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Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against rights of property - Crimes involving computers

253: Designing, writing, or adapting software for committing certain crimes

You could also call this:

"Making software to help commit serious crimes is against the law"

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you design, write, or adapt software that can help someone commit a crime against section 249, section 250, or section 252, you commit an offence. You must also intend to use the software to commit one of these crimes, or intend for someone else to use it to commit one of these crimes. This means you want to use the software to do something wrong.

If you commit this offence, you can be sent to prison for up to 2 years. This is a serious punishment for doing something wrong with software. You should be aware of the laws when working with software.

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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=LMS1463229.

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Crime and justice > Criminal lawBusiness > Industry rules
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252: Accessing computer system without authorisation, or

"It's against the law to use a computer system when you're not allowed to."

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254: Dealing in or possessing software or other information for committing crime, or

"Having or selling software to help commit crimes is against the law"

Part 10Crimes against rights of property
Crimes involving computers

253Designing, writing, or adapting software for committing certain crimes

  1. A person who designs, writes, or adapts software commits an offence if—

  2. the resulting software would enable a person to commit an offence against section 249, 250, or 252; and
    1. the person intends to use the resulting software (or intends any other person to use it) to commit an offence against section 249, 250, or 252.

      1. A person who commits an offence against this section is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

      Notes
      • Section 253: inserted, on , by section 66 of the Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 39).