Summary Offences Act 1981

Offences against public order

3: Disorderly behaviour

You could also call this:

"Behaving badly in public can get you in trouble"

Illustration for Summary Offences Act 1981

You can get in trouble if you behave in a bad way in a public place. This includes being riotous, offensive, threatening, insulting, or disorderly. You could be fined up to $2,000 or go to prison for up to 3 months if your behaviour is likely to cause violence.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM53398.

This page was last updated on 11 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safety

2: Interpretation, or

"What special words mean in the Summary Offences Act 1981"

4: Offensive behaviour or language, or

"Behaving badly or using offensive language in public can get you in trouble"

3Disorderly behaviour

Every person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $2,000 who, in or within view of any public place, behaves, or incites or encourages any person to behave, in a riotous, offensive, threatening, insulting, or disorderly manner that is likely in the circumstances to cause violence against persons or property to start or continue.

Compare

1927 No 35 ss 3D, 34
1957 No 87 s 213
1960 No 119 s 2(1)
1967 No 154 s 2(1)

Notes

Section 3: amended, on 1 January 1998, by section 7 of the Summary Offences Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 97).