GeoNet said the details were preliminary and could be subject to revision.
Residents around the capital took to Facebook to share their experiences, with multiple users saying they heard the quake before they felt it.
One Karori local said the tremor felt like a “jolt and a pop”.
Another said it felt like a “thud”, adding it “felt like only half the lounge shook”.
One user said the quake felt more “sudden and sharp” in southern Wellington.
Residents in Lower Hutt, Te Aro, Lyall Bay, Paraparaumu, and Thorndon said they felt the tremor.