Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand fell 1.3% month-on-month in March 2026, reversing an upwardly revised 2.8% increase in February. This marked the first decline in building consents since last December. A total of 3,677 new dwellings were consented, including 1,729 stand-alone houses, 1,556 townhouses, flats, and units, 265 apartments, and 127 retirement village units. In the year ended March 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 37,813, up 11% from the year ended March 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.1 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.4 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973. source: Statistics New Zealand

Building Permits MoM in New Zealand decreased to -1.30 percent in March from 2.80 percent in February of 2026. Building Permits MoM in New Zealand averaged 0.69 percent from 1995 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 36.40 percent in April of 2008 and a record low of -41.40 percent in April of 2005. This page includes a chart with historical data for New Zealand New Dwellings Building Consents MoM. New Zealand New Dwellings Building Consents MoM - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Building Permits MoM in New Zealand decreased to -1.30 percent in March from 2.80 percent in February of 2026. Building Permits MoM in New Zealand is expected to be 2.00 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the New Zealand New Dwellings Building Consents MoM is projected to trend around -0.80 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-31 09:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
Feb 2.7% 2% 4.5%
2026-04-30 10:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
Mar -1.3% 2.8% -0.4%
2026-05-29 10:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
Apr -1.3%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average House Prices 909572.00 909139.00 NZD Mar 2026
Building Permits 3370.00 3412.00 Units Mar 2026
Building Permits MoM -1.30 2.80 percent Mar 2026
Construction Output -3.55 -5.64 percent Dec 2025
Home Ownership Rate 66.00 64.50 percent Dec 2023
House Price Index MoM 0.00 -0.10 percent Mar 2026
House Price Index YoY -0.40 -0.40 percent Mar 2026
Housing Index 2310.00 2309.00 Points Mar 2026
Price to Rent Ratio 124.15 125.05 Mar 2025
Residential Property Prices -0.60 -1.10 Percent Sep 2025


New Zealand New Dwellings Building Consents MoM
In New Zealand, the Building Consents Issued release summarizes information on all building consents issued, for more than $4,999, within New Zealand during the reference month. A dwelling is a construction that is built for habitation. Within an apartment building, each separate apartment is considered a dwelling. Number of new dwelling units authorized includes government dwellings.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-1.30 2.80 36.40 -41.40 1995 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
New Zealand New Dwellings Building Consents Drop 1.3%
Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand fell 1.3% month-on-month in March 2026, reversing an upwardly revised 2.8% increase in February. This marked the first decline in building consents since last December. A total of 3,677 new dwellings were consented, including 1,729 stand-alone houses, 1,556 townhouses, flats, and units, 265 apartments, and 127 retirement village units. In the year ended March 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 37,813, up 11% from the year ended March 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.1 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.4 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.
2026-04-30
New Zealand Building Permits Rise in February
Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand rose 2.7% month-on-month in February 2026, after rising 2.0% in January. A total of 3,168 new dwellings were consented, including 1,532 stand-alone houses, 1,305 townhouses, flats, and units, 141 apartments, and 190 retirement village units. In the year ended February 2026, New Zealand saw 7.1 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 per 1,000 in the year ended February 2025.
2026-03-31
New Zealand Building Permits Rebounds in January
Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand rose 1.9% month-on-month in January 2026, reversing a 4.5% fall in December. A total of 2,528 new dwellings were consented, including 1,190 stand-alone houses, 1,004 townhouses, flats, and units, 145 apartments, and 189 retirement village units. In the year ended January 2026, New Zealand saw 6.9 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.4 per 1,000 in the year ended January 2025.
2026-03-02