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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA building is not legally designated earthquake prone just because an engineer gives it a low %NBS result. Under the current system, the territorial authority identifies a potential case, the owner provides an engineering assessment, and the authority reviews the evidence and makes the legal determination. If it designates the building, it issues an EPB notice and records the determination on the public register. The process varies by location and is changing: as of 3 October 2026, some areas are already outside the system, while most further changes take effect on 1 July 2027.
What does an earthquake-prone building assessment involve?
New Zealand’s current system separates the technical assessment from the legal decision. A suitably qualified engineer assesses the building under the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) methodology. The territorial authority (usually the local council) checks that assessment and decides whether the building meets the statutory test. The engineer does not issue the EPB notice or make the final legal determination. See MBIE’s EPB methodology and its engineering assessment requirements.
A council may first identify a building as potentially earthquake prone and notify its owner. “Potential” is an initial status, not a final finding. The council’s review considers the engineering evidence and whether collapse could cause injury, death, or damage to another property. Under the current methodology, a result below 34% of the New Building Standard (%NBS) is relevant to the building-capacity part of the test; the score alone does not decide the case.
What happens after the council contacts an owner?
- The territorial authority identifies a potential case. It notifies the owner and requests an assessment. Its identification does not itself establish that the building has been formally designated.
- The owner arranges and submits an assessment. Under current MBIE guidance, the owner has 12 months from the date of the request to provide it. If the owner is not reasonably able to meet the due date, they may apply for an additional 12 months; this is an application, not an automatic extension. The council may designate the building if an assessment is not supplied by the deadline. Read the actual request and confirm dates and options with the issuing authority. MBIE’s guidance for territorial authorities and EPBs explains the current timelines.
- A qualified engineer assesses the building. The assessment must be prepared under the MBIE methodology and signed off by an engineer with relevant structural and earthquake engineering experience and skills in assessing existing buildings. At minimum, the sign-off engineer must be a chartered structural engineer.
- The territorial authority reviews the evidence. An engineering score or report informs the council’s decision; it is not itself an EPB notice. The authority applies the statutory test, including the consequences of collapse.
- The authority issues a notice if it designates the building. It assigns the applicable rating, specifies any required seismic work and its timeframe, and updates the EPB Register. The owner must display the notice prominently and complete work required by it.
MBIE describes the authority’s and owner’s roles in its overview of the EPB system. For a specific building, the council’s request or notice controls the practical next steps.
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What does the engineer examine, and who can sign off?
The assessment considers the building’s ultimate capacity against earthquake shaking demand, its structural form, and relevant shared structural elements. It also examines potentially hazardous building parts that could lose support or fall, or trigger another part to collapse, creating a significant life-safety hazard. The report records its assumptions, methods, inspection basis and supporting information, along with the %NBS result and, where required, the consequences of failure.
Assessment depth depends on the building and on whether the engineer can reach a reliable conclusion about its expected behaviour. MBIE’s guidance on seismic assessment of existing buildings describes Initial Seismic Assessments and Detailed Seismic Assessments.
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| Assessment | Scope and depth | What it means for the process |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Seismic Assessment (ISA) | A broad initial indication of seismic performance. | May be sufficient in some cases, but the engineer must be confident that it reflects the building’s expected behaviour for the statutory decision. Further investigation or a DSA may be needed. |
| Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) | A more comprehensive assessment than an ISA. | Used where the building or the initial findings require a deeper assessment. The appropriate form of assessment depends on the building and engineering judgement. |
These are assessment approaches, not interchangeable ratings: %NBS is an output of an assessment, not the name of an assessment method.
What does a %NBS rating tell you?
%NBS compares an assessed building with an equivalent new building on the same site for the relevant minimum life-safety performance. It is a relative engineering measure, not a probability that the building will collapse in the next earthquake, a guarantee of safety, or a standalone legal classification.
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For the current process, a result below 34%NBS is relevant to the capacity limb of the statutory test, but the authority must also consider failure mode and consequences. Current regulations distinguish ratings from 0 to less than 20%NBS and from 20 to less than 34%NBS for rating categories. Neither band should be read as a probability or as a complete account of risk; the territorial authority makes the determination using the full evidence. MBIE’s decision flow for determining whether a building is earthquake prone sets out the decision process.
Can you check a building on the EPB Register?
Yes. The EPB Register is the public record of buildings that territorial authorities have determined to be earthquake prone. A listing reflects an authority’s determination; it is not a substitute for the notice or the building’s full technical records.
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If a building is not listed, that does not prove it has been assessed and cleared as safe. Assessments and decisions are made progressively. For information about a particular property, or to correct a record, contact the territorial authority responsible for it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which current rules apply, and what changes in 2027?
The applicable rules depend on location and date. As of 3 October 2026, Auckland, the Chatham Islands and the upper North Island low seismic zone have already been removed from the EPB system. Councils are to remove previously designated EPBs in those areas, and new EPB designations cannot be made there. Elsewhere, the current system continues through 30 June 2027.
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Most changes under the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2026 begin on 1 July 2027. Under the new system, %NBS will no longer be used to identify EPBs. Designation will be limited to specified building categories in medium- or high-seismic zones: unreinforced masonry buildings, and buildings made of heavy materials such as concrete that are at least three storeys. Retrofit requirements will vary by building type and location. MBIE says a new methodology is expected in early 2027, so the final operational details are not all available as of 3 October 2026. Check MBIE’s EPB system change guidance and the relevant council for location-specific rules.
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