Model
Towable RV-cert
Built on a registered trailer and certified self-contained — a rolling home, not a building.
Different rule-book entirely. The build sits on a heavy-duty NZTA-registered trailer with a maximum trailer mass under 3,500 kg for an ordinary-class licence (or a heavier configuration with the right licence). Once certified self-contained under NZS5465 by an accredited tester, it can stay up to 3 nights on freedom-camping land or indefinitely on private property without building consent — because it's a vehicle, not a dwelling.
What's included as standard
- Heavy-duty galvanised tandem-axle trailer (NZTA-rego'd)
- Lightweight timber + steel hybrid framing
- 12V/240V dual electrical with shore-power inlet
- 65L freshwater + 65L greywater + 19L blackwater (NZS5465-compliant)
- Cassette or composting WC
- Diesel or LPG hot water, two-burner LPG hob
- Self-Contained Tester certification on handover
What you'll pay for separately
- Tow vehicle (must be rated for the trailer's gross mass)
- Long-term parking arrangement (private property OK; freedom-camping is 3-night limit)
- Fixed foundations or skirting (would re-classify it as a building)
Consent posture
Not a building, so no building consent. Must be NZTA-registered as a trailer, WoF-current, and certified self-contained under NZS5465 (the Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board scheme replaced the old NZMCA-only scheme in 2023).
Best for
Renters who want to keep moving, short-term seasonal living, freelancers chasing surf or work around the country.
Builders
3 builders build the towable rv-cert
Waikato · Cambridge
Cambridge Cabin Co
Towable RV-cert specialist — every build NZS5465 self-contained certified.
From $105k
Northland · Kaiwaka
Kaiwaka Tiny
Sleeper-cabin & towable specialist — the cheapest serious builder we list.
From $31k
Manawatū-Whanganui · Palmerston North
Palmerston North Tiny Works
The country's largest tiny-home factory. Eight builds in production every month.
From $36k
Case studies