LIM report cost in New Zealand, and what sellers should know

What a LIM is, what councils charge for one, how long it takes, and whether to order one before you list.

OpenKey guides · 7 October 2026

A Land Information Memorandum (LIM) is a report from your local council summarising what it holds on file about a property. Councils must supply one on request under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Fees quoted for council-issued LIMs run from about $290 (Christchurch City Council) to $375 (Auckland and Selwyn) for a standard report, and a standard LIM takes up to 10 working days. Buyers usually order their own, but a seller can order one too, and for a private seller it is often a cheap way to find problems before a buyer does.

What a Land Information Memorandum (LIM report) is and what the law says

A LIM report is the council's record of what it knows about a specific property, put into a single report. Section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 says a local authority must supply a LIM on request. Taupō District Council describes it as covering matters affecting land in the district that are known to the council. Every LIM comes from a territorial authority, which is the formal name for a city or district council.

A few points surprise people:

• Anyone can request a LIM. You do not need to own the property or have any connection to it.
• It is not compulsory. No law requires a LIM before a property purchase. Lawyers and advisers recommend one anyway, as part of due diligence when buying a property.
• It is only as good as the council's records. Councils do not inspect the property to produce a LIM. Taupō District Council says it can only provide information held in its records at the time of the application and does not make an on-site inspection.
• It is a snapshot. The information is valid for the date the LIM was issued. Auckland Council says many council departments update the information a LIM draws on, so it is accurate for the day of issue only.

LIM report vs builder's report

A LIM is not a building report. A LIM tells you what the council knows. A builder or building inspector tells you the physical condition of the dwelling: moisture, structure, roof, electrical, plumbing. Buyers are advised to get both, and sellers should expect both. They answer different questions, and neither replaces the other.

A LIM is not a valuation

A LIM does not tell you what a property is worth. It carries rates information, and Taupō's LIM, for example, lists the land, improvement and capital rateable values, but those are rating figures held by the council, not a valuation of what the home would sell for. If you are working out a price, you need a market-based view, such as a registered valuation or a price guide, in addition to the LIM.

What a LIM contains

The law sets out the mandatory content of every LIM, and councils add their own extras. Different councils include different things. Across the councils and law firms we looked at, a LIM typically covers:

• Building consents and permits, and whether code compliance certificates (CCCs) were issued. A consent without a CCC means the council never signed off the finished work. One Christchurch inspection firm lists building permits and consents, compliance schedules, CCCs, warrants of fitness and swimming pool fence compliance as part of the Christchurch LIM.
• Resource consents and subdivision approvals, including any open or ongoing-monitoring consents.
• Zone and planning information: zoning, plus district plan rules and overlays such as height restrictions and setbacks.
• Natural hazards: flooding, overland flow paths, liquefaction, erosion, subsidence, slippage, coastal hazards and land stability. A flood overlay can affect insurance and future development.
• Drainage and services: public sewer, water and stormwater, and septic tank and drainage plans where they exist.
• Rates: current rates, rateable values and any arrears.
• Notices and requisitions issued against the property.
• Heritage and protected trees, and in some districts swimming pool fencing, health or food licences, and compliance schedules with the date a warrant of fitness expires.
• Proposed public works that may affect the property, such as road widening.

Some council-specific details are worth knowing. The Christchurch firm says the Christchurch LIM lists land use resource consents within 100m, includes Canterbury earthquake information such as red or yellow placards, and includes information notified under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2006. Christchurch City Council confirms that notifications are held on LIMs for properties subject to a weathertight claim.

A LIM for bare land is still worth having. The only difference from a LIM for a developed property is that the developed property's LIM includes details of the improvements, such as a dwelling or other structures.

