Earthquake-Prone Buildings
The national system for managing earthquake-prone buildings (EPBs) in New Zealand is changing.
The Building (Earthquake-Prone Buildings) Amendment Bill has passed Parliament and introduces a more proportionate, risk-based approach that focuses on the building types and locations that pose the greatest risk to life during an earthquake. These changes will be implemented in stages, September 2026 and July 2027.
You can learn more about the earthquake-prone building system on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) building website:
Changes for earthquake-prone buildings | Building Performance
Changes from 1 July 2027
From 1 July 2027, only certain building types in medium and high seismic zones can be designated as earthquake-prone buildings.
To be classified as earthquake-prone, a building must be:
- Constructed from unreinforced masonry (URM), or
- Constructed from heavy materials such as concrete and be three storeys or taller.
Buildings that do not meet these criteria will no longer be designated earthquake-prone buildings and will be removed from the national Earthquake-Prone Building Register.
Tararua District falls within a medium seismic zone. Some buildings that are currently part of the earthquake-prone building system may no longer be covered when the new rules come into effect from 1 July 2027.
Building owners who have previously received earthquake-prone building notices should continue to meet their current obligations until notified otherwise.
Council is working through the impacts of the legislative changes and will contact affected building owners directly where further information or action is required.
Owners of one to two-storey unreinforced masonry buildings in smaller towns or rural areas will be required to display an earthquake-prone building sign and remain listed on the EPB Register.
Façade risk mitigation:
Some unreinforced masonry buildings will require work to reduce the risk of building façades falling onto roads, footpaths or public areas during an earthquake. This typically involves securing the façade to the building structure.
Targeted retrofit:
Larger unreinforced masonry buildings and taller buildings constructed from heavy materials may require targeted strengthening work to reduce the risk of collapse during an earthquake
Contact us
We would encourage you (and your neighbouring owners if the building shares any structural elements) to contact Council’s Building Officers for more information on the next steps and the options available - including how to contact a suitably qualified engineer:
- Email us on epb@tararuadc.govt.nz
- Call us on 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110
- Write to us at PO Box 115, Dannevirke 4942