The National Home Builders Registration Council adjusted its enrolment fee structure on 12 March 2026. The change was published in the Government Gazette without press release. Most homeowners and many small builders are still working from the old rates.
Here's what changed.
The new sliding scale
| Project value | Old rate | New rate (Mar 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| R 0 – R 500 000 | 1.30% | 1.30% | unchanged |
| R 500 000 – R 1 000 000 | 1.00% | 1.00% | unchanged |
| R 1 000 000 – R 2 000 000 | 0.75% | 0.75% | unchanged |
| R 2 000 000 – R 5 000 000 | 0.50% | 0.50% | unchanged |
| Above R 5 000 000 | — | 0.30% | new tier |
| Cap | R 34 000 | R 48 000 | +R 14 000 |
The cap has lifted from R 34 000 to R 48 000, and a new 0.30% band kicks in above R 5m. For most homes, nothing changes. For homes above R 5m — about 8% of NHBRC enrolments — fees go up.
Who pays more
Worked examples:
- R 3m home: R 23 500 (same as before)
- R 5m home: R 33 500 (same as before)
- R 7m home: R 39 500 (was capped at R 34 000 — now +R 5 500)
- R 10m home: R 48 000 (was capped at R 34 000 — now +R 14 000)
- R 15m home: R 48 000 (cap hit)
The new cap of R 48 000 means very-high-value homes (R 15m+) save the most relative to a flat-percentage system. Mid-luxury builds (R 5m – R 10m) carry the full new cost.
The annual registration fee
Builders' annual registration fees increased modestly:
| Fee | Old | New |
|---|---|---|
| Initial application (once-off) | R 745.61 | R 798.42 |
| Annual renewal | R 526.32 | R 563.57 |
These are passed on to homeowners through builder overheads, but the increase is too small to be meaningful at project level.
What didn't change
- Warranty period: still 5 years for structural defects
- Coverage: still home builders only, not commercial
- Owner-builder exemption: unchanged, requires application
- Enrolment deadline: still before commencement of works
- Documentation requirements: unchanged
What it means for your contract
If you signed your JBCC contract before 12 March 2026 with the NHBRC fee priced at the old cap, and your home is above R 5m — there will be a small reconciliation against your contingency. Speak to your principal agent now, not at handover.
If you're quoting now, ensure the NHBRC line in your BOQ uses the post-March 2026 rates. The most common mistake we're seeing in builder quotes this month is the old R 34 000 cap.
Why the change
The NHBRC has been signalling cost pressure on its warranty fund for two years. The April 2025 Annual Report flagged a R 312 million provision for warranty claims, up 38% on 2024. The fee increase funds the gap.
The Council's stated reasoning is fair: high-value homes generate proportionally larger claim risk (more elements that can fail), and a flat cap under-prices that risk. Whether 0.30% above R 5m matches the actual risk is a debate for the actuaries.
For the homeowner, this is a routine tweak. Build the new fee into your budget and move on.
Reference
The amended Schedule 1, Rules promulgated under the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act, 1998 (Act No. 95 of 1998), Government Gazette No. 52341, 12 March 2026.