Find out what Council permissions you might need for porches, verandas and pergolas.
Building consent requirements
Porches are roofed structures which project from the face of a building and often extend over raised decks or patios. They may have sides but they are open at the front. Porches are generally used to protect a building entrance and to provide shelter.
A veranda is typically a long porch and can extend along the full length, or even around more than one side, of a building.
Pergolas are simple-framed and unroofed structures which are often used as garden features.
Porches and verandas may not require a building consent if they meet the exemption criteria in Schedule 1 of the Building Act.
Generally, a building consent is not required for:
- porches and verandas up to 20m²
- porches and verandas up to 30m² where the work is designed, reviewed or supervised by an appropriately qualified professional
- pergolas that meet the exemption requirements.
Exemptions are subject to specific conditions, including size, location, public access, and who designs or carries out the work. Before starting your project, we recommend reviewing MBIE's guidance on exempt building work, chapter 06: porches, verandas and pergolas.
More information about building consents
Before you start
Even if your project is exempt from building consent requirements, it must still comply with the Building Code and may require a resource consent. You should also consider:
- site coverage and boundary setbacks
- daylight recession planes
- stormwater disposal
- building close to property boundaries.
If you're unsure whether your project qualifies for an exemption, contact our duty builder or duty planner before starting work.
Resource consent requirements
Many building projects may also require a resource consent. As part of the building consent process, applications are reviewed by a planner who can highlight any potential requirements, and provide some advice on what might be needed. You can also contact our duty planner, or read more about where a resource consent may be required below and avoid any potential delays to your project.
More information about resource consents