Summary Offences Act 1981

Indecency

27: Indecent exposure

You could also call this:

"Exposing private body parts in public can get you in trouble"

Illustration for Summary Offences Act 1981

You can get in trouble if you intentionally expose your genitals in a public place. You could go to prison for up to 3 months or get a fine of up to $2,000. It is not against the law if you can prove you thought no one would see you. You might not be in trouble if you can show you had a good reason to think you were alone. This law is part of the Summary Offences Act 1981, which you can find on the New Zealand legislation website https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM418080. You should understand that this law is in place to protect people from indecent behaviour.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM53587.

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

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Police and safety

26: Soliciting, or

"Asking for money or favours on the street is against the law"

28: Being found in public place preparing to commit offence, or

"Getting ready to commit a crime in a public place"

27Indecent exposure

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, intentionally and obscenely exposes any part of his or her genitals.
It is a defence in a prosecution under this section if the defendant proves that he or she had reasonable grounds for believing that he or she would not be observed.

Compare

1927 No 35 s 47
1967 No 154 s 2(1)

Notes

Section 27(1): amended, on 1 January 1998, by section 7 of the Summary Offences Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 97).