Exempt Building Work (does not require building consent)

Building Overview

Do I need a building consent?

If you are planning a project that involves demolishing, constructing, or altering a building, it is likely you will need some form of consent before you proceed.  All building work (whether or not it requires consent) must comply with the Building Act 2004 and the Building Code.

You should contact the Building Advisory Office:

email - building.enquiry@timdc.govt.nz or Ph 03 687 7236 or come into the main office, 2 King George Place Timaru, to discuss your project(s).

The Act and the Code are legally binding and, if you breach them or don't obtain a building consent, you may face penalties.

Building work that does not require a building consent (exempt building work)

Schedule One of the Building Act 2004 sets out the building projects that do not require Building Consent, ie are exempt work. If you have questions about the exemptions contained in Schedule One, and after you have read the Exempt Building Work Information Sheet you should contact the Building Advisory Officer as above.

The list below is a summary of, but not limited to, building work that may not need a consent:

  • certain structural building work relating to minor additions, alterations, re-piling, some demolitions
  • plumbing and drainage where the number of sanitary fixtures is not increased including some repair and maintenance)
  • installing an air-conditioning system into a residential  dwelling
  • retaining walls less than 1.5 metres in height that do not have a surcharge or 3.0 metres high in rural area if designed by a chartered professional engineer
  • fences or walls less than 2.5 metres high (any residential swimming pool fencing is not exempt)
  • decks, platforms or bridges less than 1.5 metres above ground level
  • certain buildings up to 30 square meters
  • certain earthworks.

Discretionary Exemption

If your proposed work doesn't fit into any of the exemption requirements, there is an option for you to seek a "Discretionary Exemption". This approval process must be sought (from Council) if you wish to have your building work considered using Schedule 1, Clause 2. There are many considerations pertaining to this process and we have guidance on how this application works. Therefore should you wish to go down this approval pathway, please complete this application form in full, attach all your documentation and submit via email, to the compliance team. It is worth noting that the Discretionary approval process is a "one off" chance for the owner or applicant to demonstrate compliance, meaning council will not be requesting further information (RFIs).

If your proposed work is covered by the clauses as listed in Schedule 1 (other than Clause 2), you may still want to have that work recorded and this is known as an "Exempt Building Work Notification".  This means that your exemption notification and attached plans will be placed on your Council Building File for future reference, e.g. if the property should be sold and a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) requested, the information will show on the LIM.

Schedule One fees and charges

There are fees and charges that relate to both of these exemption processes. A standard schedule 1 notification is a set fee, while a discretionary exemption process has a minimum initial fee (half hour technical check), allowing for most minor decisions however, projects that require additional technical checking will incur additional costs and this is to be paid (via an invoice) before any decision is released regardless of the decision outcome, whether exempt or not. Please refer to fees and charges

Please be aware that all discretionary applications will have an applicable fee charged to them regardless of the council decision.

Small Stand-Alone Dwelling (granny flat)

From the 15th January 2026 the government has approved that a small stand-alone dwelling (SSAD) can be exempt from requiring a building consent. Whilst this exemption has been specifically designed to assist with the housing shortage across the country, it comes with many specific rules and if not fully complied with can result in non-compliance and enforcement action.

As with any building work not requiring a building consent, it is the responsibility of the building owner to ensure compliance with the exemption rules and that includes the building code. The rules and guidance relating to this particular exemption can be found on MBIE's website.

An overview of the process is as follows, but not limited to:

  • Owner must apply to council for a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) before work begins.
  • Council assesses the information to determine whether the proposal complies with the exemption rules.
  • Council issues PIM that includes relevant project information for the owner to comply with.
  • Owner engages suitably qualified and competent contractors to carry out the building work.
  • Project must be completed within 2 years of the PIM issued date.
  • Owner must submit a full set of plans, specifications and records of work etc, to council on completion.

There will be applicable council fees and charges associated with this new PIM process due to the additional work required to be undertaken which includes, but not limited to:

  • Assessment of PIM application and information to determine whether the project complies with the exemption rules.
  • Provide all relevant information to the owner that may include the requirement for other council approvals e.g connection to council sewer, water, storm water etc.
  • The receiving and storing of all construction records such as plans, specifications and records of work against the property file for any future reference.
  • Council may also choose to follow up on progress prior to the 2 year completion date, as this is to avoid any unnecessary enforcement action should the project not be completed within the allotted time.

For this specific exemption only, please use the forms that MBIE have created and email these to the Building Compliance team. This is an interim measure until our consenting system (Objective Build) has been updated and include the new forms required for this process

The cost for this new and specific PIM, refer to the Building Control fees and charges page on the website. Please note that should any additional council approvals be required these will be specific to the type of approval and assessed on a case by case basis. If the rules relating to this exemption have not been complied with in full, the owner will be subject to enforcement action by council including all  fees and charges applicable to ensure compliance has been achieved.

If you have any questions relating to this particular exemption, please feel free to contact our Building Advisory Office by emailing building.enquiry@timdc.govt.nz or phone 03 687 7236.

Important note

An exemption, of itself, does not permit building work if that building work would be in breach of any other Act e.g. the Resource Management Act 1991, as exempt building work may still require planning approval (Resource Consent) or a Services Consent (connection to sewer, water, storm water).

While there is no statutory time frame to process discretionary applications, council will endeavour to make a decision within a reasonable time frame of approximately 20 working days.

All exempt building work, including discretionary work, is the responsibility of the building owner to ensure compliance with the Building Code is achieved, as council will not be inspecting any building work.

Last updated: 07 Jan 2026