New Zealand's speed camera network changed significantly from July 1, 2025. The NZ Police no longer operate mobile camera vans. NZTA Waka Kotahi now runs everything, deploying a fleet of unmarked SUVs and trailers operated by contractor Acusensus NZ across the country, anytime and anywhere. Thirty five of the planned 44 cameras are operating at any given time.
That change matters for drivers who receive a ticket, because NZTA has published detailed operational rules governing exactly where and how their cameras can legally be deployed. A camera operating outside those rules creates grounds to dispute the notice. The rules are publicly available. Most drivers do not know they exist.
Here is what they say, and what to look for if you receive a notice you believe is wrong.
What NZTA's Own Rules Require
NZTA publishes its operational guidelines directly on the mobile safety cameras page. These are not suggestions. They represent NZTA's stated operational practice and form the basis against which any deployment can be assessed.
Visibility. Cameras must not be hidden. NZTA states explicitly that SUVs and trailers will not use trees, blind corners, or anything else at the roadside to disguise their position. The camera must be visible to drivers. A camera concealed behind vegetation, parked around a blind bend, or otherwise obscured from a reasonable line of sight is operating outside this guideline.
Straight road requirement. The camera vehicle must be parked on a straight section of road. This ensures the operator has adequate reference points for alignment and that any vehicle being measured is also travelling in a straight line at the time of detection. A reading taken on a bend cannot be relied on for accurate speed measurement.
Distance from overtaking lanes. Cameras must not be deployed within 250 metres of the end of a passing lane. This rule, confirmed by both NZTA guidelines and NZ Police operational requirements, exists because drivers legitimately accelerate through passing lanes and may still be decelerating when they exit. A camera positioned within that 250 metre buffer is in the wrong place.
Distance from speed limit changes. Cameras must not be deployed within 250 metres of a point where a speed limit drops. The same logic applies: drivers in transition zones may not yet have reached the lower limit. A camera immediately after a speed sign change is operating contrary to the rules.
Distance from other cameras and enforcement. Where two cameras or enforcement points are on the same road, they must be at least one kilometre apart when the speed limit is 70km per hour or below, and at least two kilometres apart where the limit exceeds 70km per hour. A ticket issued at a site closer than those distances to another active camera or officer position is worth examining.
Legal parking. The camera vehicle must be legally parked. NZTA may seek exemptions for time restricted areas, but absent a granted exemption, the vehicle must comply with all parking rules at the location. If the SUV or trailer was parked illegally, that is a breach of the guidelines.
Camera alignment checks. Before operating, the Acusensus operator must run a series of checks to confirm the cameras are correctly aligned to accurately capture vehicle speeds. These checks are a required part of deployment, not optional.
Equipment certification. Under Section 146 of the Land Transport Act 1998, any speed measuring device must be tested and certified. The certificate is considered sufficient proof of accuracy in proceedings, but only if the testing was no more than 12 months before the date of the alleged offence. If you request a court hearing, NZTA must be able to produce this certificate. You have the right to apply for a copy under the Official Information Act.
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What to Do the Moment You Receive the Notice
Do not ignore it. Ignoring an infringement notice triggers a reminder notice after 28 days, and if that is also ignored, the notice is lodged with the District Court. A $30.67 lodgement fee is added automatically, followed by a further $102.22 enforcement fee if still unpaid. The amount compounds and the court can enforce it as a judgment debt.
Act quickly. You have until the final due date on the reminder notice to raise any matters. Write to the issuing authority before that date. Verbal explanations are not accepted: your dispute must be in writing.
For notices issued by NZTA, use the online dispute form or submit in writing to NZTA directly.
For notices still issued by NZ Police, write to the Police Infringement Bureau, PO Box 9147, Wellington 6141, or email them. Clearly state your infringement notice number and your intention, whether you are raising a matter for adjudicator consideration, denying liability and requesting a court hearing, or requesting a hearing to make submissions.
Gathering Evidence
If you believe the camera was deployed outside the rules, gather evidence as soon as possible. Memory fades and locations change.
