What you actually need to do — for each Northland council — to get your relocated house legally on site.
WDC covers the greater Whangārei urban area and surrounding rural districts including Hikurangi, Ruakākā, Mangakahia, and the Bream Bay area. They use an online portal called Objective Build for all consent applications.
Before anything else, confirm that your receiving site is zoned appropriately for a residential dwelling and that there are no overlays (flood hazard, coastal hazard, heritage) that will complicate things. You can check this on the WDC GIS mapping tool on their website or call them for a pre-application chat — this is free and can save significant delays later.
WDC requires a report from a registered structural engineer (or Licensed Building Practitioner with the right scope) assessing the condition of the house prior to relocation. This report must confirm the building is structurally sound and suitable for relocation. Expect to pay $800–$2,500 depending on the size and age of the house.
Your receiving site will need a foundation design specific to the ground conditions. In many Northland soils this requires a geotechnical assessment first. The foundation design must comply with NZ Building Code clause B1 (Structure). Budget $1,500–$4,000 for foundation design, more if a geotech report is also needed.
Register for an account on WDC's Objective Build portal and submit your application online. You'll need to include: the completed application form, site plan, floor plans and elevations, structural engineer's report, foundation design, certificate of title, and any other documents relevant to your site. WDC will vett the application and issue an invoice for the lodgement fee before processing begins.
WDC has 20 working days from receipt of a complete application to issue consent. If they need further information (RFI), the clock stops until you respond. WDC will communicate via Objective Build — check it regularly. Respond to any RFIs promptly and completely to avoid extended delays.
While your building consent is being processed, arrange your transport permits through NZTA (0800 699 000). You'll need an oversize permit for anything over 2.5m wide, and a special permit plus police escort for loads over 4.3m wide. Allow 10+ working days for standard permits.
Once building consent is in hand, the house can be moved. Your contractor handles the physical relocation. Notify power lines companies (Northpower for most of Northland) well in advance — they need to raise or disconnect lines along your route. This can take 2–4 weeks to arrange.
WDC building inspectors must inspect work at key stages: foundation excavation, foundation pour, pre-line (before internal linings go on), and final. Book inspections through Objective Build. All inspections must pass before you proceed to the next stage.
Once all work is complete and all inspections passed, apply for your Code Compliance Certificate through Objective Build. WDC has 20 working days to issue the CCC. This is the document that confirms your house is legally established on its new site and is required for the house to be occupied and for future sale.
For pre-application queries, call or visit the building team at Forum North. The Objective Build portal handles all online applications. For complex sites, a pre-application meeting is strongly recommended.
FNDC covers Kaitāia, Kerikeri, Paihia, the Bay of Islands, and all rural areas north of Whangārei. The Far North has specific requirements around tiny homes and relocatable buildings, and actively enforces consent rules in this area.
If you're buying a relocatable home, ask the seller or manufacturer for the Exemption Number and Certificate, or Code Compliance Certificate (CCC), issued when the house was originally built. If the manufacturer obtained this properly, you may only need a wastewater and foundation consent for the receiving site — saving significant time and cost.
The Far North has significant areas of coastal hazard zones, flood plains, and heritage overlays — particularly around the Bay of Islands, Hokianga, and low-lying rural areas. Check the FNDC District Plan or call a planner to confirm whether your receiving site has any additional requirements or needs a resource consent.
FNDC requires a structural engineer's assessment of the building and a foundation design for the receiving site. If the house doesn't have an existing CCC, a more thorough condition report will be needed. If your site has difficult ground conditions — expansive clay is common in many Far North areas — a geotechnical report will be required before foundation design can proceed.
FNDC uses an updated Form 2 for all building consent applications — make sure you download the current version from their website. Submit your completed application with all supporting documents to BuildingCompliance@fndc.govt.nz or through their online portal. FNDC will issue an invoice for the lodgement fee; work doesn't begin until this is paid.
