New Zealand · Property boundaries · October 24, 2026
How to See Property Boundaries in New Zealand for Free
Free official council map viewers that show property boundaries in every New Zealand region, what Lot/DP means, and how to get the Record of Title for $8.
New Zealand has one national land register, kept by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). But LINZ's own professional system, Landonline, is for lawyers and surveyors. For the public, the easiest free way to see a property boundary is through council map viewers. Almost every regional and district council publishes a free web map with property boundaries drawn from the LINZ cadastre, usually with the legal description, rating valuation and hazards on the same screen.
This guide lists the main viewers by region, explains how New Zealand legal descriptions work, and shows how to get the official Record of Title.
Council viewers by region
| Region | Free viewer (on our region page) |
|---|---|
| Northland | Northland LocalMaps |
| Auckland | Auckland Council GeoMaps |
| Waikato | Waikato Maps |
| Bay of Plenty | Bay of Plenty Maps |
| Gisborne | Gisborne District Council maps |
| Hawke's Bay | HB LocalMaps |
| Taranaki | Taranaki LocalMaps |
| Manawatū-Whanganui | Horizons maps |
| Wellington | Council maps (Wairarapa Maps for the three Wairarapa councils) |
| Nelson and Tasman | Top of the South Maps |
| Marlborough | Marlborough District Council Smart Maps |
| West Coast | West Maps |
| Canterbury | Canterbury Maps |
| Otago | Otago Maps |
| Southland | SouthMaps |
Our region pages link each viewer directly. Three of the most useful, which opened with no login when we checked on October 24, 2026:
Top of the South Maps (Nelson and Tasman) ↗
How to find a boundary
- Open the viewer for the region (from the table or our region page).
- Search the address. Most council viewers have an address or property search box.
- Click the property. The pop-up shows the legal description (for example Lot 2 DP 456789), often the valuation reference, land area and rating details.
- Turn on aerial imagery to compare the boundary with fences and buildings.
- Add hazard layers. Flood, liquefaction, coastal and landslide layers are common, and often matter more than the boundary itself.
Reading a New Zealand legal description
New Zealand land is described as a lot, section or part on a plan:
- Lot 2 DP 456789. Lot 2 on deposited plan 456789. This is the most common form for subdivided land.
- Section 12 Block IV [name] Survey District. Older rural land, described by its section in a survey district block.
- Part Lot or Part Section. Only part of an original lot, after earlier boundary changes.
- Unit titles. Apartments and some townhouses are units on a unit plan, with a share of common property.
- Cross-leases. A distinctively New Zealand arrangement where owners hold an undivided share of the land and a lease of their own flat. The flats plan, not the boundary map, shows each owner's area.
The legal description is what you need to order the title, and it is also the most reliable way to match a listing to a parcel.
From parcel to Record of Title
Since 12 November 2018, under the Land Transfer Act 2017, the official title is called a Record of Title (it used to be a certificate of title). It shows the registered owner, the legal description and registered interests such as mortgages, easements and covenants, with a diagram of the land.
The public can order one through LINZ Land Record Search for $8 per record (LINZ's published fee in October 2026). Search by address or title reference, choose "Title with diagram", and pay by card. The PDF is usually emailed within minutes. Historic titles, survey plans and registered instruments such as easements and covenants are also $8 each.
LIM reports
A council Land Information Memorandum (LIM) pulls together what the council knows about a property: consents, code compliance, hazards, rates and more. Councils charge for LIMs and the fee varies. For a purchase, a LIM and the Record of Title together are the basic checks; the free map is the first step.
Check the hazard layers
Regional viewers like Canterbury Maps and Otago Maps carry liquefaction, flood and fault-awareness layers next to the parcels. After the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010–11 and the 2023 North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, hazard information has become a major factor in insurance and lending. Look at it before you fall for a property.
Limits of council maps
- Not survey-accurate. Boundaries come from the LINZ cadastre and are suitable for finding a property, not for building near a line. A licensed cadastral surveyor can mark the boundary.
- No owner names. Most council viewers do not show owners. The Record of Title does.
- Different councils, different viewers. Layers and search options vary from region to region.
Which viewer for which council?
New Zealand has regional councils and district or city councils, and they don't always share a viewer. A few patterns help:
- Unitary councils such as Auckland, Gisborne, Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman combine regional and district roles, and their own viewer usually covers everything.
- Shared regional viewers such as Canterbury Maps, Otago Maps, SouthMaps and Waikato Maps bring several councils' data together.
- District council viewers often have the most detail for property: valuations, district plan zones and consents. If the regional map lacks something, check the district council's site.
Free vs paid: a quick guide
| What you want | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary and legal description | Council map viewer | Free |
| Zone and hazards | Council map viewer and district plan | Free |
| Owner, mortgages, easements, covenants | Record of Title from LINZ | $8 |
| Survey plan with dimensions | LINZ | $8 |
| Consents, code compliance, council hazards | LIM from the council | Council fee |
Using the legal description
Once you have the legal description from a council map, use it consistently: in your LINZ order, with the council, and when you talk to a lawyer. If a listing gives a different description, ask why. It may be an old description from before a subdivision, or a sign that the listing covers more or less land than you think.
A worked example: a section in Hamilton
- Open our Waikato page and use the button to open the regional viewer, or go to Hamilton City Council's own maps for more district detail.
- Search the address and click the section. Note the legal description.
- Check the zone in the district plan layer and any flood or hazard layers.
- Order the Record of Title from LINZ ($8) to confirm owners and interests.
- Request a LIM from the council if you're buying.
Common questions
Is there one free national property map in NZ? Not from LINZ for the public. Council viewers are the practical free option, region by region.
How much does a Record of Title cost? $8 through LINZ Land Record Search, as published in October 2026.
What is a DP? A deposited plan: the survey plan that created the lot.
Can I see who owns a property for free? Not on the council maps. Order the Record of Title.
Related guides
- What is a Record of Title in NZ?
- Auckland Council GeoMaps guide
- Canterbury Maps property search
- Top of the South Maps guide
- All New Zealand parcel map pages
Sources
- LINZ: Land record order fees and About Land Record Search.
- Land Transfer Act 2017 (New Zealand), in force from 12 November 2018; see LINZ's What's on a record of title.
- Viewer links opened and checked October 24, 2026.