Where can you park your campervan in New Zealand?
Here’s what you need to know about finding campsites and freedom camping.
I love travelling New Zealand in my van. City in the rearview, window down, music whipped away by the breeze.
It’s one of the best ways to see the country. It’s freedom.
Or is it? Freedom camping — or parking your campervan in public places overnight — is a sticky topic in New Zealand. It can be confusing to stay on top of all the rules, which have been overhauled as of 2023.
That means freedom camping is more restricted than ever, with further restrictions being implemented up until mid 2025.
Travelling in a campervan isn’t as simple as parking anywhere you want.
Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that New Zealand is still an epic campervan destination — there are many wonderful official campgrounds to choose from.
Here’s what you need to know about where you can legally stay in a campervan in New Zealand, including free parks and campgrounds.
Key takeaways
New Zealand has a wide range of commercial, scenic, and free campgrounds.
In most cases only self-contained vehicles can freedom camp, and the ‘self-contained’ definition is becoming more strict, to include fixed toilets.
If your vehicle has a portable toilet but is already certified self-contained, you can still freedom camp until the certification expires.
All new self-containment certifications will only be issued if your van has a fixed toilet.
From June 2025 only vans with fixed toilets will be allowed to freedom camp.
Key resources
I have a lot to share on this topic, so feel free to jump ahead.
Where can you park your campervan in New Zealand?
You can’t just park a campervan anywhere you want in New Zealand.
There are a number of options for staying overnight in a campervan, including holiday parks and commercial campgrounds, Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites, regional park camping areas, and freedom camping spots.
Some of my favourite campsites in the South Island are DOC or private campgrounds.
Freedom campsites are specifically designated areas where you can park overnight for free — this is usually only an option for self-contained vehicles, which have toilets and grey water facilities.
So, you can’t just pull over on the side of the road and park up for the night. You need to stay in legal areas, even (or especially) if you want to park your campervan for free.
If you plan on renting or buying a campervan in New Zealand, you’ll probably need to decide whether or not to get a self-contained vehicle, as this will give you more freedom when it comes to choosing where to park your campervan.
What is freedom camping?
This is what a typical freedom camp looks like in New Zealand — a carpark next to a train station. I parked here and slept in my car, as that’s allowed in this Dunedin campsite.
Freedom camping is any kind of camping in a tent or vehicle on public land in New Zealand. Usually there are minimal or no facilities, except those provided to the general public, like public toilets and picnic tables.
Freedom camping in a campervan in New Zealand has come under a lot of scrutiny in recent years and the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 is now law.
That means Freedom camping in New Zealand is facing more restrictions.
For now, freedom camping is still legal in specified areas, in specified vehicles. And you can still freedom camp in a regular car, in certain places.
Freedom camping in New Zealand is confusing as the rules change from one region to the next.
Where you can camp for free depends on local council bylaws. In some council districts, you can only stay in a carpark for 1 night; in others you can’t camp within 1 kilometre of a town.
To ensure you’re freedom camping legally, you ideally need to check the individual council websites and their specific rules on freedom camping.
This is a lot of work though — the easiest way to find freedom camps is via camping apps. Campermate and Rankers are generally accurate with showing where you’re allowed to freedom camp, as well as rules for each specific campsite.
You will also see signs at a lot of places around New Zealand, indicating where you can and can’t freedom camp.
Typically, to freedom camp you’ll need to be in a self-contained campervan, which means you have your own water, toilet, and rubbish facilities onboard. (But I have also legally freedom camped in my station wagon and had no issues, because I always double check it’s allowed).
Vehicles have to be certified self-contained and display the appropriate sticker proving they have met all the right requirements.
If you are self-contained, you can still only freedom camp in areas designated as camping spots. This varies widely depending on what region you’re in, as councils set their own freedom camping bylaws.
If you’re not clear on whether freedom camping is allowed in an area or not, my advice is don’t take the risk.
Fines have increased — you can now be fined $400 for camping outside of permitted areas.
The maximum fine that can be imposed for dumping waste or causing damage is $2400.
Not all freedom camps are pretty — some aren’t even practical
In my experience, freedom camping in New Zealand varies wildly depending on what council district you’re in.
Some areas are understandably wary of freedom campers because they get so many people trying to cram their vans into too few spots.
For example, in some places you might not be allowed to park up for more than one night. In others you might only be allowed to camp at least one kilometre out of town.
Other regions, like Taranaki and Bay of Plenty, are much more welcoming to freedom campers. Van travellers bring money into these regions that fly under the radar of a lot of tourists, so these councils do a great job of clearly indicating freedom camp sites.
