About LINZ

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) is responsible for providing New Zealand's authoritative land and seabed information. It is accountable through its Chief Executive to the Minister for Land Information. This is a broad outline of our responsibilities.

Land Titles

LINZ authorises and keeps a register of changes in rights to freehold land. This includes creating new titles, recording changes of ownership or mortgages and providing copies of these records. LINZ's system gives an accurate and up-to-date picture of the ownership of freehold land. This lessens the risk to the State guarantee of title and interests in land.

Titles products and services are provided via the Internet (for Landonline subscribers) and through LINZ's five Processing Centres.

Go to the Landonline website or Titles and Records

Geodetic and Cadastral Survey System

The geodetic and cadastral systems work together to provide the parcel-based framework for recording rights in land. A land parcel is a piece of land with defined boundaries, to which a property right of an individual or a legal entity applies.

Geodetic Reference System

The geodetic system enables the spatial referencing of all information in New Zealand. It is a consistent coordinate system that defines latitude, longitude, elevation, scale, and orientation. LINZ builds and maintains the geodetic system using a network of primary survey marks in the ground (trig stations). Information relating to the survey marks is held in the geodetic database which is compatible with the international global positioning system.

This system enables the positioning of the cadastral survey information and other spatial information, such as topographical and geological mapping.

Go to Survey System

Cadastral Survey System

The Cadastre is a public register that defines the boundaries of freehold, Crown and Maori land. The Cadastral Survey System is a framework, which includes all survey reference points, land surveys and boundary marks, and the spatial definition of cadastral records that LINZ provides as approved survey plans.

Land parcels and other interests can be registered under the freehold land title, Maori land and Crown land systems. The Cadastral Survey System also provides the national property framework that local authorities and utility companies use in geographic information systems.

Cadastral survey products and services are provided via the Internet (for Landonline subscribers) and through LINZ's five Processing Centres.

Go to the Landonline website or Survey System

Topographic Information

LINZ is responsible for national topographic mapping at 1:50,000 to 1:4,000,000 scales. The mapping is for defence, emergency services and government purposes. LINZ makes its topographic data and mapping available via the Internet and in printed form through retailers. It also makes its bulk digital topographic data available directly from LINZ or through resellers.

NZTopo is the digital topographic database of New Zealand. It stores information about features on the surface of the land such as mountains, rivers and roads.

You can customise your own topographic map online using NZTopoOnline.

Go to Topography

Hydrographic Information

LINZ is the national hydrographic authority. It is responsible for providing official hydrographic information for navigational purposes. This includes navigational charts, nautical information and notices to mariners. These are produced according to International Hydrographic Organisation standards. LINZ's hydrographic products are supplied to users via the Internet and through chart retailers.

Go to Hydrography

Valuation Rating System

LINZ makes sure that property valuations for rating purposes are provided to a consistent standard. It sets standards for rating valuations and audits local authorities' valuation databases to make sure they comply with national standards.

Go to Valuation

Crown Property

LINZ oversees the management and disposal of the Crown land through the Land Act 1948 and the Public Works Act 1981. It maintains a system so that LINZ, other government departments and Crown agencies can acquire and dispose of land efficiently and in a way that meets the Crown's legal and Treaty of Waitangi obligations. LINZ certifies that the activities of other agencies comply with the standards set by LINZ and with Government procedures.

Co to Crown Property

Continental Shelf

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade is preparing New Zealand's submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf by 2009. LINZ is responsible for getting seabed data, determining the furthermost extent of the legal continental shelf and assisting with developing New Zealand's submission to the United Nations.

Go to Continental Shelf

Geographic Board

LINZ provides administrative support to the NZ Geographic Board, chaired by LINZ's Surveyor-General. This Board is responsible for place naming in New Zealand including: the Kermadec, Chatham, Auckland and Campbell Islands and within the territorial waters of New Zealand.

Go to Geographic Board