Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Freedom Camping Act 2011

Enforcement, miscellaneous, and transitional provisions - Offences, defences, and penalties - Cost of damage

24: Offenders liable for cost of damage

You could also call this:

“You might have to pay for damage if you break freedom camping rules”

If you break the rules about freedom camping, you might have to pay for any damage you cause. This is on top of, or instead of, any other punishment you might get.

You could be asked to pay for fixing damage to different types of land:

  • Local authority areas (like parks or reserves managed by your local council)
  • NZTA land (like roads and highways)
  • Conservation land (like national parks)
  • LINZ land (land managed by Land Information New Zealand)

The District Court will decide how much you need to pay. You’ll have to pay this money just like you would pay a fine.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

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=DLM3742882.

Topics:
Housing and property > Land use
Environment and resources > Conservation
Government and voting > Local councils
Previous

23: Penalties, or

“There are no more special punishments for breaking freedom camping rules”

Next

25: How proceedings commenced, or

“How legal action starts if you break freedom camping rules”

Part 3 Enforcement, miscellaneous, and transitional provisions
Offences, defences, and penalties: Cost of damage

24Offenders liable for cost of damage

  1. A person who commits an offence (including an infringement offence) may, in addition to, or instead of, incurring a penalty for the offence, be ordered to pay any of the following costs:

  2. the costs incurred by the local authority in repairing any damage done to a local authority area as a result of the offence:
    1. the costs incurred by the NZTA in repairing any damage done to NZTA land as a result of the offence:
      1. the costs incurred by the Department in repairing any damage done to conservation land as a result of the offence:
        1. the costs incurred by LINZ in repairing any damage done to LINZ land as a result of the offence.

          1. The costs must be assessed by the District Court and are recoverable as if they were a fine.

          Notes
          • Section 24(1): replaced, on , by section 23 of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).
          • Section 24(2): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).