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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Land Transport Act 1998

Enforcement of responsibilities - Powers of entry, arrest, immobilisation, and impoundment

122: Enforcement officer may seize and impound vehicle for up to 12 hours in emergency

You could also call this:

“Police can take your car for a day if it's needed to keep everyone safe”

If a police officer or other law enforcement official thinks it’s important for everyone’s safety, they can take away your car for a short time. They can only do this if they have a good reason and if there’s no other way to keep people safe.

The officer can keep your car for up to 12 hours. If they still think it’s necessary after that time, they can keep it for another 12 hours. This means your car could be taken away for up to 24 hours in total.

When the officer takes your car, they have to follow certain rules. These rules are the same as when they take a car for other reasons. The rules tell the officer what they need to do and explain what rights you have when your car is taken.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM435117.

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121A: Enforcement officer may give directions or immobilise vehicle if driver breaches certain licence conditions, or

"Police can stop you or take your keys if you break learner or restricted licence rules"

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123: Enforcement officer may seize and impound vehicle for up to 10 working days in relation to certain offences, or

"Police can take your car for up to 10 days if you're in a big accident or don't follow the rules"

Part 9 Enforcement of responsibilities
Powers of entry, arrest, immobilisation, and impoundment

122Enforcement officer may seize and impound vehicle for up to 12 hours in emergency

  1. If an enforcement officer believes on reasonable grounds that it is in the interests of public safety that a motor vehicle should be seized and impounded, and that it is unlikely that those interests could be secured by exercising powers conferred other than by this section, the officer may seize and impound, or authorise the impoundment of, the vehicle for such period (which may not exceed 12 hours) as is required to secure those interests.

  2. If an enforcement officer believes on reasonable grounds that it is in the interests of public safety for a vehicle to remain impounded under this section for a further period and that it is unlikely that those interests could be secured by exercising powers conferred other than by this section, the officer may extend by up to 12 hours the period for which the vehicle was impounded under subsection (1).

  3. Sections 96(4), 97, and 98 (which set out requirements and rights relating to the seizure and impoundment of vehicles) apply, with any necessary modifications, to the seizure and impoundment of a vehicle under this section as if the vehicle were being seized under section 96.