Auckland building consent guide
General information summarised from the sources below on 2 Nov 2026. Rules change and every property is different. Confirm with Auckland Council before starting. Not legal advice.
Deck
A deck with no fall over 1.5 m often needs no building consent, but resource consent may still apply (for example site coverage or overlays). A handrail or barrier is needed over 1 m. Source: Auckland Council, build a deck.
Kitchen and bathroom
Like-for-like fixture changes are unlikely to need building consent. A tiled wet-area shower or an added fixture normally does. Plumbing must be done by an authorised person. Source: Auckland Council.
Roof
A comparable replacement in the same position is exempt from building consent (Schedule 1, exemption 1). A complete or substantial replacement with a different material, or work due to a durability failure, is not. Source: Building Performance (MBIE).
Carport
A ground-level carport up to 20 m2 is exempt, and 20 to 40 m2 can be exempt with licensed building practitioner supervision. Source: Building (Exempt Building Work) Order 2020.
Overlays and sites
Special character, flood, overland-flow, heritage and protected-tree overlays can add resource consent requirements even when building consent is not needed. Check your property on Auckland Council GeoMaps.
Licensed building practitioners
Restricted building work, such as structure and weathertightness on a house, must be done or supervised by a licensed building practitioner. Check the LBP register.
Sources
- Auckland Council: build a deck
- Auckland Council: kitchen and bathroom renovations
- Building Performance (MBIE): general repair, maintenance and replacement (Schedule 1, exemption 1)
- Building (Exempt Building Work) Order 2020
- Building Practitioners (LBP) register search
- Companies Office: business entity data
- New Zealand Business Number register
- Auckland Council GeoMaps
- Google Maps Platform policies