Sustainable camping in Kāpiti
Kilometres of stunning coastline and the captivating backdrop of Kāpiti Island make Kāpiti a must-visit destination for sustainable travellers. It's the perfect stopover going to or from Wellington, with a series of coastal communities only an hour's drive north of the Capital.
Fully self-contained vehicles are welcome to stay at our eight well-signposted designated sites around the Kāpiti Coast.
Permits are not required, but to enhance campers' stay and experience you must:
- be considerate of residents and other campers
- remove all rubbish, including solid and liquid waste
- provide evidence your vehicle is self-contained, if asked by a council officer
- abide by all Council bylaws including camp fires and barbecue use, noise and animal control.
For campers who are not self-contained, Kāpiti has three holiday parks that offer a wide range of facilities.
Sustainable camping (sometimes called freedom camping or responsible camping) is all about caring for our spectacular environment as much as we do. Sustainable campers leave no trace and help keep our communities and the natural environment free from pollution and waste.
Self-containment certification
You can only camp on local authority land if your vehicle is certified as self-contained.
This means from now until 7 June 2025, all private vehicles must have either a ‘Blue warrant’ or ‘Green warrant’ certificate of self-containment.
Blue warrants are being phased out and will stop being valid on 7 June 2026. From then, all vehicles must be certified under the new Green warrant card system.
From now, if your Blue warrant expires or you new a new warrant, you will need to be certified under the Green warrant card system.
Green warrants
Under the new Green warrant requirements, you need to have your vehicle certified by a Certification Authority. Certification is valid for four years.
Visit the register to find a Certification Authority in your region.
To receive a Green warrant, your vehicle must meet requirements in relation to its water supply, fixed toilet, wastewater system, ventilation system, sink and rubbish storage.
More information on the requirements for getting your vehicle certified is available on the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board website.
Locations
The table and map below show Kāpiti sustainable camping sites, what facilities are available at each one, and how long you are able to stay. The number of sustainable camping vehicles welcome at each site ranges from one to six, on a first-come, first-served basis.
| Location | Sites available | How long can I stay? |
| Field Way, Waikanae Beach | 2 | 24 hours |
| Waimea Road Carpark, Waikanae Beach | 2* | 24 hours |
| Waikanae Park, Park Avenue | 2* | 24 hours |
| Waikanae River Mouth, Tutere Street | 4* | 24 hours |
| 54 Marine Parade (opposite), Paraparaumu Beach | 1* | 24 hours |
| 62 Marine Parade (opposite), Paraparaumu Beach | 2* | 24 hours |
| 69 Marine Parade (opposite), Paraparaumu Beach | 2* | 24 hours |
| Raumati Beach, Matatua Road Carpark | 3 | 24 hours |
*Please use only the marked designated sustainable camping park(s) at each site.
Map
Waste disposal
Campers can dispose of their toilet/shower waste at the following Council affiliated location:
Ōtaki Refuse Transfer Station (Riverbank Road Ōtaki PDS)
1 Riverbank Road
Ōtaki
Other commercial locations include:
- Mobil Amohia St, Paraparaumu
- BP, 108 Kāpiti Road.
Note: these commercial locations are not owned or managed by Council, and are outlined on this page for user convenience only. Please contact the site manager regarding any maintenance.
Compliance
We monitor our sustainable camping sites and encourage sustainable camping, which is all about caring for our spectacular environment as much as we do. Sustainable campers leave no trace and help keep our communities and natural environment free from pollution and waste.
Our Sustainable Camping Ambassadors have some more information on what these changes mean for you when you stay in Kāpiti:
