Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report
Quick Answer
A LIM Report — a Land Information Memorandum — is the official record a council holds about a property. It covers building consents, zoning, rates, drainage and known hazards. Any council must issue one within 10 working days of a complete application, and anyone can request one for any property.
Before you buy a property in New Zealand, there is a file about it you have not seen. It sits with the council, and it records what has been consented, what the council knows about the land, and what conditions attach to it. A Land Information Memorandum is how that file is released. Only 37% of buyers obtained one before making an offer in 2025 — down from 41% two years earlier — which means most purchasers commit to the largest transaction of their lives without reading the official record. We obtain LIMs from every one of New Zealand's 67 territorial authorities.
Key Facts
Online Delivery
Delivered online via email
What Is This Document
A Land Information Memorandum is a formal statement issued by a territorial authority under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. The council compiles what it holds on the property file — consent records, rating information, drainage and services data, district plan zoning, and any hazards it is aware of affecting the land — and issues it as a single document. It is a disclosure of council-held information at a point in time. It is not an inspection, not a valuation, and not a guarantee about the property's condition.
Which Document Do I Need
These are three different documents answering three different questions, and a thorough pre-purchase process uses all three.
| Situation | Recommended Document |
|---|---|
| What the council knows. | LIM |
| Who owns the land and what is legally registered against it — easements, covenants, mortgages, and whether the property is fee simple, cross-lease or unit title. | Record of title |
| The physical condition. | Building inspection |
If you are ordering only one, the LIM is the one that reveals consent gaps — the issue most likely to cost you money after settlement.
What Information Is Included
A LIM covers
building consents, permits and code compliance certificates held on the file
district plan zoning, overlays and designations
rates information and any amounts owing
stormwater, wastewater and water connections with drainage plans where held
special land features or hazards known to the council — erosion, subsidence, flooding, slippage and contamination
any requisitions, notices or orders against the property
resource consent details
and information on any classification the council holds about the land
Since 17 October 2025, natural hazard information has been recorded more comprehensively following changes to the statutory requirements
Why People Order
Real Estate Authority research published in October 2025 found 37% of buyers obtained a LIM before making an offer, down from 41% in 2023 — against 80,655 residential sales recorded by REINZ across 2025.
Because the council file is the only source for what has actually been consented.
Unconsented work is the single most common discovery, and the obligation to resolve it transfers to whoever owns the property next — not to whoever built it.
Because lenders and insurers increasingly ask about hazard exposure before confirming terms.
Because a solicitor advising on a conditional offer needs the council position in writing.
because the cost of finding out afterwards is measured in tens of thousands, not hundreds.
Real World Use Cases
A buyer finds a sleepout and a deck on the file with no code compliance certificate, and makes the offer conditional on the vendor closing the consent.
A purchaser learns the site sits in a flood-prone area, and the insurance quote changes the numbers before they are committed.
An owner planning to subdivide checks the zoning and services position before paying for a survey.
A vendor orders one before listing, finds an outstanding council notice, and resolves it rather than losing a buyer to it three weeks into a conditional period.
Council & Property Context
LIM records are held by territorial authorities — the 67 city and district councils, plus the unitary authorities that combine district and regional functions. There is no national LIM register. Each authority holds its own property files, applies its own district plan, and records hazard information according to what it knows about its own area. That is why a LIM is specific to a district: the Auckland Council record for an Auckland property, the Christchurch City Council record for a Christchurch one. We cover all 67, so you order once regardless of where the property sits.
Common Mistakes
Treating a LIM as a condition report — it records what the council holds, not what a builder would find.
Assuming a structure was consented because it exists.
Relying on a LIM the vendor obtained months earlier, when council records have since changed.
Leaving the order until the last days of a due diligence period, when the statutory processing window alone is 10 working days.
Reading a clear LIM as proof there is no problem, when it confirms only that the council holds no record of one.
When Not Sufficient
A LIM will not tell you who owns the property or what is registered against the title — that is a record of title. It will not identify defects, weathertightness failures or structural problems — that is a building inspection. It does not value the property. And it cannot disclose what the council does not hold, which includes work carried out with no council involvement at all. Use a LIM alongside a title search and an independent building report.
How To Order
Enter the property address and confirm whether you need the residential or commercial report. We identify the correct district, obtain the full property record and deliver your completed LIM Report electronically. Everything after the order is handled for you.
Turnaround & Delivery
Councils must supply a LIM within 10 working days of receiving a complete application. That timeframe is set by section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Processing beyond that depends on the district and its current workload — some release records faster, and some are running well beyond the statutory window. Fast Track Processing is available for NZ$299 and moves your order to the front of the queue. Your completed LIM is delivered electronically as soon as it is ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a LIM report?
A Land Information Memorandum is the official record a council holds about a property — building consents, zoning, rates, drainage and known hazards. It is issued by the territorial authority under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
How long is a LIM report valid for?
There is no statutory expiry. In practice lenders, insurers and solicitors generally prefer a LIM less than six months old, because council records change as consents are granted and notices issued.
Who orders the LIM report — buyer or seller?
Usually the buyer, as part of pre-purchase due diligence. Vendors sometimes obtain one before listing, but a buyer relying on a vendor's LIM is relying on a snapshot taken at a date they did not choose.
Is free online property information the same as a LIM?
No. Free online mapping tools show limited information useful for orientation only. They carry no statutory standing and omit the consent history that is the main reason to obtain a LIM.
Can anyone request a LIM for any property?
Yes. You do not need to own the property or have the owner's permission. That is what makes a LIM usable for pre-purchase due diligence.
Does a LIM show unconsented building work?
It shows what was consented. Unconsented work appears as an absence — the structure exists but no record corresponds to it. Identifying that gap is one of the main reasons buyers order a LIM.
What does a LIM report not contain?
It does not cover physical condition, structural soundness, weathertightness or value. It does not show legal ownership or registered interests — that is the record of title. And it cannot disclose what the council does not hold.
Do I need a LIM if the property is a new build?
Yes, arguably more so. A new build has a recent and active consent history, and confirming that code compliance certificates were issued for all completed work is exactly what a LIM does.
How much does a LIM report cost?
Our residential LIM Report is NZ$1,299 and the commercial report is NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing is NZ$299. That covers preparing and lodging the application, obtaining the report from the council, and delivering it to you.
What is the statutory timeframe for a LIM?
Ten working days from receipt of a complete application, set by section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. It is a statutory maximum rather than a target, and several districts are currently running beyond it.
What is the most common thing a LIM reveals?
Unconsented building work — structures that exist on the property with no corresponding council record. It appears as an absence rather than an entry, and the obligation to resolve it transfers to the new owner on settlement.
Which district's records will my LIM report cover?
The territorial authority for the district the property sits in. There are 67 across New Zealand, and each holds its own records. Entering the property address identifies the correct district automatically.
Order Your LIM Report
Enter any New Zealand property address. Residential NZ$1,299. Commercial NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing NZ$299.
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Property Records Team
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