Information for AOD report writers
How to apply to join the Approved AOD Report Writer Service
If you are an AOD practitioner who wants to join the service and meets the criteria below, you can apply through our Request for Applications (RFA) process. A first RFA round will open on 5 March 2026 and close on 7 April 2026. We will respond to applications submitted in the first RFA round within one month of the closing date. If you apply after 7 April 2026, we will process your application and respond as soon as practicable.
You need to meet the following criteria for your application to be accepted:
- hold a current applied or non-applied addiction qualification recognised by DAPAANZ (Addiction Practitioners Association Aotearoa New Zealand)
- be registered with one of the following organisations:
- have at least two years’ experience in the AOD sector
- have no current criminal proceedings or unpaid fines
- have completed, or will commit to completing within 12 months, the Family Violence Sexual Violence Response Training offered by the Ministry of Justice to all people who work in the courts
- be located in one of the locations listed in the RFA form or be able to conduct assessments virtually
- meet one of the Ministry’s economic benefit priorities as listed in the RFA form (form linked below)
- be able to meet the Ministry’s requirements for management of personal information and data management and security as detailed in the Standard Terms and Conditions.
Submit your application by sending the following documents to AODreports@justice.govt.nz
The RFA terms and conditions can be found here: Request for Application (RFA) terms and conditions [PDF, 134 KB]
The Ministry will evaluate your application against the RFA criteria (stated above).
If we find you meet the criteria, we will send you a letter offering you a place in the service with the Standard Terms and Conditions attached. You can accept the offer by signing and returning the Standard Terms and Conditions.
Standard terms and conditions
The Standard Terms and Conditions for AOD report writers detail what criteria you need to meet to become an approved AOD report writer, the RFA process, how reports are requested and the fixed rate for a report.
This includes:
- The fixed rate you can charge for each completed report ordered by a judge or requested by a lawyer. This is set at $900 (excluding GST).
- Details of travel and other costs. The fixed rate includes local travel costs. You may charge non-local travel costs (for example if a virtual assessment is not possible, or appropriate) with pre-approval from the party requesting the report.
AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]
How approved AOD report writers are engaged to write reports
AOD reports can either be ordered by a judge or requested by a lawyer. The number of reports you may be asked to write will vary.
If a judge orders a report, the registry at the relevant court will contact you to request a report. They will check your availability and for any conflicts of interest.
If a lawyer requests a report, they will contact you directly.
The court registry or lawyer will send you an engagement letter, which will include the fixed rate, relevant case details and report due date. The due date will be 13 working days before the scheduled sentencing date.
Information about travel and any other additional expenses is in the AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]
Once you have completed the report, submit your invoice and the report to the court registry or lawyer who requested the report.
What the AOD report must include
If you are an approved AOD report writer, you must use the Ministry-approved AOD report template:
AOD report template [DOCX, 53 KB]
The report template sets out expectations about the content, structure and presentation of the report. The template will ensure that AOD reports provide the courts with consistent information.
Information security and privacy
AOD reports contain personal information about the offender. You must have appropriate security and privacy protections in place to keep this information safe.
The Standard Terms and Conditions detail the Ministry’s information security and privacy requirements.
These guides provide more information on how you can meet the Ministry’s requirements:
Privacy guidelines for providers of justice services(external link)
Best practice guidance for third party vendors(external link)
Family Violence Sexual Violence (FVSV) Response Training
The Ministry provides Family Violence Sexual Violence Response Training to all people who work in the courts. It is delivered by specialist community organisations at district courts around the country.
The training consists of two pre-learning modules and one full day of face-to-face training. The Ministry will cover the cost of the training but will not reimburse you for the time you take to complete the training.
You must have completed this training when you submit you RFA or do so within 12 months of joining the service.
You can do the training at a district court near you. Book your training by contacting FVSVTraining@2shine.org.nz
Health and safety
When you write AOD reports for the court you will sometimes work with people in difficult circumstances who may be unpredictable. You should have both physical safety and general wellbeing strategies in place. This could include:
- selecting in-person meeting places carefully
- using risk assessment and management tools to plan assessments
- having appropriate support or supervision in place.
Court and Justice System training modules
It is important that approved AOD report writers have a good understanding of how the courts work. The Ministry has free Court and Justice System training modules available for all providers. These are recommended if you are new to writing reports for the court. They may also have information that is helpful if you are an experienced writer.
The training modules are available at: Learn about the justice system(external link)
Resources
Use the quick links below to find key resources: