Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Customer and Product Data Act 2025

Protections - Authorisation

37: Giving authorisation

You could also call this:

“Explaining how to allow someone to use your information”

You can give permission to someone else to do something with your information. This is called giving authorisation. When you give authorisation, you need to do a few things:

You must clearly say that you’re giving permission. You can also say if there are any limits to what you’re allowing.

You need to understand what you’re giving permission for. This includes knowing why you’re giving permission.

You might need to give permission in a specific way if the rules say so.

Your permission lasts until you decide to end it.

When you give someone permission to do something, we call that ‘authorising’ that action.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS700310.

Topics:
Rights and equality > Privacy Money and consumer rights > Consumer protection
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36: Accredited requestor must not act if reasonable grounds to believe authorisation or instruction is given under threat of physical or mental harm, or

"Don't act if you think someone is being forced or threatened"

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38: Ending authorisation, or

"How permission to use your information can stop"

Part 3 Protections
Authorisation

37Giving authorisation

  1. A customer (or a secondary user on their behalf) has given an authorisation to another person (A) if—

  2. the customer (or secondary user) gave the authorisation expressly, including by specifying any limits on the scope of the authorisation; and
    1. at the time of giving the authorisation, the customer (or secondary user) was reasonably informed about the matter to which the authorisation relates (including about the purpose of the authorisation); and
      1. the authorisation was otherwise given in the manner (if any) prescribed by the regulations and the standards; and
        1. the authorisation has not ended.

          1. To authorise an action means to give an authorisation for that action.