Non-Consented Small Standalone Dwellings (Granny Flats)

• We will:
  • Issue the PIM within 10 working days.
  • Store the documents you provide on your property file.
• We do not:
  • Approve, inspect or certify exempt granny flats.
  • Check that the building work complies with the building code.

Council may investigate however, if there are concerns or complaints.

Important: You can continue with the build even if the PIM identifies issues but do so at your own risk.

• As the homeowner, you are responsible for making sure:
  • All exemption conditions are met.
  • All building work complies with the building code.
• Other things to know:
  • Restricted building work (RBW) must be designed and done by a licensed building practitioner (LBP).
  • Owners can do only RBW work themselves if they are an LBP.
  • If the exemption conditions are unlikely to be met, you must apply for a building consent before starting work.
  • Non-compliance can lead to enforcement action against the homeowner and/or the licensed building professional involved – eg a notice to fix and/or infringement fine.

• What to include with your application
  • Proof of ownership – e.g.
    • Record of title
    • Lease
    • Agreement for sale and purchase
    • Other document showing full name of legal owner(s) of the building.
  • Preliminary design plans, including:
    • Site plans
    • Elevations
    • Basic sections
    • Floor plans are also recommended.
  • Product certification(s) if relevant.
  • Completed design conditions checklist.

• We also recommend submitting a completed National Environment Standards (NES) & Earthworks form with your application to reduce the risk of getting a resource consent requirement on the PIM.
• A granny flat may be built offsite then relocated to its intended location, and the PIM must be obtained before any building work starts.
• If more than one granny flat is proposed on a site; each one requires its own PIM.
• You may still need a resource consent if the activity is not a permitted activity – contact Council’s duty planner for advice.

• Even if building consent is not required, all other legal requirements still apply.
• Confirm whether you need additional approvals from Council or other authorities before you start.
• Any development contributions listed in the PIM must be paid:
  • These help cover increased demand on local infrastructure and services.
  • Payment is due within 20 working days after the build is completed.
• A PIM automatically lapses after two years if work is not finished. You must apply for an extension before it expires.

• This covers a building or use where people live together as a single household – e.g.
  • A dwelling
  • A holiday cottage
  • A boarding house housing fewer than six people.

Not all small buildings qualify as a granny flat, even if they are under 70m².

Buildings that may qualify

• New  work -  The exemption doesn’t apply if work involves altering, extending, or converting an existing building. For the purposes of the granny flat exemption, “new” means a building that:
  • did not exist before, and
  • is a separate, standalone building.

• Pre-fabricated or transportable building - A prefabricated or transportable building can be considered new if:
  • it is newly manufactured or constructed, and
  • it was built on or after 15 January 2026, when the exemption came into force.
• Imported structures - Granny flats built outside New Zealand can qualify, but all exemption conditions must be met when the building is brought into New Zealand. This means the imported granny flat must:
  • Comply with the New Zealand building code
  • Be designed and constructed by Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP)
  • Have a PIM issued before building work starts
  • Have all required documentation, including:
    • Certificate of work for design work
    • Records of work for all restricted building work
    • Safety certificates for all energy work (e.g. electrical and/or gas).
• First building on site - A granny flat does not need to be secondary to an existing house to qualify for the exemption. This means:
  • A principal dwelling does not have to exist on site yet
  • The granny flat can be the first building constructed on site – however, you may need a resource consent.
• On-site wastewater disposal - If a public wastewater network system is not available or does not have enough capacity, a granny flat may use an onsite effluent disposal system (e.g. a septic tank system), provided :
  • All granny flat exemption conditions are met.
  • The system complies will all relevant requirements.