Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Activities) Amendment Regulations 2026
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2026/77
Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Activities) Amendment Regulations 2026
Cindy Kiro, Governor-General
Order in Council
At Wellington this 7th day of April 2026
Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council
These regulations are made under section 43 of the Resource Management Act 1991—
(a)
on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and
(b)
on the recommendation of the Minister for the Environment made in accordance with section 44 of that Act.
Contents
Regulations
1 Title
These regulations are the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Activities) Amendment Regulations 2026.
2 Commencement
These regulations come into force on 7 May 2026.
3 Principal regulations
These regulations amend the regulations that were previously called the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities) Regulations 2009.
4 Title of principal regulations changed
In regulation 1, after “Transmission”
, insert “and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure”
.
5 Regulation 3 amended (Interpretation)
(1)
In regulation 3(1), insert in their appropriate alphabetical order:
electric vehicle charging infrastructure means all buildings, structures, equipment, and other facilities associated with the charging of electric vehicles,—
(a)
including electric vehicle charging car parks and manoeuvring spaces, chargers, cabinets, batteries, bollards, and wheel stops; but
(b)
not including lighting, signage, and retail sales of any other goods or services
LAeq has the same meaning as “time-average A-weighted sound pressure level”
in NZS 6801:2008 Acoustics—Measurement of environmental sound
LAFmax has the same meaning as “maximum A-frequency weighted, F-time weighted sound pressure level”
in NZS 6801:2008 Acoustics—Measurement of environmental sound
transport corridor has the meaning set out in section 4 of the Utilities Access Act 2010
(2)
In regulation 3(1), replace the definition of operation with:
operation, in relation to the use of a transmission line, means to convey electricity
6 New regulation 3A inserted (Noise)
After regulation 3, insert:
3A Noise
In these regulations, noise must be measured in accordance with NZS 6801:2008 Acoustics—Measurement of environmental sound and assessed in accordance with NZS 6802:2008 Acoustics—Environmental noise.
7 Regulation 4 amended (Regulations apply only to certain activities relating to existing transmission lines)
In regulation 4(1), replace “These regulations”
with “Regulations 5 to 39”
.
8 Regulation 39 amended (Discretionary activities)
In regulation 39, replace “An activity to which these regulations apply (under regulation 4)”
with “An activity to which regulations 4 to 39 apply”
.
9 New regulations 40 to 45 and cross-heading inserted
After regulation 39, insert:
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
40 Permitted activities: electric vehicle charging infrastructure not available for public use
(1)
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is not available for public use is a permitted activity if the condition in subclause (2) is complied with.
Condition
(2)
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is not available for public use must comply with the zone rules relating to the construction of buildings and structures, and alterations and additions to existing buildings and structures, in a plan.
41 Permitted activities: electric vehicle charging infrastructure on transport corridor
(1)
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of electric vehicle charging infrastructure located on a transport corridor is a permitted activity if the condition in subclause (2) is complied with.
Condition
(2)
The electric vehicle charging infrastructure must be associated with a permitted or consented vehicle parking space.
42 Permitted activities: electric vehicle charging infrastructure ancillary to primary activity
(1)
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is ancillary to the primary activity (excluding residential uses) on the site is a permitted activity if the applicable conditions in subclauses (2) to (6) are complied with.
Conditions
(2)
The electric vehicle charging infrastructure must not exceed 3 metres in height if located within—
(a)
1 metre of any front boundary; or
(b)
3 metres of any boundary adjoining a residential zone.
(3)
The electric vehicle charging infrastructure must be associated with a permitted or consented vehicle parking space.
(4)
In a residential zone, noise associated with an electric vehicle charging infrastructure activity must not exceed the following limits measured at the boundary of another site:
(a)
50 dB LAeq(15min) between 7 am and 10 pm:
(b)
40 dB LAeq(15min) between 10 pm and 7 am:
(c)
65 dB LAFmax between 10 pm and 7 am.
(5)
In a non-residential zone, noise associated with an electric vehicle charging infrastructure activity must not exceed the following limits measured—
(a)
at the boundary of any site zoned residential:
(i)
55 dB LAeq(15min) between 7 am and 10 pm:
(ii)
45 dB LAeq(15min) between 10 pm and 7 am:
(iii)
65 dB LAFmax between 10 pm and 7 am:
(b)
at the boundary of any site that is not zoned residential:
(i)
60 dB LAeq(15min) at any time:
(ii)
65 dB LAFmax between 10 pm and 7 am.
(6)
Earthworks associated with an electric vehicle charging infrastructure activity must—
(a)
not result in a permanent cut height of more than 1.5 metres; and
(b)
not result in a fill depth of more than 1.5 metres; and
(c)
be carried out with controls to minimise the mobilisation of silt or sediment beyond the boundary of the site where the earthworks occur; and
(d)
not result in any instability of land at or beyond the boundary of the site where the earthworks occur; and
(e)
be reinstated to stabilise the site from further erosion within 1 month after the earthworks are complete.
43 Permitted activities: stand-alone electric vehicle charging infrastructure
(1)
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of stand-alone electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is the primary activity (excluding residential uses) on the site is a permitted activity if—
(a)
the applicable conditions in subclauses (2) to (4) are complied with; and
(b)
the applicable conditions in regulation 42(4) to (6) are complied with.
Conditions
(2)
The site of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure must not be located in a residential zone, natural area, or historic heritage area.
(3)
The electric vehicle charging infrastructure must not exceed 3 metres in height if located within—
(a)
1 metre of any front boundary; or
(b)
3 metres of any boundary adjoining a residential zone.
(4)
No more than 10 vehicles per hour (averaged across 24 hours) can be charged at the site of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
44 Restricted discretionary activities
(1)
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a restricted discretionary activity if the applicable conditions in regulations 40, 42, and 43 are breached.
Matters to which discretion restricted
(2)
In relation to a restricted discretionary activity under this regulation, discretion is restricted to—
(a)
the following matters, to the extent that they relate to the breach of the relevant condition(s):
(i)
the effects on the safe and efficient operation of transport networks; and
(ii)
the effects of the operation of the activity, including noise; and
(b)
the extent to which a non-compliance is due to evolving technology; and
(c)
the proposed measures to avoid, mitigate, or remedy any adverse environmental effects.
45 Rules may be more lenient
A rule in a plan that applies to electric vehicle charging infrastructure may be more lenient than the rules in regulations 40 to 44.
Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These regulations, which come into force on 7 May 2026, amend the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities) Regulations 2009 (the principal regulations).
The amendments expand the application of the principal regulations to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The title of the principal regulations is changed to Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Activities) Regulations 2009 to reflect the expanded scope.
The amendments introduce permitted activities for the construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of—
electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is not available for public use; and
electric vehicle charging infrastructure located on a transport corridor; and
electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is ancillary to the primary activity (excluding residential uses); and
stand alone electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The construction, maintenance, operation, upgrade, replacement, and removal of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a restricted discretionary activity if certain permitted activity conditions are breached.
The amendments also clarify that local authorities may make rules in relation to electric vehicle charging infrastructure that are more lenient than these regulations.
Regulatory impact statement
The Ministry for the Environment produced a regulatory impact statement on 9 March 2026 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the contents of this instrument.
A copy of this regulatory impact statement can be found at—
Date of notification in Gazette: 9 April 2026.
These regulations are administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
Versions
Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Activities) Amendment Regulations 2026
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