Government eases restrictions on garden sheds and sleep outs

Changes to the Building Act will enable Kiwis to more easily build a small shed or garage closer to their property boundary or another building without building consent. Currently, garden sheds and other single storey detached buildings like sleep outs or garages need to be at least the same distance from any boundary or residential building as their own height - otherwise building consent is required.

The Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline heard complaints about these restrictive requirements. Practical changes to the existing requirements were identified to help lower building costs and maximize the use of space.

With these changes in place, by the end of 2025 homeowners will be able to:

• Build a single storey detached building between 10 and 30 square metres in floor area one metre away from any boundary or another building without building consent.
• Build single storey detached buildings under 10 square metres up to the boundary or another building without building consent.

Until the law changes, detached standalone buildings that don’t meet the current set back requirements may need a consent.

These changes aim to give homeowners more choice about how they use their land, reducing consenting costs and delays along the way.

Read the Minister's announcement:

Green light for garden sheds and garages(external link) — Beehive.govt.nz