Detached Minor Residential Units

The National Environmental Standards for Minor Residential Units (NES-MRU) are now in effect under the Resource Management Act 1991.

These standards apply across New Zealand and are designed to make it easier to build detached minor residential units by using consistent national rules.

Under the NES-MRU, a detached minor residential unit of up to 70 square metres can be built without a resource consent, as long as the required standards are met.

The regulation applies specifically to:

• residential zones
• rural zones
• mixed-use zones
• Māori purpose zones

These regulations do not limit any other legislative requirements that may apply to a DMRU. Information on requirements and exemptions for building work for DMRU can be accessed here

Development contributions still apply when constructing a DMRU.

A full version of Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units) Regulations 2025 is available on legislation.govt.nz

Summarised NES-DMRU Standards

Under NES-DMRU, one Detached Minor Residential Unit per site is a permitted activity subject to meeting the following standards:  

• maximum floor area: equal to or less than 70sqm 

• building coverage:  

• residential: no more than 50%

• rural: Whanganui District Plan standard applies

• setback from principal residential unit: no less than 2m

• setback from the boundary:

• residential zone: 2m from the front, side and rear boundaries of the site

• rural zone: 10m from the front boundary and 5m from the side and rear boundaries of the site  

• within a general residential zone:

• DMRU is required to share its vehicle access and all utility services with the principal residential unit.

Applicants must comply with the rules and standards in the district plan that deal with the following matters if they apply to the DMRU: 

• subdivision of land 
• matter of national importance under section 6 of the Resource Management Act 1991 
• the use of the DMRU other than for residential activities: 
• Papakāinga 
• earthworks 

Applicants must still comply with the rules and standards in a district plan that: 

• apply to DMRU’s Principal Residential Unit
• manage effects relating to natural hazard risk, reverse sensitivity, and site-specific infrastructure requirements such as setbacks from utilities and industrial sites
• any site-specific infrastructure requirements
• shared vehicle access and utility services with the principal residential unit.   

This National Environmental Standard applies only to buildings that meet the definition of a Detached Minor Residential Unit (DMRU) and are located in certain zones. It does not apply to garages, carports, sheds, or sleepouts that are not self-contained.

For DMRUs, the usual district plan rules around amenity values, minimum outdoor space, privacy, sunlight access, glazing, and parking do not apply.

If a DMRU does not meet the permitted activity standards under the NES-DMRU, the relevant district plan rules will apply instead, including any matters of discretion or assessment criteria.