Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Land Transport Act 1998

Disqualification, demerit points, licence suspension, and vehicle impoundment - Impoundment of vehicles

96AAB: Impoundment of motor vehicle for failure to give information about offence of failing to stop, etc

You could also call this:

“Police can take your car if you don't tell them about someone not stopping for them”

This law explains what happens if you don’t give information about a car that didn’t stop when it should have. If you’re driving a car that was involved in not stopping for the police, and the police ask you for information, you must give it to them. If you don’t, or if you give false information, the police can take your car away for 28 days.

The same thing can happen if you own the car or you’ve hired it, and you don’t give information when the police ask for it. The police can only take the car if they think it’s necessary to keep the roads safe.

If the police take your car, they have to follow certain rules. They might decide not to charge you with an offence. If that happens, or if you go to court and you’re found not guilty, you can get your car back.

You can also get your car back if you give the police the information they asked for. If the car is registered, the person who can get it back is usually the person who hired it or the person it’s registered to. If the car isn’t registered, it’s the person the police believe owns the car.

This law is part of how the police try to make sure people follow the rules on the road and help them when they’re investigating crimes.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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=LMS941170.

Previous

96AAA: Impoundment of motor vehicle used in offence of failing to stop, etc, or

"Police can take your car if you don't stop when told"

Next

96A: Impoundment of vehicle used in transport service, or

"Taking away vehicles from people who run transport services without permission"

Part 7 Disqualification, demerit points, licence suspension, and vehicle impoundment
Impoundment of vehicles

96AABImpoundment of motor vehicle for failure to give information about offence of failing to stop, etc

  1. This section applies if a vehicle—

  2. is involved in the commission of an offence against section 52A(1)(a) or (b); and
    1. has not been seized and impounded under section 96AAA.

      1. An enforcement officer may seize and impound, or seize and authorise the impoundment of, a motor vehicle for 28 days if the officer believes on reasonable grounds that—

      2. either—
        1. the driver of the vehicle failed or refused to provide information or provided false or misleading information in response to a demand for information made by the officer under section 114(3)(b) (see section 52A(1)(c) for the offence); or
          1. the registered person for, or the hirer of, the motor vehicle, without reasonable excuse, failed or refused to provide information or provided false or misleading information in response to a request under section 118(4) (see section 52(6) for the offence); and
          2. impounding the vehicle is necessary to prevent a serious threat to road safety.

            1. If an enforcement officer seizes and impounds, or seizes and authorises the impoundment of, a vehicle under this section, the following provisions apply, with any necessary modifications, as if the vehicle were seized and impounded under section 96:

            2. section 96(2) to (4A), (7), and (8):
              1. section 97:
                1. section 98.

                  1. A vehicle to which this section applies and a notice under section 96(2) relates must be released to the relevant person specified in subsection (6) if the Police have decided not to take any of the following proceedings (or if proceedings have been taken and the person against whom they are taken is acquitted):

                  2. proceedings against the driver for a matter referred to in subsection (2)(a)(i):
                    1. proceedings against the registered person or hirer for a matter referred to in subsection (2)(a)(ii).

                      1. A vehicle to which this section applies and a notice under section 96(2) relates may be released to the relevant person specified in subsection (6) if—

                      2. the driver has given the information demanded under section 114(3)(b); or
                        1. the registered person or hirer has given the information requested under section 118(4).

                          1. For the purposes of subsections (4) and (5), the relevant person is,—

                          2. if the vehicle is registered,—
                            1. the hirer (if any) of the vehicle; or
                              1. otherwise, the registered person for the vehicle; or
                              2. if the vehicle is not registered, a person who the enforcement officer is satisfied is the owner of the vehicle.

                                Notes
                                • Section 96AAB: inserted, on , by section 13 of the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Act 2023 (2023 No 62).