Aussie WaterMark-certified products recognised as NZ Building Code compliant

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has published the first set of recognition notices for selected plumbing and drainage products certified under Australia’s WaterMark scheme 

Recognition notices confirm that selected WaterMark-certified products comply with specified clauses of the New Zealand Building Code, provided they are used in accordance with the stated conditions and limitations outlined in the notices. 

From 1 October 2025, when assessing a building consent, building consent authorities (BCAs) must accept products covered by a recognition notice as meeting Code requirements under the Building Act. 

The recognition notices apply to: 

• Approximately 92,500 WaterMark-certified tapware products (certified to AS 3718:2021 and other relevant standards). 

• Products conforming to joint AS/NZS standards with linkages to the AS/NZS 3500 series. 

MBIE has stated that future recognition notices will expand the range of WaterMark-certified products approved for use in New Zealand. 

The move is part of a broader MBIE programme to improve access to compliant overseas products. The new pathway is designed to reduce duplication, provide more certainty for designers and specifiers, and streamline consenting processes. 

“The current system has made it too hard to use safe, high-quality overseas products,” said Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. 

“We’re fixing that by removing unnecessary red tape, increasing competition and reducing costs for Kiwi homeowners.” 

What is the Australian WaterMark scheme? 

The Australian WaterMark Certification Scheme is a mandatory program for plumbing and drainage products administered by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). 

It ensures products meet defined safety and performance standards, confirming they are fit for purpose and authorised for use in plumbing and drainage installations across Australia. 

Find out more about Watermark here: https://watermark.abcb.gov.au/consumers/what-watermark . 

Using recognition notices in your application 

Recognition notices outline which products certified overseas MBIE has recognized. Here are the steps to using Approved Products Certified Overseas recognition notices as part of a building consent application: 

Step 1. Decide on what recognition notice you are going to use in your building consent application. 

• Make sure the recognition notice lists the product certificate you are specifying in your building consent application. 

• Recognition notices and product details are under the heading current recognition notices. 

Step 2. Add the recognition notice and supporting information into your building consent application. 

This includes: 

• A copy of the recognition notice. 

• The product certificate for that recognised product. 

• Relevant supporting technical information such as installation manuals. 

Product certificates should be accessible either on the product certification scheme’s website or on the product certification body’s website. 

The recognition notice shows certain product certificate details, including the responsible product certification body, the certificate number, and the conditions and limitations of how you must use the notice. 

Step 3. Process your building consent application 

The BCA processes your building consent application with the recognition notice as evidence of compliance with the Building Code. If specified as laid out in the recognition notice, BCAs must accept the recognised building product. 

Approved Products Certified Overseas is a ‘deemed-to-comply’ pathway under the Building Act. When the BCA receives a building consent application, it will follow this process to establish compliance: 

• Check that the recognition notice is current. Each recognition notice has a unique ID to make it easy to find the right one on this page. 

• Check that the product certificate is the same one stated on the recognition notice, and the product certificate is current. Product certificates should be accessible either on the product certification scheme’s website, or on the product certification body’s website. If the product certificate is not available online, BCAs will email the relevant product certification body. 

• Check that the product is specified in accordance with its intended use. The intended use should be specified on the product certificate, but it also may be in other supporting technical information. For recognised WaterMark-certified products, the certified intended use and scope, and application of the product, can be found on the recognition notice itself or on the WaterMark Schedule of Products. 

If these checks are met, then the BCA must accept the recognised product as complying with the Building Code. 

If the product is used outside the scope of the recognition notice, a BCA is not required to accept it as complying with the Building Code. It may ask for further evidence in order to assess compliance with the Building Code. 

 

Product pictured: Methven Waipori MK2 Sink Mixer