Health Act 1956

Powers and duties of local authorities - Bylaws

66: Penalties for breach of bylaws

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"Breaking health bylaws can cost you up to $500 and more if you don't stop"

If you break a bylaw made under the Health Act 1956, you commit an offence and can be fined up to $500. If you keep breaking the bylaw, you can be fined an extra $50 for each day you continue to break it. You can be taken to court for this.

If you are found guilty of breaking a bylaw and you keep doing it, the local authority can ask the court to stop you from breaking the bylaw again. The court can do this with an injunction, which is a court order that tells you to stop doing something. This can happen after you have been convicted.

If something is not following a bylaw and it stays that way, it is considered to be a continuing offence, which means you can be fined for each day it is not fixed.

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This page was last updated on 24 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM307074.

65A: Effect of Building Act 2004 on bylaws, or

"Rules for local authorities making building bylaws under the Building Act 2004"

67: Mode of making bylaws, or

"How local authorities make rules under the Health Act 1956"

Part 2Powers and duties of local authorities
Bylaws

66Penalties for breach of bylaws

Every person who contravenes or fails to comply with any bylaw made under this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day on which the offence has continued.
The local authority may, after the conviction of any person for a continuing offence against any bylaw, apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for an injunction to restrain the further continuance of the offence by the person so convicted.
The continued existence of any work or thing in a state contrary to any bylaw shall be deemed to be a continuing offence within the meaning of this section.

Notes

Section 66(1): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
Section 66(1): amended, on 30 November 1979, by section 9 of the Health Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 64).