What a LIM leaves out

This is where sellers and buyers both get caught. A LIM does not include:

• Unpermitted work the council does not know about. A law firm puts it plainly: if a previous owner added a sunroom without applying for consent, the council does not know about it, and the LIM will simply be silent. The same goes for any alteration or renovation the council was never told about. If the council has not been notified of an alteration, it will not appear.
• Whether work was done well. A LIM can confirm a consent was granted and sometimes that a CCC was issued. It does not say the work is free of defects.
• Cross-lease title problems. Even where consents and CCCs exist, the flats plan on the title may not reflect a changed building footprint. That is a title issue, and the LIM is often where the trail starts.
• Neighbouring properties. A LIM is about the property at your address. If a neighbour has an unconsented structure that encroaches over the boundary, it will not be in your LIM.
• Information held by other bodies, such as LINZ, insurers or EQC.
• Future zoning changes, unless they are already adopted in the district plan.

The common mistake is reading a clean LIM as a clean bill of health. It confirms what the council has on record, nothing more.

The 2025 hazard changes

Two changes took effect in 2025. From 1 July 2025, amendments to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act require regional councils (such as Environment Canterbury) to share their natural hazard information with territorial councils. From 17 October 2025, the Local Government (Natural Hazard Information in Land Information Memoranda) Regulations 2025 require a standardised natural hazard section with plain-language explanations.

For sellers, the practical point is that a LIM ordered now should show hazard information more prominently and more consistently than one from a few years ago. If your property sits in a flood or liquefaction area, buyers will see that clearly.

Hazard mapping has also moved on in places hit by recent weather. An Auckland law firm says hazard layers expanded significantly after the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods, and a Hawke's Bay law firm says Napier and Hastings have updated their hazard information since Cyclone Gabrielle. A LIM that is a year or two old may not show the current position, which is why an up-to-date LIM matters.

What a LIM costs and how long it takes

Every council sets its own fee and its own processing arrangements, so yes, the price changes depending on which council you apply to. The figures below are the ones quoted for 2026. Fees change, so confirm with the council before you order.

A few things to read into that table:

• How much does a standard LIM cost with Christchurch City Council? The figure quoted for 2026 is $290 for a standard residential LIM, or $390 for the 5-working-day fast-track. The council's own fee schedule is the final word.
• The legal standard is 10 working days. That is the council's window from a complete application. Faster services are the council's own, and they cost extra.
• Fees do not track council size. Selwyn District Council, a smaller council, now charges more for a standard LIM than Christchurch City Council.
• Wellington and other councils publish their own fee schedules. Check the council's website for the current figure and timeframe before you order.
• The general range quoted for a LIM is roughly $250 to $450 or more, depending on the council and the property type.
• Residential and commercial properties can be treated differently. Taupō District Council has different urgent timeframes for residential property and commercial property, and it reserves the right to set the fee category based on how the property is actually used.
• Order direct if you can. Third-party services that order a LIM on your behalf can charge far more than the council does. One advertises $1,299 for a residential LIM and $2,499 for a commercial one, plus $299 for 'fast track processing' that, by its own description, does not shorten the council's statutory window. If you order straight from the council's website, you pay the council's fee.
• There is no free LIM. A LIM is a formal statutory document with a fee. Free online council mapping tools are not a LIM and do not have its standing or completeness.
• Refunds. The fee pays for the council to prepare and supply the report, not for what it finds. A LIM that shows nothing concerning is a useful result, so do not expect a refund on that basis. If you think a council has charged you wrongly, raise it with the council.

A worked example: the cost of waiting

Say you decide to list on a Friday and want the LIM in hand first. In Auckland, a standard LIM at $375 takes up to 10 working days, so you could be waiting two weeks. The urgent option costs $506, which is $131 more, and returns within 3 working days. In Christchurch, fast-track costs $100 more than standard ($390 against $290) and cuts the wait from 10 working days to 5.

Taupō District Council counts processing days from the next working day after you submit. Apply on a Friday and the first working day is the following Monday. Build that into any timetable.

