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Proposed ORC fees and charges
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The Schedule of Fees and Charges has been reviewed as part of the Annual Plan process and minimal changes are proposed for 2026-27.
The majority of fees remain as per the current year, however a fee relating to the late provision of performance monitoring information to the council has been removed as it was not used.
Wording in the schedule has been updated to reflect recent changes in legislation and allow for the charging of permitted activity monitoring. All other changes to the scale of fees and charges are intended to improve clarity, readability, minimise queries and improve alignment with legislation.
The schedule below shows the proposed charges from 1 July 2026.
The following Scale of Charges is to be applied where indicated to activities includes in this Schedule of Fees and Charges.
| Charge | Current (2025-26) |
Proposed (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Staff time per hour: | ||
| - Management | $215 | $215 |
| - Team Leader/Principal | $195 | $195 |
| - Senior Technical | $175 | $175 |
| - Technical | $150 | $150 |
| - Field staff | $150 | $150 |
| - Administration | $115 | $115 |
| - Specialist Expert Services. For example: Science, Hazards or Engineering time. | $175 | $175 |
| Disbursements | Actual | Actual |
| Additional Site Notice | Actual | Actual |
| Advertisements | Actual | Actual |
| Vehicle use per kilometre | As per IRD Published Rates | As per IRD Published Rates |
| Harbourmaster vessel per hour | $395 | $395 |
| Travel and accommodation | Actual | Actual |
| Testing charges | Actual | Actual |
| Consultants | Actual | Actual |
| Commissioners | Actual | Actual |
| Councillor Hearing fees per hour: | ||
| - Chairperson | $116 | $116 |
| - Member | $93 | $93 |
| - Expenses | Actual | Actual |
Set out below are details of the amounts payable for those activities to be funded by fees and charges, as authorised by Section 36(1) of the Resource Management Act 1991.
Note that the fees shown below are a deposit to be paid on lodgement of a consent application and applications for exemptions in respect of water measuring devices. The deposit will not usually cover the full cost of processing the application, and further actual and reasonable costs are incurred at the rate shown in the scale of charges. GST is included in all fees and charges. Costs for applications are typically invoiced at the end of process.
Pre-Application Work
We offer a pre-application service to help customers. The first 30 minutes of pre-application advice or review of application documents attracts no charge. We will always advise before we start charging for application advice. For larger pre-application projects we may invoice before, during, and after the process is complete. Fees payable for pre-application work carried out before a consent application is lodged with Council will be incurred at the rates shown in the scale of charges.
| Deposits | Current (2025-26) |
Proposed (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Publicly Notified Deposits:3 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Non-Notified and Limited Notification Deposits: 3 – First consent | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Subsequent consents | $200 | $200 |
| Other Application Types – Variation to Conditions – s127 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Fixed Fees | ||
| Single Bore | $1,365 | $1,365 |
| Single farm dairy effluent storage and discharge to land | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Single dairy effluent discharge to land | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Small scale contaminated land disturbance | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Exemption under regulation 7A of the Water Metering Regulations | $250 | $250 |
| Exemption under regulations 9 or 10 of the Water Metering Regulations | $600 | $600 |
| Transfer consent holder and certificate | $200 | $200 |
| Hearings | ||
| Hearings | Per Note 2 below | Per Note 2 below |
| Payment for Commissioner request – s100A | Per Note 4 below | Per Note 4 below |
| Objections | ||
| Payment for Commissioner request – s357AB | Per Note 4 below | Per Note 4 below |
| Transfer of Consent Holder and Certificates Deposits: | ||
| Priority Table | $200 | $200 |
| Certificate of Compliance | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| All Other Costs | As per Scale of Charges | As per Scale of Charges |
- For additional permits in respect of the same site, activity, applicant, time of application, and closely related effect as the first application. Applications for more than one activity require an additional deposit for each activity. The $200 deposit is required for each additional activity applied for in an application this deposit amount includes a one-off compliance administration fee of $100.
- An interim invoice of costs to date in addition to a deposit payable shall be 90% of the cost of a hearing as calculated by Council in accordance with information contained in the application file and using the scale of charges. The amount payable will be due at least 10 working days before the commencement of the hearing. If the amount is not paid by the due date, then the Council reserves the right under S36(7) of the Resource Management Act to stop processing the application. This may include cancellation of the hearing.
- Should a hearing be cancelled or postponed due to the non-payment of the charge, the applicant will be invoiced for any costs that arise from that cancellation or postponement.
- Following completion of the hearing process, any shortfall in the recovery of hearing costs will be invoiced, or any over recovery will be refunded to the applicant
- This deposit is to be paid as the initial deposit if you request public notification when your application is lodged with Council, or when there is a decision made to publicly notify your application. This is as well as the other costs associated with notified applications. Where actual and reasonable costs are less than the deposit paid, a refund will be given.
