Short answer: small sheds often don’t need building consent, but most of the buildings people come to us for do. New Zealand’s Building Act lists work that doesn’t need consent in Schedule 1, and three of those exemptions cover sheds. Each comes with conditions, and missing one condition means you need consent after all.
Even when a shed is exempt, it still has to meet the Building Code and your council’s district plan. “No consent” never means “no rules”.
The rules by size #
| Shed size | Consent needed? | Main conditions |
| Up to 10 m² | Usually no | Single storey, no plumbing or drinking-water storage. Since 23 October 2025 there is no minimum distance from the boundary. |
| Over 10 m², up to 30 m² | Usually no, if built one of three ways | At least 1 m from any boundary or house (eased on 23 October 2025). No more than 3.5 m high above the floor. No plumbing or drinking-water storage. Must be a kitset designed or checked by a chartered professional engineer, built or supervised by a licensed building practitioner, or a lightweight DIY build to the B1/AS1 solution. |
| Rural pole sheds and hay barns, up to 110 m² | Usually no, if every condition is met | In a rural zone (not rural-residential). Single storey, up to 4 m high. No unsupported roof span over 6 m. Not open to the public, no hazardous substances. Wind zone no higher than “high”. Set back at least its own height from boundaries, roads, railways and houses. Designed by an engineer or built by a licensed building practitioner. |
| Anything bigger, or missing a condition | Yes | Building consent, and sometimes resource consent too. |
Three conditions that catch people out #
Roof span on rural sheds. The 110 m² rural exemption only allows an unsupported roof span of 6 m. A clear-span shed wider than that, with no posts down the middle, falls outside it. That matters, because clear span is exactly what most farmers want.
Height. A 30 m² shed can be no more than 3.5 m above floor level. A tall roller door for a boat or campervan can push you over.
Plumbing. Add a toilet or a sink and the 10 m² and 30 m² exemptions no longer apply.
Exempt from building consent isn’t exempt from the district plan #
Your council’s district plan has its own rules: how close you can build to a boundary, how high, and how much of the section buildings can cover. Break one of those and you may need a resource consent, even for a shed that needs no building consent. Check the zone and rules for your address on the council website, or ask us to.
Councils can also approve other low-risk work as a discretionary exemption under Schedule 1, but you have to apply and they decide case by case.
What this means for a Steelspan building #
Most Steelspan buildings are larger than 30 m², and many have clear spans well over 6 m. So most need building consent, and that is normal. Every building we supply is engineer-designed for its site, which gives the council what it needs to see.
We don’t sell standard off-the-shelf sheds, so every building is designed to order. If your building falls outside the exemptions, we’ll guide you into a normal building consent.
Even when a shed could legally go up without consent, getting one can be the better choice. If your zoning might become more residential one day, a consented building shows on the council’s records, which can help resale value. It’s worth talking to your insurer too. We’re happy to talk it through with you.
How long it takes. Plans and engineering for a very simple shell building can often be turned around in about 1 to 2 weeks. More complex buildings, floors, or waiting on geotechnical or fire engineering reports take longer. For simple buildings, councils then have 20 working days to process the consent, and the Christmas period can add time if you lodge in December.
Before you build without consent #
- Measure the floor area and height against the table above.
- Check your zone and the boundary rules in the district plan.
- Confirm who designed it (engineer) or who is building it (licensed practitioner).
- Keep the engineering and installation paperwork. Buyers, insurers and the council may ask for it later.
Talk to Steelspan #
Not sure which side of the line your shed falls on? Send us the size, use and address through our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726, and we’ll tell you whether it needs consent before you spend anything.