FNDC has 20 working days to process from receipt of a complete application. The Far North is known for thoroughness — get your documents right first time to avoid Requests for Further Information (RFIs) which pause the clock. Check your email and the portal regularly for any requests.
Arrange your NZTA transport permits in parallel with the consent process. For Far North routes — particularly SH1 north of Whangārei — some bridges have significant weight restrictions. Your contractor should assess the route and obtain permits. Notify Top Energy (the Far North lines company) about any power line clearances needed along the route.
With consent granted, the house can be moved. Foundation work, services connections (wastewater, water, power), and any required reinstatement work follows. All work requiring inspection must be inspected by FNDC building officers at the relevant stages — do not proceed past an inspection point without approval.
Once all work is complete and inspections passed, apply for your CCC. FNDC has 20 working days to issue. The CCC is essential — without it the house is not legally habitable and will cause issues for future sale or finance.
The FNDC building compliance team offer free advice before you apply. Contact them via their RFS (Request for Service) system on the FNDC website, by email, or by phone. For complex sites, this upfront advice can save weeks of delays.
KDC covers Dargaville, Mangawhai, Ruawai, Maungaturoto and surrounding rural areas. Kaipara has specific additional District Plan requirements for relocated (second-hand) dwellings — over and above the standard Building Act requirements.
KDC strongly recommends applying for a PIM before lodging your building consent. A PIM sets out everything KDC knows that could affect your project: compliance with the District Plan, drainage positions, natural hazards, and whether a resource consent is also required. It can be applied for standalone or together with your building consent application. KDC has 20 working days to issue a PIM.
Kaipara has specific District Plan rules for second-hand relocated dwellings that sit alongside the Building Act requirements. KDC's Monitoring Team (separate from the Building Team) enforces these. Key requirement: all exterior reinstatement work must be completed within 12 months of the building arriving on site. When you apply for building consent, you'll sign a declaration confirming this.
A structural engineer's assessment of the house is required. Kaipara soils vary significantly — from good coastal sands around Mangawhai to expansive clays inland and soft alluvial soils in low-lying areas around the Kaipara Harbour. A geotechnical report is very commonly required before foundation design can proceed. Build 3–5 weeks into your timeline for this.
Kaipara has a specific provision: you do not need a building consent to relocate a house onto temporary foundations. However, a formal building consent is required before the building is used as a dwelling on permanent foundations. The building must not be used for habitation until legally certified. This can be useful if you need time to prepare your full application.
Apply online through Objective Build. KDC circulates your application to multiple departments: planning, structural/geotech engineering, building, stormwater, wastewater, and drainage. Each discipline assesses compliance separately. If any department has questions, they'll issue an RFI which pauses the 20-day clock — so get your documents right the first time.
KDC aims for 20 working days. Because your application goes through multiple departments, RFIs are common. Respond through Objective Build promptly — responses go directly back to the processor handling your application. Make sure all consented plans are printed and available on site for inspectors and contractors.
With consent granted, move the house and begin foundation and site works. Note that building consent is valid for 12 months — work must commence within this period or the consent lapses. If you need an extension, apply before the 12-month expiry date. All inspection stages must be booked and passed through Objective Build.
KDC's Monitoring Team will conduct a compliance visit to check that the exterior of the dwelling — paintwork, decking, baseboards, architraves, roofing — is complete and tidy within 12 months of the house arriving on site. This is a District Plan condition. Budget for this in your project timeline and costs.
Once all work is complete, apply for your CCC through Objective Build. This is essential for the house to be legally occupied and for future sale. KDC has 20 working days to issue the CCC.
KDC's building support team can advise before you lodge. For complex sites, a pre-application meeting is recommended. All applications go through Objective Build — register online or contact the team for assistance if you can't access it.
Information is based on publicly available council guidance and is indicative only. Council requirements can change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant council before proceeding with any project. FillFinder is not a substitute for professional advice.