How to order a LIM or request a LIM from your council

The steps are much the same everywhere:

1. Find your council. The council for the property address is the one that issues the LIM.
2. Request a LIM online. Most councils take applications through their website. Taupō asks for payment by credit card at the time of application. Christchurch City Council also accepts a downloadable application form (standard or fast-track) by email, by post, or at a council service desk, and offers a monthly-invoiced LIM account.
3. Give the property details. One Christchurch adviser says you will need the property address or legal description. Taupō asks for one application per separate property.
4. Pay the fee. Lodging the application with payment is what starts the clock.
5. Receive the LIM. Most councils now send it electronically. One Christchurch adviser warns that digital LIM links often have a download window, so save your copy as soon as you receive it.

If you want the whole file rather than the LIM summary, Christchurch City Council says you can also request a property file if you are considering buying a property, applying for building or resource consent, or making an insurance claim. This is a separate service from the LIM. Ask the council what a property file contains and what it costs. Taupō also notes that a LIM is not a land information request for work it does not hold; ask your council about the records it can supply.

Can I use the LIM the vendor or agent gives me?

Buyers are usually told no. In a typical sale, the buyer's solicitor orders the LIM. A law firm says a LIM is often ordered by the buyer's solicitor as part of the purchase conditions, while vendors or agents sometimes obtain one as part of the marketing package. Another asks its buyer clients to order the LIM through the council in the buyer's own name and pay for it, then send it over for review.

The reason is liability. That firm says council's liability for errors or omissions in a LIM runs to the person who applied for it. If a buyer relies on a LIM that you or your agent ordered, and the council missed something, the buyer may have no direct claim against the council. Smith and Partners-style advice from the law firms is the same: do not rely solely on a vendor's LIM.

There is a second reason. Council records change, and a LIM ordered three months ago may no longer reflect the current position.

So if you order a LIM as the seller, expect a well-advised buyer to order their own anyway. Your LIM is for your information and your preparation, not a substitute for theirs.

Should a seller get a LIM before listing?

There is no rule that says you must. Here is the case for and against, drawn from how LIMs work.

The case for ordering one

• You find problems before a buyer does. A LIM can show an unclosed consent, a missing CCC, a requisition or a hazard notation. Finding one at your own pace is better than finding it mid-negotiation. One industry example describes a vendor who ordered a LIM before listing, found a consent that was never closed out, and resolved it while there was still time.
• Unresolved items become the buyer's problem, so they become your negotiation problem. Auckland Council says incomplete requirements and related costs at the time of sale become the new owner's responsibility, and that buyers should ask the seller to resolve incomplete items before settlement or agree with the seller whose responsibility it is.
• It is cheap compared with the sale. At $290 to $375, a LIM costs a small fraction of a home's price.
• You can answer buyers' questions. If a buyer asks about a deck, a garage or a flood overlay, you will already know what the council record says.
• It helps if you have renovated. A renovation or alteration is exactly where consents and CCCs go missing, and a LIM shows whether the paperwork closed out.

The case against, or the limits

• Fixing things takes time and money. Auckland Council charges for resource consent monitoring, and for LIM inquiries about building works, flooding and contamination its fees are based on two hours of a compliance officer's time, with more if the matter is complex.
• Some things cannot be fixed the way you hope. Taupō District Council says it cannot retrospectively issue a building consent for completed work. It can only issue a certificate of acceptance on application, for a fee. Ask your solicitor what applies in your council area.
• Requisitions stay on the LIM. Auckland Council says requisitions always remain on a LIM, though the status is updated once the issue is resolved. You can usually show compliance with council messages and do not need a fresh LIM for that, but a new LIM is needed to get an updated report.
• The LIM goes stale and buyers will want their own. What you order today is a snapshot. A buyer's lawyer will usually still order a current one in the buyer's name.

My view: for a private seller, a LIM is worth ordering before you list if you have done any work on the property, bought it a long time ago, or are not sure everything was consented. It costs little and it is the cheapest way to see what the buyer's lawyer will see. If you know the house is original, unaltered and has no hazard concerns, the case is weaker. Either way, ask your solicitor to read it with you.

What you should not do is assume a clean LIM ends the matter. Unconsented work the council does not know about will not show up, and a buyer's builder may spot it on the day.

