Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Reports in Bay of Plenty
Quick Answer
Bay of Plenty is served by six territorial authorities across the coast and lakes. A LIM is issued by the territorial authority for the district the property sits in, so the right starting point is the council page for that town. This page lists every Bay of Plenty district we cover.
There is no such thing as a Bay of Plenty LIM. Records are held district by district, and Bay of Plenty is served by six territorial authorities across the coast and lakes — each with its own property files, its own district plan and its own hazard record. Tauranga is among the fastest-growing cities in the country, while Rotorua sits on active geothermal ground — two districts in one region with almost nothing in common on a property file. Use this page to reach the right district, where the local detail sits.
Key Facts
Location
Bay of Plenty
Online Delivery
Delivered online via email
What Is This Document
A Land Information Memorandum is a statement of what a council holds about a property, issued under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Within Bay of Plenty, the issuing authority depends on the district: Kawerau District Council; Rotorua Lakes Council; Tauranga City Council; Western Bay of Plenty District Council; Whākatane District Council; Ōpōtiki District Council. Each maintains its records separately, which is why a LIM is ordered against a specific district rather than a region.
Which Document Do I Need
If you know the town, go directly to that district's page below.
If the property sits near a district boundary, the council that issues the LIM is the one whose district the title falls within — not the nearest town.
A LIM answers what the council holds; a record of title answers who owns the land and what is registered against it.
What Information Is Included
Across every Bay of Plenty district, a LIM covers consents and code compliance held on the property file, district plan zoning and overlays, rates information, drainage and service connections, hazards known to the council, and any notices or requisitions against the property.
What differs between districts is the detail: the hazards recorded, the plan rules applying, and the depth of the historic file.
Why People Order
The reasons are consistent across Bay of Plenty: confirming what has been consented before purchase, identifying unconsented work that would transfer to a new owner, satisfying a lender or insurer on hazard exposure, supporting a conditional offer, or preparing a property for sale.
What varies is the local risk profile — which is why the district page matters more than the region page.
Real World Use Cases
Buyers across Bay of Plenty use a LIM to close the gap between what is visible at an open home and what the council file records.
Vendors use one before listing to find problems while there is still time.
Solicitors use one to advise on a conditional offer.
In a region where geothermal ground, coastal erosion and slope instability appear on council records, hazard disclosure is frequently the section that changes a buyer's position.
Council & Property Context
Bay of Plenty contains 6 districts we cover: Katikati, Kawerau, Opotiki, Rotorua, Tauranga and Whakatane. Tauranga is among the fastest-growing cities in the country, while Rotorua sits on active geothermal ground — two districts in one region with almost nothing in common on a property file. The region is served by six territorial authorities across the coast and lakes. Local government boundaries, not geography, determine which council issues a LIM — a property just outside a city boundary is handled by the surrounding district council, and its records sit in a different file system entirely. Select the district below to see how that council handles LIM applications and what its records typically show.
Common Mistakes
Ordering against the wrong district.
In Bay of Plenty the town name and the council name often differ, and properties near boundaries are frequently assigned to the council people least expect.
Assuming hazard information is consistent across the region — it is recorded district by district, and neighbouring councils can hold quite different detail on the same hazard.
Treating a regional overview as a substitute for the district record.
When Not Sufficient
This page is a routing and reference page. It does not itself disclose anything about a specific property. For that you need a LIM issued by the territorial authority for the district, alongside a record of title and, where physical condition matters, an independent building inspection.
How To Order
Select the district your property sits in from the list below. That page covers how the council handles applications, what its records typically show, and how to order. If you are not certain which district applies, the property address will resolve it as soon as you begin an order.
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. That statutory timeframe applies to every council in Bay of Plenty, but actual processing varies by district and by workload. Individual district pages carry the position for that council.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which council issues a LIM in Bay of Plenty?
It depends on the district. Bay of Plenty is served by six territorial authorities across the coast and lakes: Kawerau District Council; Rotorua Lakes Council; Tauranga City Council; Western Bay of Plenty District Council; Whākatane District Council; Ōpōtiki District Council. The council whose district the property sits in is the issuing authority.
Can I order one LIM covering all of Bay of Plenty?
No. A LIM is issued per property by the territorial authority holding that property's file. There is no regional LIM. If you are assessing properties in several Bay of Plenty districts, each needs its own report.
What hazards are commonly recorded on Bay of Plenty LIMs?
Across the region, the categories most frequently recorded are geothermal ground, coastal erosion and slope instability. The detail varies by district and by site, and councils have recorded hazard information more fully since the natural hazard provisions came into force on 17 October 2025.
My Bay of Plenty property is near a district boundary — which council applies?
The council whose district the title falls within, which is not always the nearest town. Bay of Plenty has 6 districts in our coverage, and boundaries follow local government history rather than geography. Entering the property address at the start of an order resolves it.
How long does a LIM take in Bay of Plenty?
The statutory maximum is 10 working days from a complete application, under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Actual processing varies between Bay of Plenty councils — the district pages carry the current position.
Do all Bay of Plenty councils record the same information?
No. The statutory categories are the same, but the depth of the historic file, the plan rules and the hazard detail differ by council. That is why the district page is the useful one, not this page.
Property Records Team
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