Lift and Elevator Codes and Standards in KI
Kiribati has no lift-specific law, lift inspection regime or lift installer licence. Building work is controlled by the Kiribati Building Act 2024 (No. 4 of 2024, assented May 2024; repeals the Building Act 2006 by s51) and the Kiribati Building Code 2024 (KBC), approved by Cabinet 21 Feb 2025 and published under s11(6) of the Act by exhibition on 30 Oct 2025 (publication date = commencement of the Code). The KBC is AS/NZS-based; it lists 'lift installations' among matters controlled by approved authorities, but its only lift content is incidental: fire-resistance levels for lift shafts and lift-pit flooring, a structural test for lift-shaft walls citing AS 1735.2 Clause 15.2(a), and accessibility rules (passenger lifts must follow the DFAT Accessibility Design Guide; an escalator may not form an accessible path). Its maintenance schedule for safety installations (NE4) does not list lifts. High-complexity buildings (Part 4) must use performance solutions aligned with the Australian NCC, NZ Building Code, Fiji code or Standards Australia/NZ. Administered by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (MISE; Quality Control and Inspection Division issues approvals and inspects). Workplace plant is covered generally by the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2015 (Ministry of Employment and Human Resource, OHS Unit), whose 'plant' definition does not name lifts.
Who regulates lifts
Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (MISE) as building approval authority under the Building Act 2024 (Quality Control and Inspection Division); no lift-specific regulator
Periodic inspection
None found. The Kiribati Building Code 2024 NE4 maintenance schedule for safety installations (Class 2-9) covers fire doors, egress, signs, emergency lighting and fire equipment but does not list lifts; no lift inspection regime in the Building Act 2024 contents.
Installer and maintenance licensing
No lift-installer licence found. The Building Act 2024 Part VII creates a Building Practitioners and Engineers Registration Board for registering building practitioners and engineers generally (not lift-specific).
Laws, codes and standards
- Building Act 2006 (Kiribati) (2006) — Building Act 2006Superseded · Repealed by s51 of the Kiribati Building Act 2024 · Maneaba ni Maungatabu
- Kiribati Building Act 2024 (No. 4 of 2024) (2024) — Kiribati Building Act 2024Mandatory · Act of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu, assented by the Beretitenti (May 2024); s2: commences on a date appointed by the Minister by notice · Maneaba ni Maungatabu (Parliament of Kiribati); administered by the Minister responsible for building infrastructure (MISE)
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2015 (Kiribati) (2015) — Occupational Health and Safety Act 2015Mandatory · Act of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu, assented 24 December 2015; amended by the Occupational Health and Safety (Amendment) Act 2018 · Maneaba ni Maungatabu; inspectors appointed under s8 report to the Secretary of the responsible Ministry
- Kiribati Building Code 2024 (KBC) (2024) — Kiribati Building Code 2024 (National Building Code of the Republic of Kiribati)Mandatory · Adopted under the Kiribati Building Act 2024; approved by Cabinet 21 Feb 2025; published under s11(6) by exhibition at the Office of the Beretitenti on 30 Oct 2025 (publication date is the commencement date) · Minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (MISE), with PRIF support
- AS 1735.2 — AS 1735.2 (Australian lift standard; cited by designation and clause only)Referenced by law · Cited in Kiribati Building Code 2024, Specification NC1.5 clause 6(c)/(d) (lift-shaft wall deflection criteria) · Standards Australia
Lift associations and bodies
- Building Practitioners and Engineers Registration Board (Kiribati)
- Ministry of Employment and Human Resource - Occupational Health and Safety Unit (MEHR)
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (MISE) - Quality Control and Inspection Division (MISE / QCID)
Last verified 2026-10-22. Standards are copyrighted: we list which one applies and its legal status, not its text.