Contract a designated auditing agency, apply to HealthCERT through the Ministry's online system with the $419.11 fee, and pass the agency's audit against Ngā Paerewa. The Ministry assesses within up to 20 working days of receiving everything, and the Director-General certifies you for a period of up to five years.
Who applies, and for what
The Ministry certifies hospital care, as children's health, surgical, medical, maternity, mental health or geriatric services, rest home care, residential disability care, as intellectual, physical, sensory or psychiatric services, and fertility services.1 Under section 4 of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001, hospital care means those services in premises held out as able to accommodate 2 or more people for 24 hours or longer, so a clinic with no overnight beds is outside certification.2
The audits on the route to a certificate
| Audit | When it happens | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional | A prospective provider buying an existing service | A certificate for one year |
| Partial provisional | A new build, a reconfiguration or a new service | One year for a new provider, or the service added to the existing certificate |
| Certification | No more than three months before the certificate expires | Certification for up to five years |
| Surveillance | At the mid-point of certification | The period stays the same, with a new schedule if needed |
The table is drawn from the Ministry's Designated Auditing Agency Handbook, revised in 2025.4 A partial provisional audit needs HealthCERT's written approval before the agency may carry it out.4
- Confirm the services you need certified. Against the service types the Ministry lists, one certificate covering each kind you provide.
- Contract a designated auditing agency. One designated under section 32 of the Act for your kind of service. The Ministry lists four in October 2026.
- Apply online. Register the legal entity and apply through the Ministry's Provider Regulation and Monitoring System, naming your agency. The $419.11 fee is invoiced as you go.
- Pass stage one and stage two. Your documents are reviewed off site, you receive the findings at least a week before the on-site audit, and the agency then visits.
- Close the corrective actions. Every partially attained or unattained finding comes with a corrective action request and a timeframe.
- Receive the certificate. HealthCERT assesses the application, the audit report and other information within up to 20 working days of having it all.
- Diary the renewal. The next certification audit falls within the three months before expiry, with the application in before the certificate lapses.
- Legal entity ______ Premises ______
- Services to certify ______
- Designated auditing agency ______ Contract signed on ______
- Application lodged on ______ Fee paid on ______
- Stage one findings received on ______
- On-site audit on ______ Corrective actions closed on ______
- Certificate expires on ______ Renewal audit window opens on ______
How long a certificate lasts
Section 29 of the Act lets the Director-General set expiry up to five years after certification, and more than three years only for a provider already certified and improving.2 If a certificate expires before a new one is approved, the provider may no longer legally provide the services.1 Providing them outside section 9 carries a fine of up to $50,000 under section 54.2
Questions
How much does HealthCERT certification cost?
The Ministry's application fee is $419.11, invoiced during the online process. The designated auditing agency charges separately for the audit.
How long does HealthCERT take to decide?
Up to 20 working days after it has every required document from you and your agency, so consult your agency well in advance.
Does a day surgery clinic need certification?
Only if its premises are held out as able to accommodate 2 or more people for 24 hours or longer, which is what makes surgical services hospital care under the Act.
Can we keep operating if the certificate expires?
No, the Ministry says a provider whose certificate expires before a new one is approved is no longer legally permitted to provide the services.
Sources
- 1Ministry of Health, 2024Applying for certificationRead source
- 2New Zealand Legislation, 2026Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001Read source
- 3Ministry of Health, 2026Designated auditing agenciesRead source
- 4Ministry of Health, 2025Designated Auditing Agency Handbook, Ministry of Health Auditor Handbook (revised 2025)Read source
Written by the wai team from HealthCERT, Ministry of Health guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. Neither HealthCERT nor the Ministry of Health endorses wai or any software.