- Where an applicant requests under s100A (for a consent hearing) or under s357AB (for the hearing of an objection) an independent commissioner(s); the applicant will be required to pay any increase in cost of having the commissioner(s).
Use of Consultants for resource consents
If ORC uses an external consultant for the processing of a consent, or to provide technical input into the application then the full actual and reasonable costs of the consultant is charged to the applicant. This may include instances where the applicant makes a request for urgency, the application involves complex and/or technical matters or a peer review is necessary. ORC will also charge the applicant for time spent managing the consultant. ORC will advise the applicant before engaging a consultant.
If ORC uses a consultant to commission a report under section 92(2) of the RMA, the full cost of the consultant is charged to the applicant.
Review of Consent Conditions
Following the granting of a consent, a subsequent review of consent conditions may be carried out at either the request of the consent holder, or as authorised under Section 128, as a requirement of Council. Costs incurred in undertaking reviews requested by the Consent Holder, or as authorised under Section 128 will be payable by the Consent Holder at the rates shown in the Scale of Charges above.
Performance Monitoring
The following charges will apply to the review and/or monitoring of performance monitoring conditions for all consent holders, except those listed in ‘Fees for Specific Consent Holders’ section below. The charges shown are annual fixed fees per performance monitoring report or plan, and are inclusive of GST.
| Resource Consent Monitoring and Annual Administration Charges | Current (2025-26) | Proposed (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| One off compliance set up fee to be charged on all new applications 1st consent. Covers the cost of compliance monitoring systems. This is included in the consent deposit and fixed fees above and only to be charged if a deposit or fixed fee is not paid. | $180 | $180 |
| One off compliance set up fee to be charged on all new applications (subsequent consents) covers the cost of compliance monitoring systems. This is included in the consent deposit and fixed fees above and only to be charged if a deposit or fixed fee is not paid. | $100 | $100 |
| Ongoing compliance management fee to be charged on consents with Performance Monitoring requirements. | $62 | $62 |
| Late performance monitoring fee to be charged as required. | $180 | Removed |
| Annual Consent Compliance Monitoring Charges | ||
| Compliance monitoring charge for each other item due during the financial year (unless covered by one of the fees below) examples include management plans, provision of photos, bore logs, notifications, record of complaints, annual reports. | $87 | $87 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of telemetered water take data/information (including verifications returns) | $230 | $230 |
| Each additional telemetered water measuring device | $62 | $62 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of manual and data logger water take data/information (including verification returns), excludes those who hold a WEX for the installation of telemetry. | $290 | $290 |
| Each additional non telemetered water measuring device | $125 | $125 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to small/simple discharge consents. | $102 | $102 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to medium/moderately complex discharge consents. | $390 | $390 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to large/complex discharge consents. | $1,145 | $1,145 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to simple/small earthworks consents. | $335 | $335 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to standard/medium earthworks consents. | $1,075 | $1,075 |
| Annual charge for the receipt and processing of all returns relating to complex/large earthworks consents. Very large developments may be set up as major clients. | $2,250 | $2,250 |
| Inspection reports for small dams (RMA Consents) | $175 | $175 |
| Inspection reports for large dams (RMA Consents) | $340 | $340 |
| Structural integrity report | $125 | $125 |
| CMA Structure Permit (Annual Charge) | $30 | $30 |
| Low flow monitoring charges | ||
| Kakanui at McCones | $410 | $410 |
Fees for Specific Consent Holders
Performance monitoring will be charged as 100% of actual costs where applying the fixed charges listed above do not represent a fair and reasonable charge. This includes major consent holders who hold a large number of individual consents and/or consents which contain complex monitoring requirements. It also includes consents where data or information is consistently submitted in a way which generates significant extra costs for Council.
Additional charges may be incurred for new consents granted during the year.
Resource consent audits
Audits and site inspections for monitoring consents will be as follows:
| Resource Consent Monitoring audit fee | Current (2025-26) |
Proposed (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal permit – structure | $300 | $300 |
| Coastal permit – mooring | $250 | $250 |
| Bore inspection | $400 | $400 |
| Small/simple on-site waste water discharge consent | $450 | $450 |
| Dairy Consent Audit (note - to cover and replace dairy targeted rate) | $500 | $500 |
All other audits of resource consents will be charged at the actual and reasonable cost incurred using the Scale of Charges. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Staff time to carry out an inspection (including travel), assess any information provided by consent holders, report back to consent holders and follow up any non-compliance (if required).
- Any disbursements related to the monitoring, including sampling and testing costs and any specialist or technical advice needed.
