How much does NHBRC registration cost?
Every builder of homes for other people must be registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council before starting, and every home enrolled before the foundations go in. The registration itself is a form, two fees and a test. The delays come from documents of the wrong age and a technical assessment nobody warned the builder about.
Independent, not a government body. ProperSA is a private company. Everything in this guide can be done directly with the authority at its own fees; our service fee pays for it to be prepared, lodged and followed up for you.
The NHBRC fees
- Application fee R745.61, once off, not refundable, paid with the application.
- Annual membership R526.32, every year. Let it lapse mid project and the registration stops draws from the bank and voids your standing with the buyer.
- Builders’ manual R87.82, or R3 168.15 with the SANS 10400 building standards, optional with the application. The technical manager studies it, because the test is written in that person’s own name and nobody may sit it for them.
- Enrolment of each home: a sliding percentage of the selling price, paid per house before the foundations, which puts the house into the five year structural warranty scheme.
- Service fee: ProperSA charges R1 490 to prepare the application with documents of the right age, lodge it, handle the fees on your invoice and diarise the renewal.
The test and the timing
- The technical assessment allows two attempts within 30 days of paying the application fee. Fail both and the fee is gone.
- Documents must be within their validity on the day the NHBRC looks at them: proof of residence not older than three months, certified identity documents, and a valid SARS tax compliance status. The NHBRC does not accept email printouts.
- The Act sets a maximum prison term of one year for building homes while unregistered, and a bank will not release draws on an unregistered builder’s project.
Frequently asked questions
How much does NHBRC registration cost?
R745.61 to apply, once off and not refundable, plus R526.32 annual membership, both paid to the NHBRC. ProperSA charges R1 490 to prepare and lodge the application and diarise the renewal, with the NHBRC fees on your invoice at cost.
Is there a test?
Yes, a technical assessment on the Home Builders Manual, written by your technical manager in their own name, with two attempts inside 30 days of paying the application fee.
What does it cost to enrol a house?
A sliding percentage of the selling price, paid per home before the foundations go in. The enrolment puts the house into the five year structural warranty the buyer can claim against.
How long is NHBRC registration valid?
The membership renews every year at R526.32. A lapsed membership stops bank draws mid build, so the renewal date is the one to diarise.
Can I build a house without NHBRC registration?
Not for someone else. Building homes while unregistered is an offence with a maximum prison term of one year, and the house cannot be enrolled or bonded. Building your own home for yourself is treated differently; ask before you start.
From the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act 95 of 1998 and the NHBRC’s published fees as recorded on the ProperSA NHBRC registration page, read on 15 October 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures were checked on 15 October 2026; authorities change fees and rules, so confirm anything you rely on.