the BWOF and compliance schedule have not been reviewed for an extended period
• your building is being investigated as a dangerous building.

Note: this is not an exhaustive list.

The owner is liable to pay for the inspection.

For more information, visit the MBIE website.