G-01 · homeowner guide
Review pending · noindex
Consent-exempt granny flat basics
Start with the two legal pathways, the actual property and the final proposal—then follow the PIM, construction and completion-record steps in order.
This guide explains the sequence but does not decide whether a property or design qualifies. Check current requirements and use appropriately qualified people for the actual project.
The short answer
Can this pathway work for your property?
A qualifying small stand-alone dwelling may be built without building consent only when every condition of the Building Act exemption is met. Planning permission is a separate question, and consent-exempt work must still comply with the Building Code.
Decision gate
Two separate pathways must be checked
Passing one pathway does not establish that the other pathway is satisfied.
Building Act pathway
The proposed building, final design, professional roles and every current Schedule 1A condition must be checked.
Planning pathway
The NES-DMRU, district and regional planning rules must be checked for the legal property and final proposal.
Needs checking
Property-specific information or a final proposal is missing or ambiguous.
Professional confirmation required
An appropriately qualified person, council or other authority must confirm an unresolved matter.
What could change this: The title, services, site, hazards, final design, professional roles and current rules can all affect the answer.
Next action: Identify the legal property and collect the evidence for each pathway before relying on a result.
Interactive prototype · no live lookup
Start with the property address
The address would be used to run an early screen of selected mapped planning information. It would not decide whether the proposed building qualifies for the Building Act exemption.
Preview all required form states
No address checked
Enter a property address to begin. No account or contact details are needed for this prototype result.
Establish the property and project first
- 01
Confirm the legal property
Check the title, legal boundaries, easements, covenants, consent notices, existing buildings and any other interests that could affect the proposed location.
- 02
Check the site information
Review current hazards, ground conditions, access, stormwater, wastewater, water, power and network capacity. A map result is an investigation prompt, not a final design answer.
- 03
Test both legal pathways
Work through every current Building Act exemption condition and the applicable national, district and regional planning rules using the final proposal.
- 04
Build a whole-project budget
Include design, site investigations, council and network charges, professional work, construction, external works, finance, insurance and a risk-based contingency.
Keep these project facts visible
- Building pathway
- Needs checking
- Planning pathway
- Needs checking
- PIM
- Information process
- Evidence record
- Keep throughout
Check every current exemption condition against the final proposal.
Check the national, district and regional rules for the legal property.
A PIM is not approval that the proposal qualifies.
Retain the design, checks, changes and completion records.
Keep the evidence with the building
- 01
Control design changes
Keep one dated design set and assess variations before work proceeds. A change to location, dimensions, structure, products or services can change the legal and technical assessment.
- 02
Record the work
Agree who will inspect or monitor each important stage and retain photographs, test results, product information, warranties, producer statements and professional records.
- 03
Track the PIM period
Complete the exempt work within two years after the PIM is issued unless the council grants an extension before it lapses.
- 04
Give completion records to council
Provide the required final plans, Records of Work and other certificates within the statutory timeframe. Council storage of those records is not a code compliance certificate or council sign-off.