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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Freedom Camping Act 2011

Preliminary provisions

3: Outline of Act

You could also call this:

“This act explains the rules for camping in public places in New Zealand”

This Act outlines rules for freedom camping in New Zealand. It covers camping on land managed by local authorities, the Department of Conservation, and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). The Act doesn’t apply to private land.

You can freedom camp on land controlled by local authorities and the Department of Conservation unless it’s restricted or prohibited. On LINZ-controlled land, you can only freedom camp where it’s specifically allowed.

The Act is divided into three main parts:

Part 1 explains important words and ideas used in the Act.

Part 2 has rules for camping on different types of land:

  • Local authority land
  • Department of Conservation land
  • LINZ land

Part 3 covers:

  • What counts as breaking the rules and what happens if you do
  • How rule-breakers are dealt with
  • Who can enforce the rules and what they can do
  • Other important information
  • Rules about existing local camping laws

Remember, this Act doesn’t let local authorities ban freedom camping on all the land they control.

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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=DLM3742821.

Topics:
Housing and property > Land use
Environment and resources > Conservation
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“When the law starts being used”

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4: Interpretation, or

“What words mean in the Freedom Camping Act”

Part 1 Preliminary provisions

3Outline of Act

  1. This section provides an outline of this Act and indicates its purpose and scope, but it does not limit or affect the application or interpretation of any of the individual provisions of the Act.

  2. This Act regulates freedom camping on the following land:

  3. land controlled or managed by local authorities, including, in certain circumstances, land controlled or managed by the New Zealand Transport Agency under the Government Roading Powers Act 1989, the Land Transport Management Act 2003, the Public Works Act 1981, or the Railways Act 2005:
    1. land controlled or managed by the Department of Conservation under the Conservation Act 1987, the National Parks Act 1980, the Reserves Act 1977, or the Wildlife Act 1953:
      1. land managed or controlled by LINZ on behalf of the Crown under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998, the Land Act 1948, the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, the New Zealand Railways Corporation Act 1981, or the Public Works Act 1981.

        1. However, the powers of regulation under the Act do not allow for freedom camping to be prohibited on all land controlled or managed by a particular local authority.

        2. This Act does not regulate freedom camping on private land.

        3. Part 1 provides for preliminary matters and defines words and phrases used in the Act.

        4. Part 2 has 3 subparts, which deal with the following matters:

        5. subpart 1: freedom camping on land under the control of local authorities, as specified in subsection (2)(a):
          1. subpart 2: freedom camping on land under the control of the Department of Conservation, as specified in subsection (2)(b):
            1. subpart 3: freedom camping on land under the control of LINZ, as specified in subsection (2)(c).

              1. In Part 2,—

              2. subparts 1 and 2 permit freedom camping unless it is restricted or prohibited in accordance with the provisions of each subpart; and
                1. subpart 3 does not permit freedom camping unless it is permitted in accordance with the provisions of that subpart.

                  1. Part 3 has 5 subparts, which deal with the following matters:

                  2. subpart 1: offences, defences, and penalties:
                    1. subpart 2: how proceedings for an offence may be commenced and the persons against whom the proceedings may be taken:
                      1. subpart 3: the appointment and powers of enforcement officers and matters relating to any property seized by an enforcement officer:
                        1. subpart 4: miscellaneous matters:
                          1. subpart 5: transitional infringement offence provisions relating to current local authority camping-related bylaws.

                            Notes
                            • Section 3(2): replaced, on , by section 4(1) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).
                            • Section 3(3): amended, on , by section 4(2) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).
                            • Section 3(6): replaced, on , by section 4(3) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).
                            • Section 3(6A): inserted, on , by section 4(3) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).