How a LIM condition works in the sale and purchase agreement

When you sell by negotiation, a buyer can make their offer conditional on a satisfactory LIM. A law firm says a LIM condition gives the buyer time to order the LIM from the council, receive and review it, obtain legal advice, and decide whether they are satisfied before proceeding. A Christchurch adviser describes it as giving the buyer the right to cancel if the LIM reveals issues they are not willing to accept.

A few things to know from the seller's side:

• The buyer needs enough time. A LIM can take up to 10 working days and then needs checking by a lawyer. Law firms advise buyers to allow sufficient time for ordering, receiving and review. If a buyer asks for a short period, they may find the council has not yet replied.
• The condition can end the deal. If the LIM shows something the buyer will not accept, they can cancel. That is why resolving known issues before you list matters.
• A bad LIM does not always end the deal. Typical outcomes include negotiating the price, asking the seller to obtain retrospective consent or a CCC before settlement, or walking away where a LIM condition exists. Expect a buyer to ask for quotes and use them in a price discussion.
• Auctions are different. Auction purchases are generally unconditional. A bidder has to review the LIM before the auction, so a seller going to auction should expect serious bidders to have already ordered theirs.
• Your warranties matter too. A law firm says the standard ADLS Agreement for Sale and Purchase (10th edition) contains vendor warranties about unconsented work and outstanding notices in clause 7. If a LIM later reveals something you warranted against, the buyer may have a contractual remedy independent of the LIM. Your solicitor will explain exactly what you are warranting before you sign.

OpenKey is not a real estate agent, so you run the sale yourself and your solicitor does the contract. Ask your solicitor to look at the LIM condition wording, the time period and what happens when it is satisfied or not.

A practical checklist for sellers

• Decide whether to order a LIM before you list. If you have altered or renovated the property, the answer is usually yes.
• Order it direct from your council's website, and check the current fee and timeframe on the council's page.
• Allow up to 10 working days, or pay for the faster service if you are on a deadline.
• Compare every structure on the property with the consent history: house, garage, deck, sleep-out, carport.
• Check every consent for a CCC.
• Look at the natural hazard section and any flood or other overlay, and decide how you will explain it to buyers.
• Look for open resource consents, requisitions and notices.
• Take the LIM to your solicitor before you list.
• Expect buyers to order their own, and expect a LIM condition from buyers who are not at auction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a LIM required by law when selling a house?

No. Councils must provide a LIM on request under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, but no law requires a seller or a buyer to obtain one. Lawyers strongly recommend buyers get one.

How long does a LIM take?

A standard LIM can take up to 10 working days. Some councils offer a faster option for an extra fee: Auckland's urgent LIM is within 3 working days, and Christchurch's fast-track LIM is 5 working days. Not every council offers one.

How much does a LIM report cost in New Zealand?

Council fees quoted for 2026 are $290 for a standard Christchurch LIM and $375 for Auckland and Selwyn, with a general range of roughly $250 to $450 or more. Urgent services cost extra. Third-party ordering services can charge much more than the council, so check the council's own fee first.

Can I get a free LIM?

No. A LIM is a formal document with a council fee. Free online mapping tools from some councils are not a LIM and do not carry its standing.

Can a buyer rely on the LIM I got before listing?

A buyer's lawyer will usually advise against it. A LIM is only valid for the date it was issued, and the council's liability for mistakes runs to the person who applied, so a buyer relying on your LIM may have no claim against the council.

Does a clean LIM mean the house has no problems?

No. A LIM only shows what the council has on record. Unconsented work the council does not know about will not appear, and a LIM does not assess the physical condition of the building. Buyers are advised to get a building inspection as well, so a seller should expect one.

If you are preparing to sell privately, the OpenKey guides cover the rest of the process, from pricing to offers and conditions. OpenKey's flat fee is $5,000 + GST, half when your listing goes live and half when your home sells; you can start selling with OpenKey when you are ready.