The Government has passed new legislation allowing granny flats to be built without a building consent starting in early 2026. This initiative aims to support the development of affordable, safe, healthy, and durable housing for Kiwis.
While we wait for MBIE to finalise the regulation, the WDC Building Unit is currently reviewing the proposed legislation and preparing the necessary forms, templates, and guidance materials to support the rollout. These resources will be made available closer to the implementation date.
Under the new building consent exemption, granny flats up to 70 square metres may be constructed without building consent if:
- the design is simple and complies with the Building Code
- construction is completed or supervised by licensed professionals, and
- The owner notifies the Territorial authority (TA) of their intention by applying for a project information memorandum (PIM) before building work begins and then notifies the TA that the building work has been completed, providing all the relevant plans and certificates upon completion of the building work.
For full details on the proposed conditions, required changes, and background, please refer to the Building Performance team’s guidance here.
Until the new laws come into effect, building consent is still required for granny flats.
Please note changes relating to the resource consent system are being managed through the Ministry for the Environment (MfE).
The Government aims for both the building system and resource management system changes to be progressed alongside each other.
We will endeavour to keep you updated with any new information via this page.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or visit the link above for more information.