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Land Transport Act 1998

Offences relating to driving (other than alcohol- and drug-related offences) and penalties - Other offences

49: Contravention of section 97(5) or (6)

You could also call this:

“Breaking rules about impounded vehicles can lead to fines”

You can be fined up to $5,000 if you do certain things with impounded vehicles without permission. It’s against the law to remove or release an impounded vehicle from storage without a good reason or proper authority. This applies to vehicles impounded under sections 96, 96AAA, 96AAB, 96A, 122, 123, and 249 of the law.

If you’re a storage provider, you also need to be careful. You must follow instructions to release an impounded vehicle when you’re told to do so. If you don’t release the vehicle to its owner or someone the owner has allowed, without a good reason, you can be in trouble too.

Remember, these rules are there to make sure impounded vehicles are handled properly and only released when they’re supposed to be.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM434679.

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48: Contravention of section 92(4), or

"Breaking the rules for required driving courses"

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50: Contravention of section 117(2), or

"Breaking the law by not letting go of a vehicle when told to"

Part 5 Offences relating to driving (other than alcohol- and drug-related offences) and penalties
Other offences

49Contravention of section 97(5) or (6)

  1. A person commits an offence if—

  2. the person, without reasonable excuse and acting without authority under this Act, removes or releases from storage a motor vehicle impounded under any of sections 96, 96AAA, 96AAB, 96A, 122, 123, and 249; or
    1. the person is a storage provider and fails or refuses, without reasonable excuse, to comply immediately with a direction under this Act to release a vehicle impounded under any of sections 96, 96AAA, 96AAB, 96A, 122, 123, and 249 to the owner or a person authorised by the owner.

      1. The maximum penalty on conviction for an offence against subsection (1) is a fine not exceeding $5,000.

      Notes
      • Section 49(1)(a): amended, on , by section 6 of the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Act 2023 (2023 No 62).
      • Section 49(1)(a): amended, on , by section 35(1) of the Land Transport Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 17).
      • Section 49(1)(b): amended, on , by section 6 of the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Act 2023 (2023 No 62).
      • Section 49(1)(b): amended, on , by section 35(1) of the Land Transport Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 17).