Status of Building Codes in the Pacific

By John Ridgway and Amy Ridge

The construction of robust and resilient infrastructure in Pacific Island nations is becoming increasingly important, particularly as they face greater disaster risk due to climate change.

Whether it is new infrastructure or the rebuilding of roads or bridges or buildings impacted by the natural disasters, the implementation of contemporary National Building Codes that are effectively regulated and enforced is more crucial than ever.

National Building Code is up to date

National Building Code is in draft, undergoing review or not formally legislated

There is no National Building Code

Jurisdiction	Status	Year published	Latest update	Comment
Cook Islands		1990	2019	The Cook Islands National Building Code is governed by the Building Controls and Standards Act 1991.[1]
Niue		1990	2020	The National Building Code of Niue is governed by the Building Code Amendment Act 2021.[2]
Republic of the Marshall Islands (MRI)		1987	2021	The RMI National Building Code is governed by the Planning and Zoning Act 1987.[3]
Samoa		1990	2017	The National Building Code of Samoa is governed under the Ministry of Works Act 2002.[4]
Solomon Islands		1990	2022	The National Building Code of the Solomon Islands is governed under the new National Building Standard Act 2025.[5]
Tuvalu		1990	2024	The National Building Code of Tuvalu is governed by the Building Act (CAP 44.08).[6]
Vanuatu		1990	2025	The National Building Code for Vanuatu is governed by the National Building Code Act No 36 of 2013.[7]
Fiji		1990	-	The National Building Code for Fiji has been undergoing an update since 2023 with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.[8] The Code is governed by the Public Health Act 1935, the Public Health (NBC) Regulations 2004 and the Regulations of Building Permits Act 2017.[9]
Kiribati		1990	2012	The National Building Code of Kiribati originally published in 1990, was updated in 2010 and the new final draft completed in 2012. It is currently under review. [10] The Code is governed by the Kiribati Building Act 2006.[11]
Tokelau		2008	-	Tokelau’s Building Rules 2007 establishes a Building Code. However, there are no formal construction standards or accreditation resulting in inconsistent construction outcomes.[12]
Tonga		2001	2007	Updates made to the National Building Code of the Kingdom of Tonga in 2018 are still in draft. It is governed by the Building Control and Standards Act 2002.[13]
Federated States of Micronesia  (FSM)		-	-	FSM does not have a National Building Code but the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility has been assisting in the development of a Code since 2022.[14]
French Polynesia		-	-	French based building regulations are in place in French Polynesia.[15]
Nauru		-	-	A National Building Code is currently in draft and the Building Control Act 2025 passed earlier this year.[16]
New Caledonia		-	-	French based building regulations are in place in New Caledonia.[17]
Palau		-	-	Palau does not have a National Building Code and there is no clear regulatory authority.[18]
Papua New Guinea (PNG)		-	-	PNG has adopted building regulations based on the Australian standards and has a Building Act 1971 but does not have a unified Code.[19]

As can be appreciated from the above, the status of building codes across the Pacific is itself a work in progress, with so many jurisdictions currently under review.

Across many Pacific jurisdictions, progress has been made in developing or updating National Building Codes. However, implementation and enforcement capacity remains uneven. In several countries, regulatory responsibility is fragmented across ministries or local authorities, inspection regimes are under‑resourced, and there is limited accreditation or licensing of builders and professionals.

In practice, this means that even where contemporary building standards exist on paper, compliance may not be consistently achieved. Informal construction, constrained government resources, skills shortages, and limited institutional capacity continue to pose challenges.

Strengthening resilience therefore requires more than drafting or updating codes. It requires investment in regulatory institutions, clear assignment of enforcement responsibilities, training of inspectors and certifiers, and the establishment of practical permitting and compliance systems that can operate effectively at the local level.

The challenge for the Pacific remains in providing transparent building code regimes, realistic enforcement and the framework to facilitate so many local and regional infrastructure projects, whether climate related or not.

If you would like assistance or legal guidance across any of these Pacific jurisdictions in relation to building codes, regulatory frameworks or enforcement issues, please contact us.

[1] Building Controls and Standards Act 1991

[2] Niue National Building Code 1990 | Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility (PRIF)

[3] Planning and Zoning Act 1987

[4] Ministry of Works Act 2002

[5] New Building Standards a Win for Safety, Quality, and Growth | Sunday Isles

[6] Building Act (CAP 44.08) 2022

[7] Building Act No 36 of 2013

[8] Fiji Building Code Update: a new sustainable approach to construction in Fiji - Government of Fiji - Orton Architects

[9] Public Health Act 1935; Regulation of Building Permits Act 2017

[10] National Building Code of Kiribati | Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility (PRIF)

[11] Building Act 2006

[12] Industry-based training models in Tokelau, NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[13] Building Control and Standards Act 2002

[14] PRIF Building Codes Guidance

[15] PRIF Building Codes Guidance

[16] Building Control Act 2025

[17] PRIF Building Codes Guidance

[18] Palau - ICC

[19] PRIF Building Codes Guidance

---