The offender levy is a $50 levy that any person or company sentenced in the District Court or High Court must pay. It is used to fund services for victims of serious crime and ensures that offenders pay to help address the harm that their crimes cause.
Paying the offender levy
After being sentenced an offender has 28 days to pay the offender levy. They should pay the levy, or organise with court staff to pay it, before they leave the court. People can pay the offender levy:
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over the counter at the District Court
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at an NZ PostShop or Westpac Bank branch
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over the phone on 0800 4 FINES (0800 434 637)
If the offender doesn’t pay the offender levy, it can be enforced in the same way as a fine.
How the offender levy is applied
Anyone sentenced in the District Court or High Court when one or more convictions are imposed by a judge, community magistrate or judicial Justice of the Peace must pay the offender levy.
The offender levy does not apply:
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for someone discharged without conviction
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for a young person sentenced in the Youth Court
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for anyone sentenced in the Family Court
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when an order is set by a tribunal
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for people who have infringement fines
The levy is not part of a sentence.
Offenders must pay one offender levy when they are sentenced in court. The number of convictions they receive does not affect the offender levy.
Companies also pay the offender levy
Any company that is convicted and sentenced in a District Court or the High Court is required to pay the offender levy.
If someone can’t afford the levy
If you can’t pay the levy, you should talk to the court.
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