Bail Act 2000

Police bail

24: Failure to answer Police bail

You could also call this:

"What happens if you don't show up to court after being released on Police bail?"

If you are released on Police bail under section 21, you must attend court at the right time and place. You commit an offence if you fail to attend without a good reason. You can also commit an offence if you do not attend a hearing that has been adjourned under section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. If you commit this offence, you can be sentenced to up to 3 months in prison or a fine of up to $1,000.

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This page was last updated on 8 December 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM68935.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Courts and legal help

23: Bail and breach of protection order, or

"Bail Rules for Breaking a Protection Order"

25: Effect on bond of attendance or non-attendance of person bailed by constable, or

"What happens to a bond if someone shows up or doesn't show up to court after being bailed by a police officer"

Part 2Police bail

24Failure to answer Police bail

A defendant commits an offence if he or she, having been released on Police bail under section 21,—
fails without reasonable excuse to attend personally at the time and the court specified in the notice of Police bail; or
fails without reasonable excuse to attend personally at the time and place to which the hearing has been adjourned under section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.

A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on conviction to—
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months; or
a fine not exceeding $1,000.

Notes

Section 24: replaced, on 4 September 2013, by section 14 of the Bail Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 66).