Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993

Offences - Offences involving objectionable or restricted publications

127: Exhibition to persons under 18

You could also call this:

"Showing bad content to kids is against the law"

Illustration for Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993

If you show an objectionable publication to someone under 18 years old, you commit an offence. You can get a fine if you do this. The fine can be up to $10,000 for an individual or $30,000 for a company. If you know a publication is objectionable and you show it to someone under 18, you commit a more serious offence. You can get a prison sentence or a big fine if you do this. The prison sentence can be up to 10 years for an individual or a fine of up to $200,000 for a company. It is no excuse to say you did not know the publication was objectionable. You must make sure you do not show objectionable publications to people under 18 years old.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM314155.

This page was last updated on 8 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal lawFamily and relationships > Children and parenting

126: Offences involving knowledge in relation to restricted publications, or

"Breaking the rules about restricted publications can get you in trouble"

128: Circumstances when exhibition or display not an offence, or

"When showing a publication is not against the law"

Part 8Offences
Offences involving objectionable or restricted publications

127Exhibition to persons under 18

Every person commits an offence against this Act who exhibits or displays an objectionable publication to any person under the age of 18 years.
Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—
in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $10,000:
in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $30,000.

It shall be no defence to a charge under subsection (1) that the defendant had no knowledge or no reasonable cause to believe that the publication to which the charge relates was objectionable.
Every person commits an offence against this Act who exhibits or displays an objectionable publication to any person under the age of 18 years knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the publication is objectionable.
Every person who commits an offence against subsection (4) is liable on conviction,—
in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years:
in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $200,000.

Notes

Section 127(2): substituted, on 22 February 2005, by section 29(1) of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 2).
Section 127(2): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
Section 127(5): substituted, on 22 February 2005, by section 29(2) of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 2).
Section 127(5): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).