Frequently Asked Questions

Please call the Building Inspection Division office – Ph: +682 20321. Ask for a Building Inspector.

Please call the Building Inspection Division on +682 20321 for more information and progress of your building permit application.

Please call the Building Inspection Division on +682 20321 from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday. Inspections called in or emailed by 4pm will be scheduled for the next business day, excluding holidays and unless our building inspectors are unable to attend to your inspection, in which case a new time will need to be scheduled with the inspector. 

ICI recommends that you follow the Cook Islands Building Code 2019 with respect to building permits and establishing residency in the home that you are constructing. In addition, you should supervise the construction yourself. Also, as the owner of the residential building or structure, you should promptly file as a matter of public record a notice with the register of deeds, indexed under your name in the grantor’s index, stating that the residential building or structure was constructed by the owner as an unlicensed builder. It is also your responsibility to make sure that people employed by you have licenses required. Your construction must comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, building codes, and regulations.

The average processing time for a residential building permit is approximately 5 to 7 business days, excluding holidays. Most commercial building permit applications with a General Contractor identified on the application are processed in approximately 15 business days, excluding holidays. Processing time will be longer if submitted applications are incomplete or if more information and/or additional plans are requested by our office.