Proposed building consent exemption conditions for small standalone dwellings

This checklist explains the proposed conditions that you must meet to build small standalone dwellings (also known as granny flats) without a building consent.

Small standalone dwelling design conditions for building consent exemptions

For a small standalone dwelling building consent exemption, the building must follow a simple design that meets these proposed design conditions.

The building must comply fully with all the relevant requirements of the New Zealand Building Code to be able to use the building consent exemption.

Single storey, standalone and be self-contained

• ⁠The building must be new and standalone.
• The building must be single storey.
• The building may include an internal garage.
• The building is classified as: Housing – detached dwelling (defined by Clause A1 of the Building Code). This means it must:
  • comply with all the requirements of the Building Code that apply to this classified use
  • be intended for a single household or family.

Check building classified uses in Clause A1

Building dimensions

• The net floor area must be 70 square metres or less.
• The building must have:
  • a maximum floor level of 1 metre above ground
  • a maximum height of 4 metres above the floor level.
• The building must be 2 metres or more away from any other structure or legal boundary. 
• The building cannot be built across boundaries between allotments.

Construction material

• The building's roof must be designed and built using lightweight building products for the roof with a maximum weight of 20 kilograms per square metre.
• The frame must be built using light steel or light timber.
• Wall cladding must have a weight not exceeding 220 kilograms per square metre.  

Amenities

• Plumbing and drainage works should be simple and designed and built in accordance with the Acceptable Solutions for compliance with these clauses of the Building Code:
  Clause E1 Surface water
  Clause G12 Water supplied
  Clause G13 Foul water
• Plumbing and drainage systems must connect to network utility operator services (NUOs) where available. Where NUOs are not available, onsite water systems are exempt from requiring a building consent.
• The building must have:
  • independent points of supply for electricity and gas (where applicable), and
  • electric or gas heaters.
• Level-entry showers will be permitted only once a relevant licence class has been established for Licensed Building Practioners (LBPs).

Improving occupational licensing to help homeowners

How the Building Code works

Building practitioners must be involved

• All work on a building must be carried out or supervised by licensed building professionals (LBPs and licensed plumbers, drainlayers, gasfitters and electricians).
• All building work must have a Record of Work (RoW), Certificate of Work (CoW) and energy work certificate:
  • A new record of work form is proposed for plumbing and drainlaying work on exempt small standalone dwellings.
  • For small standalone dwellings, energy work certificates mean any relevant Certificate of Compliance, Electrical Safety Certificate or Gas Safety Certificate that is required under the Electricity Act 1992 or Gas Act 1992.
• Homeowners who intend to live in their consent-exempt small standalone dwelling will be able to wire certain parts of the dwelling themselves during construction using the domestic exemption (section 79 of the Electricity Act 1992). The work must be inspected by an electrical inspector.

Gas and electrical work, and energy work certificates

Councils must be notified

You must notify your council before you start to build and when building is complete.

Before building work starts

• Homeowners must notify their council of their intention to build using a new Project Information Memorandum (PIM) form. This enables councils to share relevant information with owners and supports the collection of development contributions.
• Councils must advise homeowners on whether specific elements of the proposed building work are likely, unlikely or uncertain to meet the proposed building consent exemption. This is not an approval process and homeowners can choose to build irrespective of council advice. 
• Choosing to build on land where a natural hazard exists, as defined by section 71(3) of the Building Act 2004, may require a building consent. This is unless adequate provision has been made to protect the land, building work, or other property from the natural hazard.
• A homeowner will have 2 years to complete the build from the PIM issue date.
• If a PIM lapses and building work is not complete, homeowners will need to get a new PIM or talk to their council about extending the timeframe of the original PIM. This ensures that the information provided by a council is up to date and supports homes to be built to the Building Code. 

When building work is complete

• Building work is considered complete once a homeowner has received all relevant records of work, certificates of work, certificates of compliance, electrical safety certificate and gas safety certificate from licensed building professionals.
• Homeowners must provide councils, within 20 working days on completion of work, a set of plans for both building and plumbing and drainage work.
• Plans must show the final designs the home was built to. This is an administrative process. Councils cannot review built plans to determine if a small standalone dwelling complies with the Building Code.
• Homeowners that fail to provide relevant documentation to councils within 20 working days may be subject to a new infringement offence.
• Homeowners must pay any development contributions charged within 20 working days of completion of building work.
• Homeowners must meet all building consent exemption conditions. Otherwise, they are required to get a building consent.
• The small standalone dwelling building consent exemption is expected to be in force early 2026. Existing building work underway is not eligible to be exempt from requiring a building consent. Councils retain their existing powers to address non-compliant building work.

Find out more

The Government is making it easier to build small standalone dwellings (granny flats), improving affordable housing options and ensuring Kiwis have safe, healthy and durable homes to live in.

Keep up to date with future changes to small standalone dwelling building consent rules