Granny Flat Exemption – Key Information

Overview

From 15 January 2026, homeowners can build a standalone, single-storey granny flat (up to 70m²) without a building consent, provided all conditions are met and licenced professionals are engaged.

Read the full MBIE Guidance

Building an exempt granny flat

1. Plan and design your granny flat

A granny flat does not need a building consent if:

• it is a new, standalone building. Refitting or adding on to an existing building will still need a building consent
• the building is a dwelling. This means that it is a self-contained unit that includes somewhere to cook, sleep, live, wash, and use a toilet
• the floor area is 70m² or smaller. This includes an internal garage, if applicable
• the unit is at least two metres (2m) away from other buildings or property boundaries
• it is designed and built (or supervised) by licensed building professionals
• all plumbing, drainage, electrical and gas work is done by licensed tradespeople and certified.

Construction requirements

To qualify for a building consent exemption, granny flats must be built with specific materials. There are also requirements for plumbing and drainage. To be exempt, your granny flat must:

• be built with lightweight steel/timber framing and lightweight roof cladding
• use wall cladding with a maximum weight of 220 kg per square metre
• be connected to network water and drainage services. If there is no network service, or enough capacity, your unit must have a compliant on-site system
• have showers that do not require a waterproof membrane, such as prefabricated acrylic shower units. Level entry (no-step) or wet-floor showers cannot be used
• not have a solid-fuel heater. Solid-fuel heaters are heat sources that burn solids like wood, coal, or pellets. These include fireplaces and wood burners.

Download MBIE's homeowner checklist. For detailed requirements, refer to the guidance on building.govt.nz

2. Apply for a Project Information Memorandum (PIM)

Before you start construction, you need to apply for a PIM. This is a summary of information that we hold about your property. It will tell you if there are any natural hazards or legal requirements for the land.

Download the Application for a Project Information Memorandum for non-consented small standalone dwelling(PDF, 207KB).

The PIM fee for a "Small stand-alone dwelling" is $660.00 and is found on our Fees and Charges webpage.

3. Build your granny flat

The construction of your granny flat must be done by licenced building practitioners.

4. Tell us what you've done

You need to tell us when you have finished building your granny flat, and provide us documents for our records. Documents must be submitted within 20 working days of building completion.

You will need to provide:

• final design plans for the building.
• Records of Work (RoW) from licensed building practitioners.
• Certificates of Work (CoW) from designers for any restricted design work.
• Energy Work certificates, including electrical safety certificates and gas safety certificates (if applicable).
• Records of Work (RoW) from a registered plumber and drainlayer.

Submit your documents online through Simpli.

Development and Financial contributions

For self-contained flats (having both kitchen and bathroom facilities), your granny flat will be subject to development and financial contributions. These are costs that help pay for the unit's impact on services, infrastructure and reserves/facilities.

Financial and Development contributions are payable at completion of the build.

Development Contributions are set fees, based on the size of the unit and whether it is in the residential or rural zone. Read the Development and Financial Contributions Policy.

Financial contributions are not set fees, but are based on 4% (plus GST) of the value of the land (net site area of a residential unit up to 1000m²). Smaller dwellings will have a lesser valuation and therefore contribution. Further information can be found at the Financial Contributions chapter of the District Plan.

We will confirm the amount of contributions payable when you apply for your PIM.

Planning Requirements - National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units Regulations 2025 and Upper Hutt District Plan

In addition to the exemption criteria of the building act, it is important to check that your project meets all the exemption criteria under the NES-DMRU (National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units) and any rules under the Upper Hutt District Plan (Decisions Version).

When you apply for your PIM these will be checked by our team. View the full list of criteria on the Government Legislation website. Some of the criteria includes:

If your DMRU triggers resource consent in relation to the above rules, then you must apply for and obtain resource consent before building your DMRU. A full list of Upper Hutt’s planning rules can be found on our District Plan ePlan

Our team cannot provide advice on your development without seeing your plans. If you apply for your PIM, we will review your application and provide a full breakdown on if you are likely to meet the criteria for the permitted exemption status of the DRMU or if you require a resource consent before you build.

Infrastructure Requirements

There are requirements and restrictions applicable to infrastructure for DRMUs, these include (but are not limited to):

• Check that your proposed location is not being built over or near council infrastructure using Xplorer Maps.
• For new water supply connections or stormwater and wastewater connections to a main, you will require a connection permit. Apply for a connection.

Need help?

We're here to help. If you have questions on your project you can contact the Building Duty Officer, Thursdays 1.30pm to 4.30pm either in person at the Council Service Centre or by phone on 04 527 2169.