Apply for consent, variation or exemption

This pathway is for people who want to invest in non-residential sensitive land who can show that their investment will, or is likely to, benefit New Zealand.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check you're applying for the correct consent: Benefit to New Zealand test
• Complete the Benefit to New Zealand investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Ask the vendor to complete the sensitive land Vendor Information Form
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for people wanting to invest in a significant business asset that will result in the investor having an interest in sensitive land. For example, the land a factory is on.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Information for investing in significant business assets
• Complete the Benefit to New Zealand investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Ask the vendor to complete the sensitive land Vendor Information form
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for people who are intending to move to New Zealand indefinitely and want to invest in sensitive land. 

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Residency-based applications.
• Complete the Intention to reside application form template. (DOCX bytes)
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Ask the vendor to complete the residency-based Vendor Information Form.
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for people and entities who want to invest in New Zealand securities, assets, or businesses valued at more than $100 million.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check you're applying for the correct consent: Information for investing in significant business assets
• Ask the vendor to complete the Vendor Information form.
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

Use this pathway to purchase land to plant a forest on or to buy forestry land and continue to operate it with existing arrangements remaining in place.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Information for buying forestry and forestry rights.
• Complete the One-off forestry investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Ask the vendor to complete the forestry Vendor Information Form
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

Apply - special forestry test, one off consent

Use this pathway to purchase land to plant a forest on or to buy forestry land and continue to operate it with existing arrangements remaining in place.
Note: Before applying for a standing consent, you must have a pre-application meeting with us.
Pre-application meetings

Pre-application checklist:

• Check you’re applying for the correct consent: Information for buying forestry and forestry rights
• Complete the Standing consent forestry investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready. Information required for standing consent application (PDF bytes)

Apply special forestry test, standing consent

This pathway is for investors who wish to use the land only for forestry activities and cannot implement or maintain existing arrangements relating to the land, such as agreements for public access.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Information for buying forestry and forestry rights.
• Complete the Modified benefits investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Ask the vendor to complete the sensitive land Vendor Information Form.
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for investors wanting to increase the supply of housing, invest in a business that uses land for non-residential purposes and/or invest in business that uses land incidentally for residential purposes.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent:
  • Information for increasing housing supply
  • Information for using land for non-residential purposes
  • Information for incidental use of residential land.
• Complete the One-off Residential Land Development investment plan template (DOCX bytes)
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for people who want to buy one home in New Zealand to live in.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Information for buying or building one home to live in.
• Complete the Commitment to Reside statutory declaration template (PDF bytes)

This pathway is for people who want to buy apartments off the plans as investments and not live in them.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are applying for the correct consent: Information for buying apartments.
• Complete the Apartment off the plan application form (DOCX bytes)
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

Developers constructing large apartment developments can apply for an exemption certificate, which allows them to sell up to 60% of the apartments in the development to overseas people as investment properties. The overseas people do not need to apply for consent to buy these apartments.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check the eligibility criteria: Exemption certificates for large residential development
• Complete the Exemption certificate application form (DOCX bytes)
• Complete the Applicant signature form (DOCX bytes)
• Have all your other information ready: Information required for consent application (PDF bytes)

You can apply to change the wording of an existing consent, vary special conditions – including time extensions to comply with conditions – or revoke conditions of consent where consent would no longer be required. If you are seeking a variation to an exemption that was granted, contact us before you apply.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are able to apply for a variation: Variations of consent or conditions
• Have all your other information ready: Variation application information required (PDF bytes)

You can seek exemption from the requirement for consent. The power to grant discretionary exemptions is limited and in many cases a consent application will be more appropriate. If you are seeking an exemption, contact us about it before you apply online.

Pre-application checklist:

• Check that you are able to apply for a variation: Discretionary exemptions
• Have all your other information ready: Discretionary exemption information required (PDF bytes)