Christmas closures

Our licensing office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026. 

You still need to renew your alcohol licence at least 20 working days before it expires. Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, 20 December 2025 to 15 January 2026 are not working days.

If your licence expires during this period, you need to apply to renew it before 22 November 2025. 

Our building consents office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 until 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.

Reduced staff will provide some services from 22 December until midday on 24 December 2025.

Building consent reports 

Under the Building Act 2004, 20 December 2025 to 11 January 2026 are not working days and do not count toward the standard 20 working day processing time. 

If you apply during this period, your processing time will begin from 12 January 2026. We will begin processing applications received during this time from 12 January 2026. 

Inspections 

General inspections will not be available from 12pm on 19 December 2025 until 9am on 26 December 2025.

Building inspections will be available at a reduced capacity. Reclad and general inspections will be available until midday on 24 December.

Engineering approvals

Engineering approvals will not be available from 12pm on 19 December 2025 until 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.

Our licensing office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026. If you submit a new licence or renewal application during this period, we will begin processing it from 5 January 2026.

If your licence is due to expire before or during this period, you need to renew it by 4 December 2025.

Check the opening hours of your local Community recycling centre or Transfer station before you visit.

The dog registration office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026.

During this period, you can still submit your registration: 

• online
• at one of our animal shelters (excluding Christmas Day) by completing the registration form (PDF 249KB).

Register to walk five to 12 dogs 

We have made a new rule on walking multiple dogs that starts on 1 January 2026.

To receive your certificate of approval before 1 January 2026, you need to apply by 15 December 2025. 

Registrations received after 15 December 2025 will be processed from 9 January 2026.

Check the opening hours of your local library with council services before you visit. 

Our Local Board offices will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026.

Henderson-Massey, Waitākere Ranges and Whau Local Board offices will reopen at 9am on 12 January 2026. 

Our resource consent office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026. 

We will process orders received during this period from 12 January 2026.

To receive a custom resource consent report before 19 December 2025 you need to order it by 12 December 2025. 

We will not hold any resource consent pre-application meetings between 15 December 2025 and 12 January 2026.

Site contamination enquiry reports 

If you need a site contamination enquiry report before 19 December 2025, you need to order it on or before:

• 6 December 2025 for standard reports
• 13 December 2025 for urgent reports.

Our office will close from 12pm on 19 December 2025 to 12 January 2026.

We will not process property files or LIMs during this period. 

Normal processing times still apply:

• 10 working days for standard property files and LIMs.
• 10 working days for commercial property files.
• 3 working for urgent property files and LIMs. 

Any processing time left after 19 December 2025 will resume on 12 January 2026. 

To receive a property file or LIM before 19 December 2025, you need to order it before:

• 5 December 2025 for standard property files and LIMs
• 5 December 2025 for commercial property files
• 16 December 2025 for urgent property files and LIMs.