Building and renovating: permits and processes

In 2017, experts were asked to assess building and construction systems to address public safety concerns about building standards Australia-wide.

You can read the Building Confidence Report on the Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources website.

All states and territories have committed to implementing the report recommendations.

From January 2022

As part of that commitment, an independent third party review (ITPR) of some structural designs is required in the Northern Territory.

This starts on 31 January 2022.

The ITPR process is consistent with:

• a model developed by the Australian Building Codes Board and
• endorsed by the Building Advisory Committee.

What's involved

ITPR is not a dual certification process.

The process is to be:

• informed by risk
• done by an NT registered certifying engineer (structural) with certain other qualifications
• paid for by the building approval applicant.

Building certifiers:

• must consider the ITPR before making a decision on the building permit application to which it relates
• are not required to implement a recommendation of an ITPR.

The Building Regulations 1993 are to provide the:

• meaning of significant and complex buildings and building work
• qualifications and experience required by an independent review engineer
• elements of the structural design which must be reported on by the independent review engineer.

Read the independent third party review amendment regulations - information sheet PDF (178.8 KB).

Guidelines

Read the reporting authorities – independent review engineers - guidelines PDF (198.0 KB) and flow chart PDF (243.8 KB) if you are:

• an applicant - owner or owner’s agent
• a building certifier
• a certifying engineer (structural)
• an independent review engineer.

Contact

To find an independent review engineer or apply to be on a list of independent review engineers, go to the Building Practitioners Board website.