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Natural Environment Bill

Natural resource permits - Applying for natural resource permit - Time frames and excluded time periods

139: Certain permits must be processed and decided no later than 1 year after lodgement

You could also call this:

"The council must decide on your natural resource permit within 1 year of you applying."

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

If you apply for a natural resource permit for certain activities, the permit authority must process and decide your application within 1 year. You lodge your application and then the authority has 1 year to make a decision. The authority can extend this time period under certain conditions. The conditions for extending the time period are outlined in section 118(2) to (8) of the Planning Act 2025. This means the authority follows the rules in that Act, with some changes to fit this situation. The authority must follow this rule, even if there are other time frames or rules in the regulations. The permit authority's decision must be made within the given time frame, unless an extension is granted. You can find more information about extensions in the Planning Act 2025. This rule applies to your application, and the authority must follow it.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1547579.

This page was last updated on 14 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils

138: Permit processing time frames, or

"How long it takes to decide on a natural resource permit"

140: Request for further information, or

"When you apply for a permit, the authority can ask you for more details to help them make a decision."

Part 4Natural resource permits
Applying for natural resource permit: Time frames and excluded time periods

139Certain permits must be processed and decided no later than 1 year after lodgement

The time period within which a permit authority must process and decide an application for a natural resource permit for a specified energy activity or wood processing activity (the time period) is 1 year after the date the application is lodged.
An extension of the time period may be granted on the terms specified in section 118(2) to (8) of the Planning Act 2025, and that section applies with all necessary modifications.
This section applies despite any time frames or excluded time periods that are prescribed in the regulations.