RAPID Numbers

What are RAPID numbers?

Rural Address Property IDentification (RAPID) is a system for locating rural properties. A RAPID number is like an address. Both are allocated by Council Officers.

A RAPID number is a combination of four letters and four numbers. The four letters at the start are an abbreviation of the road name. For example, ATAR = Atarau Road, ARVY = Arnold Valley Road etc. The numbers indicate the distance from the start of that road divided by ten. For example, 0012 = 120m, 0245 = 2.45km, 3241 = 32.41km. Together they look like this: ARVY 0124, for 124 Arnold Valley Road.

How RAPID numbers are allocated

Council allocates a RAPID number by measuring the distance along a road from the start to the property access or driveway and dividing by ten. Every 20m length of road has two available possible numbers, one odd number for the left side, and one even number for the right side. The number is marked on a BLUE marker peg and installed at the driveway close to the boundary line or a mailbox.

Why use RAPID numbers?

In the past, there have been several numbering systems used on some of our main roads. This has caused problems for emergency services (Police, Fire and Ambulance). For example, when "Main Road" is the road name and the numbers start and stop at each end of a town. In past, towns including Kaiata, Dobson, and Stillwater all had "Main Road" as the name used for the State Highway running through them, they also had individual numbering systems that started and stopped for the residential properties. That means they all had a "1 Main Rd", or a "6 Main Rd", which can cause confusion when the emergency services operator isn't familiar with rural areas.

Note - because RAPID numbers are not used in urban areas, emergency services operators may not be familiar with a RAPID number alone, so always be prepared to also quote an address or further location information. For example, in a request for an ambulance to 462 State Highway 7 Dobson, the ambulance officers know to travel 4.62km from Greymouth towards Dobson and look for a blue peg with "S7DO 0462" on it.

Who asks for or uses RAPID numbers?

A RAPID number may be quoted in the same situations as an address. For example, Ambulance, Couriers, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), NZ Post, Police, Registrar of Electors, Spark, Stats NZ, and Trustpower may all understand RAPID numbers.

How do I go about getting a RAPID number?

To get a RAPID number contact Council on 03 769 8611. Th details you need to provide are:

• Address
• Telephone number
• Details of your section, such as valuation number or Lot and District Plan number

Who then gets notified?

Once we have allocated a new number we will then send a notification to LINZ (Land Information NZ) and GDC Rates Officer. Periodically we will also update the Fire and Ambulance systems.

If we have changed your existing number we will notify: NZ Post, Registrar of Electors, LINZ and GDC Rates Officer.

In past we have offered to notify Telecom and Trustpower as well but no longer do this as it causes too many problems - this is something that the bill payer needs to action.

What do the four letters at the start of the number mean?

Those four letters as mentioned earlier are an abbreviation of the road name. Instead of using the full name Council staff decided to use a logical abbreviation instead. Those abbreviations are listed below:

What are the numbers on the road name signs?

New rural road signs have the RAPID number range for that section of road included. They may also indicate the direction the numbers run, so addresses can be located faster on long roads. Signs at the ends of a road have the full number range included, intermediate signs at intersections have partial number ranges to indicate number direction only.

What if the peg is damaged or stolen?

Council supplies new pegs and numbers free of charge. If your peg is damaged or goes missing, please contact Council on 03 769 8611.