We are aware of a high number of scam texts and emails about fines being sent (from 18 August 2026). We do not send direct payment links via text message or email. If you receive a message about a fine and are unsure whether it is genuine, please contact our call centre on 0800 4 FINES (0800 434 637) before making any payment. Read more about identifying scams.
Find out how to get an interpreter in court, ask the court to speak in another language, how to file a document or make an application at court, and how to get a document witnessed or certified.
When you first arrive at court, you should expect to go through court security. Find out what to expect if you're a witness, supporting someone going to court and what happens inside a court room.
The District Court Amendment Rules 2021 include changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules 2012 and the District Court Rules 2014, which require the addition of te reo Māori registry names in the header of existing criminal and civil District Court documents.
Courts and tribunals have the ability to run events remotely. That is, where some or all people involved in the case (including the judge and the registrar) attend by teleconference (phone), by videoconference using Virtual Meeting Rooms, or using Microsoft Teams (an online meeting platform that uses an internet browser, or the Teams app, available on a computer, tablet or smartphone).
