Open a childcare service

A Childcare Service is defined as premises used for the care or education of children. 

Childcare services can be:

• creches
• early childhood centres
• day care centres
• kindergartens
• Kohanga Reo
• playgroups
• day nurseries
• home based childcare and education activities.

Resource consent

You’ll need resource consent if the centre will be in a residential area where it could create noise or traffic in the neighbourhood.

You'll also need to meet Ministry of Education's regulations for early childhood centres.

Starting a centre-based ECE service – Ministry of Education

Before applying for resource consent, you should:

• engage a professional to help you
• talk to a Council planning technician.

Resource consents

Building consent

You need a building consent to build an early childhood centre.

Applying for a building consent

Other permissions you may need

On-site car park requirements

You must provide one on-site car park for each staff member needed to run the centre at full capacity.

On-site car park requirements

If you're changing the use of a building

If you're changing the use of a building – for example, changing a home to a workplace like a daycare centre – you need to notify the Council, even if no building work is involved.

Changing the use of a building

If you're altering an existing building

If you're applying for a building consent to alter an existing building:

• the entire building must comply with the current Building Code requirements for escape from fire and, if required, access and facilities for people with disabilities
• the rest of the building must not be made less compliant with the Building Code because of the work.

Applying for a building consent to alter an existing building

If you'll produce liquid waste from a commercial kitchen

If your business will produce more liquid waste than a large household would – for example, oil or grease from a kitchen – you may need a trade waste consent.

Tips and trade waste consents