Granny Flats Exemption

A granny flat is a small, self-contained dwelling located on the same property as a main house.

To be eligible to be built without requiring a building consent, it must:

• be 70 square metres or less in floor area
• be single storey only - without any part-storey or mezzanine floor
• be standalone - not attached to another building
• not contain a solid fuel heater or a level entry or wet-floor shower requiring a waterproof membrane
• not be an addition, alteration or conversion of an existing building
• comply with all Building Code requirements for a detached dwelling
• be built or supervised by licensed building professionals 

There are also other criteria which must be met. For more information on what qualifies as a granny flat (and what doesn't) please refer to: 

• MBIE Granny flats exemption guidance
•  Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Act 2025
•  Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units) Regulations 2025

Tiny houses on wheels, which are mobile, are not considered granny flats and are subject to different requirements. See MBIE's guidance on these here.

If the exemption conditions are not met, a building consent will be required. Non-compliance may result in enforcement action against the homeowner and/or the licensed building professional.

Before any building work begins on a granny flat, the homeowner must apply for and receive a Granny Flat Exemption PIM. This is a mandatory step and must occur before building work starts. 

Apply Now

If this is your first time applying for a consent online, you will need to begin by registering for an account. Follow the prompts on-screen, consult our Online Building Consent Customer Guide, or get in touch with us if you require assistance.

Once you have logged in, complete an application for a PIM. As part of your application, you must also upload the following attachments:

• Evidence of Ownership, i.e. Record of Title/Sale and Purchase Agreement. (If you would like us to supply a record of title for you, a fee of $30.00 applies.)
• Preliminary design plans for the proposed building work (which must include site plans, elevations, basic sections and floor plans).
• As part of your application, you will also need to upload a completed Form 2AA: Application for project information memorandum for non-consented small standalone dwelling.

We will check the application to confirm that all required information has been provided and send you an invoice for the application fee. Once the application is complete and payment has been made, we will process and issue your PIM within 10 working days. 

The application fee for a Granny Flat Building Consent Exemption PIM is $1,285.00. This covers the PIM application, processing and administration time, and the filing and storing of completion documentation. If you need us to provide the Record of Title for your property, an additional $30.00 applies.

Additional fees may apply depending on your project, including charges for resource consent, vehicle crossings, utility connections, build-over approvals, and development contributions. 

The Project Information Memorandum (PIM) you must obtain will provide you with information on whether you will need to obtain a resource consent or not, based on the documentation provided.

The Granny Flats Building Consent Exemption operates alongside the resource management system and the new National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units 2025 (NES-DMRU).  

The NES-DMRU allows for new detached dwellings up to 70 square metres to be built without resource consent, provided certain requirements are met. If your granny flat does not meet the criteria, a resource consent may still be required under the Resource Management Act 1991.  

Click here for more information on Resource Consents. You can also access District Plan information here.

Important information about water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure availability will be provided in your Project Information Memorandum (PIM), based on your application documentation. 

If applications for connections or other approvals are required, additional fees may be payable. Find out more about water utility connections and building over or near a public pipe.

Your Project Information Memorandum (PIM) will provide you with information about any vehicle crossing requirements for your granny flat.

To read about our vehicle crossing standards and specifications, and the process to apply for a vehicle crossing approval, click here.

Rates

Building a granny flat means you are adding another habitable building to your property. It will likely increase the property's capital value, which affects rates. It may also attract additional targeted rates assessed as a fixed amount per separately used or inhabited part, these include water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, works and services and the uniform annual general charge.

For more information on rates, please see our Rates page.

Development Contributions

Building a granny flat will attract development contributions if the build creates extra demand on Council provided services. The contributions are specifically tagged for paying for the additional cost of community and infrastructure needs as a result of development.

For more information on development contributions, please see our development contributions page which includes our policy and FAQs.