Almost 1400 buildings in Rotorua could be prone to earthquake damage, according to a desktop analysis carried out by the Rotorua District Council.
However, building owners will need to engage a structural engineer to fully assess their properties before needing to carry out expensive alterations.
Council building services manager Darrell Holder told councillors at a meeting of the council's economic and regulatory services committee on Monday staff had almost completed a desktop analysis of Rotorua's building stocks.
Mr Holder said the council planned to pass risk assessment information to building owners in November so the council could "ensure building owners and the community is well informed and receive up to date and consistent information".
But, Mr Holder said it was difficult to know what was going to happen with changes to Building Act legislation currently going through Parliament regarding earthquake-prone buildings across the country.