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 trying to figure out where you can legally park for the night.

The most important thing you should know is that travelling in a campervan isn’t as simple as parking anywhere you want. You can only park in official campgrounds or legally designated ‘freedom camping’ areas, where you can park overnight for no cost.

It can be confusing trying to understand all the rules, as different regions have different bylaws, and at a national level freedom camping rules have been getting more restrictive since 2023.

In this guide I’ve tried to break down what you need to know about where you can legally stay in a campervan in New Zealand, including free parks and campgrounds.

 

Campervan travel in New Zealand, at a glance

  • New Zealand has a wide range of commercial, scenic, and free campgrounds.

  • Holiday parks are the most developed with facilities like hot showers, laundry, even swimming pools and playgrounds.

  • DOC campsites are low-cost campgrounds in epic locations — these are often the best places to park a campervan, as they have basic facilities like toilets and drinking water, but will let you sleep overnight in amazing locations.

  • Freedom camping is highly regulated in New Zealand and you risk fines of $400 or more if you’re caught parking overnight in areas where it’s not allowed.

  • The easiest way to find campgrounds and legal 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.


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Where can you park your campervan in New Zealand?

campervans parked by a beach in kaikoura

In New Zealand, 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.

There are a number of options for staying overnight in a campervan.

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.

  • Holiday parks are generally the most expensive, but have the most facilities if you want to do laundry, cook in a proper kitchen, or have a hot shower.

  • Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites are often at remote, scenic places and fees are much lower than commercial campgrounds. There are also dozens of free DOC campsites.

  • 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.

  • 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.

a jucy campervan at one of my favourite campsites in the south island, purakaunui bay

a jucy campervan driving through haast pass in the south island

 

The difference between self-contained and non-self contained campervans

When looking at what type of campervan to rent, the most important thing to note — which will impact where you can park overnight — is whether or not a campervan is self-contained.

A self-contained campervan is a vehicle equipped with its own facilities to manage water, waste, and sanitation independently. This includes:

  • A fixed or portable toilet for onboard use.

  • A supply of drinking and washing water.

  • A tank to store wastewater from sinks and showers.

  • Secure storage for trash to prevent littering.

In New Zealand, self-contained campervans must meet specific standards and display a certification sticker (blue or green warrant) to prove compliance.

This certification allows you to freedom camp in designated areas, as you can manage their waste and water without relying on public facilities.

If you don’t have this certification, and your campervan is non-self contained, it’s not the end of the world. There are still some places you can freedom camp, but they are far fewer, so you will need to spend more time in official campgrounds.

I have travelled in a non-self contained vehicle and still found lots of great free or low cost places to camp. Honestly, the trade off isn’t bad — it can be worth going without the self containment certification to have a smaller or cheaper vehicle.


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.

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.

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.

 

If you park somewhere illegally, you can be fined

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.

The maximum fine that can be imposed for dumping waste or causing damage is $2400.

See the detailed list of fines here

 

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

campervans lined up next to lake pukaki in new zealand

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.


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.


Guidelines for freedom camping in New Zealand

a road in a small coastal town 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.

Before you go, you might also find these articles useful:

Petrina Darrah

I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.

I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my insights into the best places to visit.

If you love good food and good views, you’ve come to the right place. Browse around, and let me give you all my best local recommendations!

https://www.petrinadarrah.com/about
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