How do I check if a house is in a flood zone in NZ?

Councils publish mapped flood layers such as flood plains, overland flow paths and coastal inundation areas. Type any NZ address into the CheckMyBuilder property check and the report reads the layers your council publishes for that exact address, alongside national natural-hazard data. It states plainly which layers were checked and which are not available for your district.

Does a flood layer mean a property will flood?

No. A mapped layer records that the council models or has recorded flood behaviour in that area. It is planning information, not a prediction for a specific event or property. Site levels, drainage and building design all matter, which is why the report points to the LIM and council records for confirmation.

Where can I see past flood insurance claims for an address?

The government's Natural Hazards Portal shows settled EQC and Natural Hazards Commission claims for an address since 1997. Private insurer claims are not included. It complements the council flood layers, which look at mapped hazard rather than claim history.

Flood layers, plainly

Flooding in the news? See what the layers show for any address.

After every storm the same question surfaces: is this address in a mapped flood zone? Type any NZ address and the report reads the flood layers your council publishes, the overland flow paths, and the national natural-hazard data, for that exact property.

What the check reads

Council flood layers. Flood plains, flood-prone and flood-assessment areas, overland flow paths and coastal inundation, wherever your council publishes them. The report says exactly which layers were checked for your district and is clear about any that are not connected.
National hazard data. Active faults, ground type, elevation and slope from GNS and national elevation models, for every address in the country.
Where to confirm. Past settled EQC/NHC claims are searchable on the government's Natural Hazards Portal, and the LIM carries the council's full file, including the standardised natural-hazard information councils must now include.

A note on what a layer means

A mapped flood layer records that the council models or has observed flood behaviour in an area. It is planning information, not a verdict on a property and not a prediction for any particular storm. Two houses on the same street can sit differently in the mapping. That is why the useful answer is always address-level, and why anything material is worth confirming through a LIM and your own advisers.

Buying, or already own the home?

Buying

Run the address before you offer, then order the LIM once the property is a genuine contender. See what a LIM costs, council by council.

Already own it

The same report shows what the record says about your own address, which is useful context for insurance conversations and any building work you plan.

Indicative council and national mapping, read live per address. Not a flood prediction, not a valuation, and not legal advice. Confirm anything important via a LIM and the council's own records.

Checking the property

Pulling the latest records…

OwnershipLand & sizeHazardsEnvironmentSchool zonesArea profile