Return to the site where the alleged offence occurred and photograph the exact position. Record the distance from the end of any passing lane. Record the distance from any speed limit sign. Note whether the road is straight or curved at that point. Note whether the camera position would have been visible from a reasonable approach distance or obscured by any roadside feature. Check Google Maps Street View for the historical record of the location if you cannot return immediately.
Request the full details of your notice including the Site Reference Number (SRN) and Image Control Number (ICN), both of which appear on your infringement notice. Request a copy of your photo from NZTA or Police. The image will show the road position and may help identify whether the deployment was compliant.
You can also request the calibration certificate for the device under the Official Information Act. The certificate must confirm testing within 12 months of the alleged offence date. If NZTA cannot produce it, the evidential foundation of the ticket is undermined.
What Grounds Actually Support a Dispute
Being measured on a bend rather than a straight section, proximity to a passing lane end or speed limit drop, a camera position that was obscured rather than visible, and failure to produce a valid calibration certificate on request are all legitimate grounds to raise with the adjudicator or before a court.
Being surprised by the camera, not seeing it in advance, or simply disagreeing with enforcement cameras as policy are not grounds for dispute. The rules apply to how and where cameras operate, not to whether drivers approve of them.
NZTA is explicit that neither Acusensus nor NZTA receives any financial incentive from the number of tickets issued. Fees go into the Government Consolidated Fund. Community Law New Zealand provides free initial legal advice through local Community Law Centres for drivers who want guidance before proceeding to a formal dispute or court hearing.
The Broader Picture
NZTA's stated goal is general deterrence, meaning cameras operate everywhere so drivers slow down everywhere, not just at known camera sites. That is why the SUVs and trailers carry no markings or signage, a policy NZTA says makes unsigned cameras twice as effective at reducing crashes as signposted ones.
MotorBuzz has covered the speed enforcement debate extensively, including the genuine tension between road safety outcomes and the perception among drivers that camera placement choices are designed for revenue rather than safety. That debate will continue.
What is not in dispute is that NZTA's own guidelines create an enforceable standard. A ticket issued from a camera that was hidden, positioned on a bend, within 250 metres of a passing lane exit or speed limit drop, or unable to produce a valid calibration certificate is a ticket worth challenging. The rules exist. The process to invoke them exists.
The key is acting in writing, acting before the deadline on your notice, and arriving at that process with photographs, distances, and documented evidence rather than frustration alone.
Summary of Rules
- Speed camera vehicles must be legally parked.
- Speed camera vehicles must be deployed in a manner that is visible from the roadside and are prohibited from being deployed in a hidden fashion.
- The position in which the speed camera vehicle is parked must, so far as is practicable, be at the optimal distance from the normal traffic lanes to ensure the safety of the operator and best quality photo, i.e. about one and one half lane widths away from the normal path of vehicles.
- When the speed camera is being deployed, on a roadway, the speed camera vehicle tailgate must either be fully extended or closed.
- The use of private land for the parking of speed camera vehicles is permitted where the occupier of the land has clearly given permission for such use.
- The speed camera vehicle must be parked on a straight section of road so that the operator has adequate reference points for aligning the camera. This ensures that any vehicle, which is being measured and/or photographed, is travelling on a straight section of road at that time.
- Where a speed camera is deployed in an area where drivers are making the transition from a higher speed limit to a lower speed limit the speed camera vehicle must not be positioned closer than 250 (two hundred and fifty) metres from the point where the speed limit reduces. This restriction does not apply within School Zones or Temporary Speed limit sites.
- A speed camera must not be deployed within 250 (two hundred and fifty) metres of the finish of any passing lane.
- In any situation where a camera is operational at a site, a second camera must not be deployed in the same site or in any other site adjoining the first.
- Where a speed camera is deployed in a school zone speed camera site, it must only be operated in the following circumstances:
- between the hours of 0730 hrs to 1800 hrs on a school day; or
- at any other time that a school activity occurs, this includes sports activities held at school grounds