SANS 10400
SANS 10400 Governs the Design, planning and supervision of all construction work
Each section of SANS 10400, the Code of Practice for The application of the National Building Regulations (NBR) is presented with the relevant extract from the building regulations (which is the law), and is then followed by a general commentary explaining how the law should be interpreted to “satisfy” the law.
Generally, the regulations themselves are remarkably short, while the deemed-to-satisfy rules (now referred to as deemed-to-satisfy requirements) are quite lengthy. But in Part A of SANS 10400, General Principles and Requirements, the regulations cover about 15 pages. By contrast, the regulations section relating to excavation covers just half a page.
You can download the standards (as published in 1990), as well as the most recent version of the regulations (the Act) published in its entirety, HERE, as well as the recent amendments to the Act. Just be aware that while the amendments to the regulations are complete, the SABS commentary in these documents, which explains how the regulations should be interpreted and applied, is not.
You can buy specific sections of the most recent edition of The application of the National Building Regulations SANS 10400 2011 from the SABS, either at one of their offices or online at the SABS Internet store.
What is Covered in Part A: General Principles and Requirements
This section of the NBR covers details of requirements for plans, drawings and various documents that MUST be submitted to your local authority before you are allowed to build any sort of structure. For instance, you need to have:
• a site plan,
• layout drawings,
• a fire installation drawing,
• drainage installation drawings,
• particulars of any existing building or structure that is going to be demolished – and you need to state how it will be demolished,
• and any other plans and particulars that your local authority requires.
These SANS 10400 general principles and requirements also specify the details that must be included on different plans, as well as the size and scale required on plans and drawings. They also state what colours to use to identify different materials on plans. For instance, new masonry must be shaded red and new concrete green. All existing materials are shown in grey.
When architects, designers and engineers draw plans, they use symbols to identify certain details. These are also specified in SANS 10400 Part A.
There is also information regarding building control officers and their qualifications; specifications relating to plumbers and anyone doing plumbing work – only trained plumbers are permitted to do this work – specifications of who may design buildings, as well as inspect and assess them.
Changes to SANS 10400 Part A of The application of the National Building Regulations
Previously referred to as SABS 0400-1990, these regulations were totally overhauled in 2008 and are now SANS 10400 . This meant that the deemed-to-satisfy elements had to be overhauled and rewritten too. The reasons given for the overhaul were:
• the fact that the apartheid system had been abandoned
• the fact that South Africa’s population had doubled since the regulations were first written
• the fact that local authorities throughout the country had been completely restructured
• formation of the National Home Builders Registration (NHBRC)
• the introduction of much more complex building control and systems
• the introduction of an increasing number of innovative, new construction system for building
Everybody Has A Right To:
Furthermore, Section 24 of the Bill of Rights in the South African Constitution states that everybody has a right to: “an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being”. So if our buildings aren’t healthy, and aren’t built with our health and welfare in mind, they are essentially unconstitutional!
Perhaps the greatest change – certainly the one that will impact on both individuals and the building profession – is the fact that all applications to build must now be accompanied by a declaration by a person registered in terms of a built-environment professional council, as to how the applicable functional requirements are to be satisfied.
All plans must also be submitted by a “competent person” who is professionally registered in terms of the Engineering Professions Act, the Architectural Professions Act, or the Natural Scientific Professions Act. So unless you are a qualified architect, engineer, designer or somebody specifically with the required “education, training, experience and contextual knowledge” to judge whether a dwelling will meet the functional regulations, you are not a competent person!
Yes, in South Africa, a Certificate of Compliance (COC) is required for a geyser replacement in 2025. This applies to both standard (normal) geysers and undercounter geysers.
Why is a COC Required?
Under the Plumbing Industry Registration Board (PIRB) and SANS 10254 (Installation Standards for Fixed Electric Storage Water Heaters), a licensed plumber must issue a COC after replacing a geyser. This certificate confirms that the installation meets safety and quality standards, ensuring:
✅ Proper installation according to SANS 10254 regulations.
✅ Compliance with insurance requirements (many insurers require a valid COC for claims).
✅ Assurance that the geyser is installed safely and legally.
What If No COC Is Provided?
If a plumber does not provide a COC:
❌ The installation may be non-compliant, leading to insurance claim rejections.
❌ There is no official guarantee that the work was done correctly.
❌ The homeowner may be liable for damages or safety hazards.
What Guarantees Does the Owner Have?
A PIRB-registered plumber must provide a 12-month workmanship warranty.
The geyser manufacturer’s warranty remains valid only if installed by a licensed plumber with a COC.
If issues arise, a registered plumber can be held accountable through the PIRB.
Final Advice
Always request a COC when replacing a geyser to ensure compliance, safety, and warranty protection. If your plumber refuses to provide one, they may not be legally registered—so it’s best to hire a qualified professional.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more details. 😊
Hi is there a necessity for a plumber to provide a COC for a geyser replacement in 2025. If not what guarantee has the owner that the job has been done properly and guaranteed by the plumber in the event of a undercounter or normal geyser.
I don’t believe that you need plans for any type of tennis court, unless the local authority has this requirement.
Please advise if you need to submit plans for the construction of multi purpose courts (combi court) on school property
true…we really should put into working with standards
Hi Kholofelo, All the SANS can be purchased from the SABS here: http://www.store.sabs.co.za/ But The SANS are a set of rules and guidelines that have to be followed when building any structure in South Africa. When you want to build you will have to employ a “competent person” to draw up your plans, this could be an architect. They will design what you want and use the SANS 10400 as a guide and indicate on the plans which part of the SANS is referred to at any part of the plan. The SANS also requires that any plumbing work and electrical work has to be done by a registered person. I hope this helps.
where does one obtain sans 10400 code, and what do I need to do to obtain for my lodge?
Koos the only place you can get SANS 10400 is from the SABS. It is published in parts, each of which has a specific price. These are available from SABS offices and online.
Where do I get a copy of the sans10400? Can you please email me a copy???
Hi Rod & Dari,
Apologies for the delayed reply. Your post got lost in our server.
Whoever does the electrical work has to sign off the COC (Certificate of Compliance) and by law he has to be registered to be able to undertake any electrical work. Now if the contractor used an electrician that is not registered then he has also broken the law. He needs to arrange for the electrical work that was done to be signed off and approved by a registered electrician to the satisfaction of the local building inspector. This is not an extra cost that you have to pay. This is one reason we advise people to withhold a suitable final payment amount until this type of problem has been sorted.
hi we have had a loft conversion done on our house.the new lighting in
the loft,according to the local building inspector,requires a new
compliance certificate.question is must the contractor who did the
conversion who used his own electrician to do the alterations supply
us with a new/updated compliance certificate.we live in mowbray cape
town
rergards
rob&dari mahaffey
Hi Zuki,
If you go to our sister website ownerbuilding.co.za you will find a download link for SANS10400 here: http://www.buildingregulations.co.za/download-regulations/
I hope this is what you were looking for.
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SANS 10400