In Waihi Beach there are multiple freedom camping spots spread out along the beach. In Taranaki, you can freedom camp right by the Three Sisters beach.
In Raglan you can freedom camp in town, but only in very specific spots.
There are many council websites and the best way to be sure of the rules is to consult each one individually.
The quality of freedom campsites can also vary wildly.
Occasionally you’ll get to camp in grassy areas, but a lot of the time, you’ll be parked in a car park. If there is a toilet available, you can expect it to be clean, but don’t expect it to always flush — just be grateful for what’s there.
Freedom camping is pretty safe, even when you’re sleeping in car parks
I have travelled solo up and down New Zealand, freedom camping in places ranging from the capital city (Wellington has some epic camping spots) to the back of beyond.
I’ve never encountered major issues, although during one tense night in Westport some local hooligans fired fireworks at my van and a few others parked up by the beach.
I waited that one out and went back to sleep, while other more nervous campers packed up and left in the middle of the night.
In short — freedom camping is as safe as any other kind of camping in New Zealand, in my opinion.
Lock your doors at night and don’t leave anything outside your van.
Things can go missing, although if they do it was probably wekas, the flightless birds that will take off with everything from your food to your hiking boots if you’re not careful.
You should know that New Zealanders have an issue with freedom campers
On the whole, New Zealanders are not unfriendly to freedom campers. A lot of locals freedom camp themselves — I know many people with vans in New Zealand.
However, there is a small subset of people who harbour animosity toward people who camp in campervans in public places.
Freedom campers are blamed for everything from littering to shitting in bushes. There’s a common perception that freedom campers suck resources and leave a trail of destruction in their wake.
I think this is largely bullshit.
I’ve freedom camped up and down the country and most people I met at free camping spots were tidy and respectful. We were there out of a love for travelling New Zealand, which goes hand in hand with leaving no trace behind.
There is a minority of people who seem to not care about a place and will literally take a dump on it and leave. But, I don’t think this problem is exclusive to freedom campers in New Zealand.
I have seen piles of human shit on hiking trails in the middle of nowhere, so it seems that some people just don’t know how to respect the environment.
However, the tourism industry in New Zealand is determined to focus on ‘high quality visitors,’ which means the ones who spend more money.
So, freedom campers are slapped with the label of being trouble makers and are the possibility of being able to camp for free is gradually being taken away from us for good.
People who drive large motorhomes will still be able to camp under the new rules, but anyone who drives a smaller campervan — like me — will no longer be able to free camp.
Whew. Sorry, that turned into a rant.
Let’s take a closer look at the rules and what they mean for you.
Freedom camping rules in New Zealand
What is a self contained campervan?
Note: If you’re renting a campervan, you don’t need to worry too much about these rules — the campervan rental company will let you know whether or not it’s certified self contained.
This information is more useful if you’re thinking about buying a campervan in New Zealand (which can be more cost effective if you’re here for a longer stay).
A self-contained vehicle should have its own grey water and sewage facilities. It should also be able to hold 12 litres of water per person for three days to qualify as self-contained.
This level of self-contained is certified with a blue and white sticker, or a blue warrant.
In mid 2023 the certification process for self-contained vehicles changed.
Freedom camping on local authority land is allowed (unless it is specifically prohibited) until your blue warrant expires, or 7 June 2025 (whichever happens sooner).
Now, self-contained vehicles need to have a fixed toilet instead of the portable toilets that qualified before. The new certification is demonstrated with a green warrant.
From June 2025, only vehicles with a green warrant (and a fixed toilet) will be deemed self-contained.
As of 7 June 2023, vehicles that have been certified self-contained but only have a portable toilet can still freedom camp until that certification (a blue warrant) expires (or until 7 June 2025).
Once it expires, the vehicle will no longer be able to be certified self contained unless it has a fixed toilet and a green warrant.
For now, you can still freedom camp even if your vehicle has a portable toilet, as you are already certified as self-contained, but beyond June 2025 you’ll need to alter your vehicle to be able to freedom camp.
After that, you must seek a new certification using one of the methods above. If you seek certification after 7 June 2024, you will only be able to get certified with a green warrant (for example, under the new requirements).
This transition period has been designed to allow the blue warrants to be phased out until all vehicles meet the green warrant requirements.
The most up to date information on the changes to freedom camping in New Zealand can be found on the MBIE website.
Freedom camping fines
The infringement fees for freedom camping in New Zealand have increased dramatically, as of mid-July 2023. They were already hefty, and now they are truly prohibitive.