Non Compliance – Resource Consent
The following activities will be charged at the actual and reasonable cost incurred, using the Scale of Charges. For clarification, these costs are in additional to any resource consent auditing costs:
- Where non-compliance with a resource consent is identified, charges may be paid by a person, for the ORC carrying out any function to determine whether the contravention has occurred.
- If there has been a breach of a resource consent then the ORC shall charge the consent holder the full costs of monitoring and supervising the exercise of the consent in respect of that breach, including:
- Staff time to consider the non-compliance, prepare reports and correspondence, and any disbursements (eg sampling services, technical advice) related to consent non-compliance.
- Response to an incident notification (eg a complaint about water pollution or odour discharge), the consent holder is only charged if the consent is breached, and non-compliance is observed.
- Costs for external consultants/contractors (actual charges)
- Charges payable by a person subject to an abatement notice or enforcement order, for the issuing, administering, supervising or monitoring compliance with that notice.
Non-Compliance General
- Where non-compliance with the Resource Management Act 1991, a National Environmental Standard, a Regulation or a rule in a plan is identified, charges may be paid by a person, for the ORC carrying out any function to determine whether the contravention has occurred, using the Scale of Charges.
Other Compliance Activities
The following activities will be charged at the actual and reasonable cost incurred, using the Scale of Charges. For clarification, these costs are in additional to any resource consent auditing costs:
- The monitoring of a person’s compliance with any rule that relates to a permitted activity, excluding a rule in a plan that permits the same activity as is permitted in a National Environmental Standard.
- Performance and compliance monitoring of permitted activities under a National Environmental Standard, including but not limited to Freshwater, Commercial Forestry and Storing of Tyres Outdoors - if the ORC is empowered to charge for the monitoring in accordance with section 43A(8) of the RMA.
- Charges payable by farm operators, in relation to freshwater farm plans, for ORC carrying out its functions under section 217I of the RMA.
Gravel Inspection and Management
Gravel extraction fee – $0.66 per cubic metre. Up to a maximum of $6,600 per consent per year.
Resource Monitoring
Water or air monitoring work carried out for external parties – Scale of Charges.
Private Plan Changes
Work carried out on privately initiated plan changes – Scale of Charges.
Dam Safety and Building Control
The following table of charges and deposits will apply to the Dam Safety and Building Control activity.
| Activity | Description | Deposit | Current (2025-26) |
Proposed (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issue of Certification of Acceptance (CoA) | Receive, process and grant or refuse applications for CoA | $2,000 | Scale of Charges plus MBIE/BRANZ levies where applicable* | Scale of Charges plus MBIE/BRANZ levies where applicable* |
| Project Information Memorandum (PIM) for a Dam | Receive, process and issue PIM applications | - | Scale of Charges | Scale of Charges |
| Dam Safety | Dangerous dams, earthquake -prone dams, and flood-prone dams – inspections and enforcement | - | Scale of Charges | Scale of Charges |
| Consider and approve (or refuse) dam classifications | - | Fixed Fee - $115 | Fixed Fee - $115 | |
| Approve or refuse dam safety assurance programmes | - | Fixed Fee - $285 | Fixed Fee - $285 | |
| Receive annual dam safety assurance programme compliance certificates | - | Fixed Fee - $60 | Fixed Fee - $60 | |
| Notices to Fix (NTF) | Issue of NTF | - | Scale of Charges | Scale of Charges |
| Inspection(s) of building work under NTF | - | Scale of Charges | Scale of Charges | |
| Any other activity under the Building Act | - | Scale of Charges | Scale of Charges |
*Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) levies apply to COA applications where the estimated value of building work is greater than $20,000. The Otago Regional Council is required to collect these levies from the applicant on behalf of MBIE and BRANZ. The levies quoted are as required by regulation and may change in accordance with amendments made to regulations.
Regional Pest Management Plan Implementation
Work carried out resulting from inaction of landowners not complying with the Otago Pest Management Plan 2019-2029. The ‘Scale of Charges’ applies.
Section 128 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 enables the power to act on default when an enforcement document has not been complied with in:
- The time specified in it for compliance; or
- If no time was specified in it, a reasonable time.
You can get a hard copy of the ORC Schedule of Fees and Charges from customer service by:
- Visiting our office at Level 2, 144 Rattray Street, Dunedin
- Calling us on 0800 474 082
- Emailing us at customerservices@orc.govt.nz
Fees and Charges FAQs
This page answers common questions about fees and charges for consent applications. It covers topics like what your invoice will look like, why you might get charged extra, and how the fees are set. It also explains what to do if you have questions about your invoice or if you disagree with the costs.
Fees and charges
Processing a resource consent application will incur fees and charges. The costs will vary depending on the time involved, the quality of information provided, any technical issues and complexity of the application.
