KiwiBuild: Ended in 2024

KiwiBuild was wound up in 2024 and is not accepting new applications. Cabinet agreed to end the programme, Kainga Ora signs no new KiwiBuild underwrites and manages existing ones only, and roughly 2,300 homes were delivered against an original target of 100,000. If you are looking for help buying a first home today, the two pathways that are still open are the Kainga Ora First Home Loan, which lets eligible buyers purchase with a 5% deposit, and the KiwiSaver first home withdrawal. Both are linked below. The First Home Grant is also gone; it closed to new applications on 22 May 2024.

The income test below is kept because legacy KiwiBuild listings still exist and their terms can still refer to the old caps. It reflects the settings as they stood when the programme ended: 120,000 dollars for an individual buyer with no dependants, 150,000 dollars for an individual buyer with one or more dependants, and 200,000 dollars combined for two or more buyers, all measured on gross income in the 12 months before purchase. Regional price caps applied as well. If you are dealing with a specific legacy listing, check that listing's own terms rather than assuming the ballot, price cap or eligibility rules still apply, because the wind-down removed some buyer restrictions.

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Under the cap
against the KiwiBuild caps as they stood when the programme ended
Income cap$200,000
Headroom$20,000

KiwiBuild closed to new applications in 2024; this is the income test as it stood, kept for legacy listings. It was never the whole test: residency, first-home-buyer, age, owner-occupier rules and regional price caps applied too. Check the terms of any specific listing.

How it works

The calculator compares your gross household income for the last 12 months against the relevant KiwiBuild cap as it stood when the programme closed: 120,000 dollars for one buyer with no dependants, 150,000 dollars for one buyer with dependants, or 200,000 dollars combined for two or more buyers. If your income is at or below the cap you are within the income test, and it shows your headroom; if it is above, it shows how far over you are.

Worked example

A couple with a combined gross income of 180,000 dollars is tested against the 200,000 dollar cap that applied to two or more buyers. They are under it with 20,000 dollars of headroom, so they would have passed the income test. That is the default the page loads with. Since the programme closed, passing it no longer opens an application.

Related calculators

Data sources: the rates and thresholds on this page are maintained against Kainga Ora. Figures are checked twice monthly.

Frequently asked questions

What are the KiwiBuild income caps?

A single buyer must have a gross income at or below 120,000 dollars in the 12 months before buying. For two or more buyers the combined cap is 200,000 dollars. These caps apply to before-tax income.

What else do I need to qualify for KiwiBuild?

You must be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or resident-visa holder ordinarily living here, be at least 18, be a first home buyer or in a similar position, and intend to live in the home for at least the required period rather than rent it out or flip it.

Are there price caps too?

Yes. KiwiBuild homes have regional price caps that vary by location and the type of home. This tool checks the income test; confirm the current price caps and full criteria on the official KiwiBuild website.