— See the detailed list of fines here
Fines range from $400-$1200 for freedom camping in breach of a bylaw, freedom camping in a non-self-contained vehicle, or for failing to display a warrant card.
You can also be fined for leaving waste behind, damaging the area where you camp, or even preparing to camp if camping isn’t permitted in an area.
In short, the rules are strict and you have a lot to lose if you break them.
This sucks, truly — I’ve had some wonderful times freedom camping around New Zealand.
However, there are still other options for camping in a van around New Zealand. DOC campsites are the best options, as they are low-cost and sometimes free.
I don’t love commercial campgrounds and holiday parks as they can cost a lot if you stay in them every night, but they are common around New Zealand.
Is freedom camping in New Zealand worth it?
Sunrise at Waihi Beach, metres away from where I parked my van for the night
Freedom camping used to be an awesome, low-cost way to explore the country. With the new regulations, it’s becoming harder than ever.
While it is worth it to embrace the adventure of camping in remote places, an easier alternative is just to use campgrounds with facilities.
There are many great campgrounds around New Zealand, and many of them are in scenic locations that are better than anywhere you could freedom camp.
If you’re looking at renting a campervan and can’t decide between self-contained (SC) and non-self contained, SC will give you more options.
But, the additional cost might not justify what you might save on a night of free camping here and there.
Pros of freedom camping:
Save money on campsites
Stay in awesome locations (many freedom camps are beach front)
Enjoy a freewheeling lifestyle without the need to book anything in advance.
Cons of freedom camping:
Few facilities — there might be a toilet, but rarely a shower
Freedom camps can often be designated parking spots, so you’ll be sleeping overnight in a car park
In the busy summer months, you’ll need to arrive early to secure your spot in a freedom camp. Some places only have a few parks available for campervans and they fill up quickly. If you know you’ll arrive later in the evening, stay at a proper campground instead.
You can’t reserve your spot — if you want to pop out in the evening to explore, you might lose your park.
Using your self-containment facilities means you need to factor in a trip to a dump station every 2-3 days, to empty your grey/black water and top up your fresh water tanks.
Finding campervan camping spots in New Zealand
I use the Rankers camping app but you can also use Campermate. Both have comprehensive lists of freedom camping sites along with paid campgrounds and DOC campsites.
The reviews on Rankers are really helpful and typically on the money, but can be old and out of date occasionally.
Be a helpful part of the community and post your own reviews to help other freedom campers out!
Finding cheap or free campgrounds: Alternatives to freedom camping
DOC campsites are the next best thing after freedom camping. The campgrounds are often at remote, scenic places and fees are much lower than commercial campgrounds.
Regional parks also offer great low cost camping.
Both Wellington and Auckland have a number of epic regional parks.
Some of them offer cheap and beautiful camping for around $10 per night. At Kaitoke Regional Park near Wellington, you can camp for $8 a night and explore an epic Lord of the Rings filming location.
At Tawharanui Regional Park near Auckland you can camp next to one of the region’s best beaches and go for epic bush walks in the park as well.
Here’s more info on finding regional park campgrounds:
Guidelines for freedom camping in New Zealand
Obviously you shouldn’t litter or shit in the bushes, That just goes without saying. But I think there are other ways you can be a good freedom camper.
Here are some ideas:
Take responsibility for your rubbish. You end up with more than you expect if you’re cooking a lot of your meals, and when you aren’t paying for campgrounds you quickly realise you have nowhere to put it except inside your vehicle. That gets messy and smelly quick. Don’t try to dump it in public bins - take it to a refuse centre and pay to have it disposed of.
Use the camping apps to find dump stations, and empty your grey water there. There’s usually at least one in every small town, so no excuses for dumping grey water anywhere else.
If I save money on accommodation by freedom camping, I usually try to put money into little local businesses in other ways, like stopping to get a coffee at a small cafe.
Be quiet and respectful. No need to make excessive noise if you’re in a place close to residential houses.
Just be friendly. Quite often people were curious about my travels and what I was doing, so I was open and friendly and people were usually friendly in return. Most New Zealanders are chatty people and love a yarn — you can win people over with a smile and a ‘how ya doin’ faster than by being territorial of your free park
Head out early and arrive in the evening. These are usually the rules anyway, but being discreet can go a long way toward helping people like freedom campers more.
Thanks for reading this far — I hope this has helped clarify some of your questions about freedom camping in New Zealand.
If you’re still confused or have questions, please feel free to drop me an email. It’s highly likely other people have the same questions, so I can add that information to this article!
Before you go, you might also find these articles useful:
