Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand fell 4.0% month-on-month in May 2026, reversing from an upwardly revised 11.1% jump in April, marking the second decline so far this year and the steepest fall since last December. A total of 3,801 new dwellings were consented, including 1,835 stand-alone houses, 1,718 townhouses, flats, and units, 194 retirement village units, and 54 apartments. In the year ended May 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 39,737, up 19% from the year ended May 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.4 new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973. source: Statistics New Zealand

Building Permits MoM in New Zealand increased to 10.90 percent in April from -0.80 percent in March of 2026. Building Permits MoM in New Zealand averaged 0.72 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 July of 2026.

Building Permits MoM in New Zealand increased to 10.90 percent in April from -0.80 percent in March of 2026. Building Permits MoM in New Zealand is expected to be -2.30 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 1.00 percent in 2027 and 0.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-06-02 10:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
Apr 10.9% -0.8% -3.6%
2026-07-01 10:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
May -4% 11.1% -6.3%
2026-08-02 10:45 PM
Building Permits MoM
Jun -4% -2.3%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average House Prices 906443.00 912190.00 NZD Jun 2026
Building Permits 3661.00 3814.00 Units May 2026
Building Permits MoM -4.00 11.10 percent May 2026
Construction Output -5.91 -0.99 percent Mar 2026
Home Ownership Rate 66.00 64.50 percent Dec 2023
House Price Index MoM -0.60 0.00 percent Jun 2026
House Price Index YoY -0.40 -0.20 percent Jun 2026
Housing Index 2302.00 2316.00 Points Jun 2026
Price to Rent Ratio 123.68 124.15 Jun 2025
Residential Property Prices -1.26 -0.53 Percent Dec 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
-4.00 11.10 36.40 -41.40 1995 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
New Zealand Building Permits Fall 4% in May
Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand fell 4.0% month-on-month in May 2026, reversing from an upwardly revised 11.1% jump in April, marking the second decline so far this year and the steepest fall since last December. A total of 3,801 new dwellings were consented, including 1,835 stand-alone houses, 1,718 townhouses, flats, and units, 194 retirement village units, and 54 apartments. In the year ended May 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 39,737, up 19% from the year ended May 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.4 new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.
2026-07-01
New Zealand Building Permits Rebound in April
Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand surged 10.9% month-on-month in April 2026, rebounding sharply from a downwardly revised 0.8% decline in March. A total of 3,692 new dwellings were consented, including 1,604 stand-alone houses, 1,530 townhouses, flats, and units, 499 apartments, and 59 retirement village units. In the year ended April 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 39,087, up 16% from the year ended April 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.3 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 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.
2026-06-02
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