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Civil Aviation Act 1990

Offences and penalties - Safety offences

46: Acting without necessary aviation document

You could also call this:

“You can get in trouble for doing aviation work without the right papers”

You commit an offence if you operate, maintain, service, or do anything with an aircraft, aeronautical product, or aviation-related service without the right current aviation document. This also applies if you know you need the document but don’t have it.

If you’re found guilty of this offence, you can be punished. If you’re an individual, you might go to prison for up to 12 months or pay a fine of up to $10,000. If you’re a company, you might have to pay a fine of up to $100,000.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM216916.

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Part 5 Offences and penalties
Safety offences

46Acting without necessary aviation document

  1. Every person commits an offence who—

  2. operates, maintains, or services; or
    1. does any other act in respect of—
        1. any aircraft, aeronautical product, or aviation related service, either without holding the appropriate current aviation document or knowing that a current aviation document is required to be held in respect of that aircraft, product, or service before that act may lawfully be done and knowing that the appropriate aviation document is not held.

      1. Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—

      2. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding $10,000; or
        1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $100,000.

          Notes
          • Section 46(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
          • Section 46(2)(b): amended, on , by section 41 of the Civil Aviation Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 75).