Under the Health Act 1956 and Council bylaws, the businesses listed below are required to be licensed with the Council and will be inspected by an Environmental Health Officer at least once a year.

Registration & Licensing of Premises

Under the Health Act 1956 and Council bylaws, the businesses listed below are required to be licensed with the Council and will be inspected by an Environmental Health Officer at least once a year.

Licences of premises are renewed annually on 30 June of each year or if the business changes hands.

Food premises

For information on registration of food premises, see our Food safety and food premises registration page.

Camping grounds

All camping grounds must comply with the Camping Grounds Regulations 1985.

The basic requirements for camping grounds are:

• There will be specific requirements for each site and the number of ablution, laundry and kitchen facilities will be dependent on occupancy capacity
• Paths and sites must be well marked and lit
• Water must be available at specific space intervals and facilities must be maintained in a clean and tidy condition
• There must be active management of record-keeping, pest control, building maintenance and cleaning practices.

Funeral homes

All funeral homes and funeral directors must comply with the Health (Burial) Regulations 1946.

The basic requirements are:

• Mortuary surfaces must be continuously smooth, impervious to water, readily cleanable and lightly coloured
• Floors must be coved to the walls and permanent fixtures are to be graded and drained to sewer and backflow prevention installed
• Lighting and ventilation must be adequate
• Mortuary tables must also be graded and drained
• There must be hot and cold running water and a hand basin must be convenient to the area but separate from other sinks
• Staff toilet facilities should be provided
• There must be active management of cleaning practices, personal hygiene policies, pest control, building maintenance and safe chemical storage.

Hairdressers

The Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 was revoked on 31 July 2025. This change follows a national sector review led by the Ministry for Regulation, which found that the regulations were no longer fit-for-purpose for the hairdressing and barbering industry.

Key points to know:

• The Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 no longer exists and can no longer be enforced.
• New businesses are no longer required to register with the Council as a hairdresser or barber under these regulations.
• Council has stopped processing registrations and renewals and will no longer undertake routine inspections to those regulations.
• The Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966 no longer applies to hairdressers and barbers, although it will remain in effect for other sectors.

The Ministry for Regulation has developed new guidance for businesses to manage public health risks.

Businesses will still need to comply with:

• The Health Act 1956
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Building Act 2024
• Backflow Prevention Policy

Making contact with the Environmental Services Unit

Once a prospective site for a new business is determined, contact should be made with the following people:

1. A Planner to confirm that the proposed type of operation is permitted in the particular zone and if there are any requirements on operating hours, signs, car parking etc.
2. A Building Officer should be contacted and a building consent application submitted if required.
3. Once the Planners and Building Officers have approved the activity, an Environmental Health Officer can be contacted to arrange a health inspection and a health registration application submitted.

For queries or advice contact the Environmental Services Unit based at the Rangiora Service Centre, 215 High Street, Rangiora, or phone 0800 965 468 (0800 WMK GOV), or email office@wmk.govt.nz.