Thousands of place names throughout New Zealand are not official, even though most have been shown on maps and charts for many years. Making place names official is important as it means there is one agreed and correct name for a place. This is especially important for identifying where you are in an emergency and to recognise New Zealand’s unique culture and heritage.
Approval programme
We use a fast-track approval process to make recorded (unofficial) place names official when:
- there is no other name for that place or feature on a map or chart, or in a database that we consider to be authoritative, and
- there is no other Māori name for that place or feature as advised by tangata whenua, and
- we consider it unlikely that the public would object.
A recorded (unofficial) place name is one that has been used in at least two available publications or databases that we have agreed are authoritative.
Our programme for this approval process is divided into regions meaning hundreds of recorded place names will be made official at a time.
We plan to complete this programme by the end of 2026.
Consultation
The approval process doesn’t require public consultation. However, we will consult with councils and the relevant mana whenua in each region. We will also get expert advice from a licensed te reo Māori translator about the standard conventions for writing Māori place names, for example, spelling and macron use.
Following our initial contact, we will provide each council and mana whenua in a region with:
- an interactive map, GIS files and/or excel files for their jurisdiction/rohe
- advice from a licensed te reo Māori translator on the spelling of the Māori place names
- the timeframe for a response
- our reasons for making recorded place names official.
Councils and mana whenua are asked to provide us with:
- any concerns, such as incorrect spelling, or other known names for the places or features
- confirmation the recorded place names can be approved as official
- any history, origin, or meaning they wish to provide.
Councils and mana whenua should respond with any issues within the set timeframe. If there is no response, we will proceed to make the recorded place names official. Noting that once a name has been made official it could still be corrected or changed through another process.
If we are made aware of issues with a recorded place name, it will be removed from the approval process and remain as an unofficial recorded name. It will not be discontinued or deleted.
We expect that each region will be completed within six months.
Corrections to official place names
As part of the programme, we will review the spelling of existing official Māori place names for correctness, to ensure they remain consistent with any newly approved names.
If a name made official through this process needs to be corrected, we can publish an amendment in the New Zealand Gazette or a formal proposal can be made, which would be publicly consulted on.
The programme’s timeline
Find out when we will be considering the place names in your region.
Please note that the timeline and the numbers of recorded place names for each region are indicative and may be amended from time to time as:
- they are made official
- timelines are re-forecast
- additional recorded place names are added.
Council name |
Date of completion |
---|---|
Ashburton District Council (298 names) |
2025 |
Auckland Council (1405 names) |
2021/22 |
Buller District Council (697 names) |
2025 |
Central Hawke's Bay District Council (163 names) |
2021/22 |
Central Otago District Council (686 names) |
2026 |
Chatham Islands Council (10 names) |
2026 |
Christchurch City Council (236 names) |
2025 |
Clutha District Council (512 names) |
2026 |
Dunedin City Council (471 names) |
2026 |
Far North District Council (1804 names) |
2023 |
Gisborne District Council (1057 names) |
2020/21 |
Gore District Council (63 names) |
2026 |
Grey District Council (530 names) |
2025 |
Hamilton City Council (43 names) |
2024 |
Hastings District Council (393 names) |
2021/22 |
Hauraki District Council (164 names) |
2024 |
Horowhenua District Council (96 names) |
2023 |
Hurunui District Council (638 names) |
2025 |
Invercargill City Council (70 names) |
2026 |
Kaikoura District Council (234 names) |
2025 |
Kaipara District Council (335 names) |
2023 |
Karewau District Council (0 names) |
2022/23 |
Mackenzie District Council (519 names) |
2025 |
Manawatu District Council (167 names) |
2023 |
Marlborough District Council (1146 names) |
2020/21 |
Matamata-Piako District Council (139 names) |
2024 |
Napier City Council (31 names) |
2021/22 |
New Plymouth District Council (331 names) |
2022/23 |
Offshore Islands (Department of Conservation) (220 names) |
2020/21 |
Ōpōtiki District Council (370 names) |
2022/23 |
Ōtorohanga District Council (310 names) |
2024 |
Palmerston North District Council (25 names) |
2023 |
Queenstown-Lakes District Council (992 names) |
2026 |
Rangitikei District Council (451 names) |
2023 |
Rotorua District Council (357 names) |
2022/23 |
Ruapehu District Council (785 names) |
2023 |
Selwyn District Council (449 names) |
2025 |
South Taranaki District Council (302 names) |
2022/23 |
South Waikato District Council (106 names) |
2024 |
Southland District Council (2148 names) |
2026 |
Stratford District Council (219 names) |
2022/23 |
Tararua District Council (351 names) |
2023 |
Tasman District Council (539 names) |
2020/21 |
Taupo District Council (633 names) |
2024 |
Tauranga City Council (50 names) |
2022/23 |
Thames-Coromandel District Council (648 names) |
2024 |
Timaru District Council (189 names) |
2025 |
Waikato District Council (561 names) |
2024 |
Waimakarai District Council (114 names) |
2025 |
Waimate District Council (117 names) |
2025 |
Waipa District Council (150 names) |
2024 |
Wairoa District Council (546 |
2021/22 |
Waitaki District Council (500 names) |
2025 |
Waitomo District Council (418 names) |
2024 |
Western Bay of Plenty District Council (207 names) |
2022/23 |
Westland District Council (2876 names) |
2025 |
Whakatane District Council (919 names) |
2022/23 |
Whanganui District Council (301 names) |
2023 |
Whangarei District Council (521 names) |
2023 |