Our Whitianga office will be closed to the public on Friday 26 April. Our staff are still working and can be contacted via our freephone 0800 800 401.

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  1. Services »
  2. Consents and compliance »
  3. Resource consents

Resource consents are permits that allow you to use or take water, land or coastal resources. They also allow the discharge of water or wastes into air, water or onto land. Resource consents include conditions to protect people and the environment. Waikato Regional Council monitors consented activities to make sure that the conditions are being met.

ring the consents team on 0800 800 401

In focus

Find out more about current resource consent applications of community interest.

National policies and regulations

Learn more about the national policies and regulations that apply to regional RMA functions, and must be observed and implemented by Waikato Regional Council.

Compliance and enforcement changes

Find out more about new compliance and enforcement laws that will apply under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) from August 2023.

Information for applicants and consent holders

Before you apply 
Applying for consent 
Rules and policies 
The consent process 
Holding a consent 
Changing a consent 

Tools and resources

Plantation foresty

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) came into effect on 1 May 2018. There are rules to meet, and you may need to notify us before you carry out any activity.

Earthworks and erosion control

Find out more information about reducing the impact of your earthworks activities.

Moorings

All swing and pole moorings within the Waikato coastal marine area and inland waterways are classified as structures and require resource consent from Waikato Regional Council.

Whitebait stands

If you have a whitebait stand, or you're intending to build one, there are certain requirements.

Dairy shed water takes

If you need to take water for dairy shed purposes, then you might need a resource consent from us.

Low flow consent restrictions

Find out whether there are restrictions on water takes from the Waikato River

Maps

Check out our range of maps and datasets that gives fast public access to a range of Waikato regional information.

Policies and plans

Take a look at our policies and plans to learn more about the rules and regulations that we monitor and enforce.

Urban stormwater management

Only clean rainwater should enter stormwater drains and the region’s waterways. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice if you’re not sure about what you should be doing to stop pollution getting into them.