Civil Aviation (Offences) Amendment Regulations 2025
2025/264
Civil Aviation (Offences) Amendment Regulations 2025
Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann, Administrator of the Government
Order in Council
At Wellington this 17th day of November 2025
Present:
Her Excellency the Administrator of the Government in Council
These regulations are made under section 407 of the Civil Aviation Act 2023—
(a)
on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and
(b)
on the recommendation of the Minister of Transport.
Regulations
1 Title
These regulations are the Civil Aviation (Offences) Amendment Regulations 2025.
2 Commencement
These regulations come into force on 22 December 2025.
3 Principal regulations
These regulations amend the Civil Aviation (Offences) Regulations 2025.
4 Schedule 3 amended
(1)
In Schedule 3, revoke the items relating to rules 101.11, 101.15, 101.205(a), 101.205(b), 101.207(a)(1)(i), 101.207(a)(1)(ii), 101.207(a)(2), 101.207(a)(3), 101.207(c), 101.213(a), and 101.213(b).
(2)
In Schedule 3, replace the items relating to rules 101.7(c), 101.203, 101.209, 101.211 and 101.215(b) with the corresponding items set out in Schedule 1 of these regulations.
(3)
In Schedule 3, insert in their appropriate numerical order the items set out in Schedule 2 of these regulations.
Schedule 1 Items replaced in Schedule 3
| Rule 101.7(c) | Person must not operate unmanned aircraft, gyroglider, or parasail within designated danger area unless person has established that danger area activity will not adversely affect safety. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 1,000 | 6,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.203 | Person must not operate control line model aircraft with single or multiple wire system unless in accordance with prescribed requirements. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.209 | Person operating remotely piloted aircraft or free flight model aircraft must operate within prescribed visual line of sight or in accordance with prescribed conditions. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.211 | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft or free flight model aircraft at night unless in accordance with prescribed conditions. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 1,000 | 6,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.215(b) | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft within prescribed gross mass limits unless in accordance with prescribed requirements. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 |
Schedule 2 New items inserted into Schedule 3
| Rule 101.11(a) | Person must not operate unmanned aircraft, kite, rocket, gyroglider, or parasail in controlled airspace unless prior authorisation from responsible ATC unit is obtaimed or the conditions of a shielded operation are complied with. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.11(b) | Person operating unmanned aircraft in controlled airspace must comply with prescribed requirements. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.15(b) | Person operating unmanned aircraft, kite, rocket, gyroglider, or parasail must not allow object to be dropped in flight that creates hazard to other persons or property. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.15(c) | Person operating unmanned aircraft must not carry out aerial spraying, aerial topdressing, or application of vertebrate toxic agent. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.205 | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft or free flight model aircraft within specified boundaries of aerodrome unless in compliance with prescribed requirements. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.207(a) | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft in airspace above persons or property unless in compliance with prescribed requirements. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.207(b) | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft above 400 feet above ground level unless in compliance with prescribed requirements. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.213 | Person operating remotely piloted aircraft, control line model aircraft, or free flight model aircraft must comply with prescribed requirements regarding right of way. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 101.215(a) | Person must not operate remotely piloted aircraft, control line model aircraft, or free flight model aircraft that exceeds prescribed gross mass weight. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Part 107 | Research and Development Organisation Certification | |||||||||
| Rule 107.5 | Person must not exercise the privileges under rule 107.11 except under authority of research and development organisation certificate. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.13 | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must only operate unmanned aircraft or manned aircraft in specified places and in accordance with specified conditions and procedures. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 1,000 | 6,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.19 | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must notify Director within 30 days of ceasing to offer research and development activities. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.101(1) | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must have complete and current copy of its exposition accessible to personnel at each work location specified in its exposition. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.101(2) | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must comply with procedures and systems detailed in its exposition. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.101.(3) | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must make applicable parts of exposition available to personnel. | 1,250 | 7,500 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.101(4) | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must continue to meet standards and comply with Subpart B certification requirements. | 5,000 | 30,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.103(a) | Holder of research and development organisation certificate must ensure exposition is amended as required. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.103(b)(1) | Certificate holder must ensure amendments to exposition meet applicable requirements of Part 107. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.103(b)(2) | Certificate holder must ensure amendments to exposition comply with amendment procedures in exposition. | 675 | 3,750 | 250 | 1,500 | |||||
| Rule 107.103(c) | Certificate holder must forward copy of each amendment to exposition to Director as soon as practicable after amendment is incorporated. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 | |||||
| Rule 107.103(d) | Certificate holder must obtain Director’s approval before changing specified matters. | 2,500 | 15,000 | 500 | 3,000 |
Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These regulations, which come into force on 22 December 2025, amend the Civil Aviation (Offences) Regulations 2025 (the principal regulations).
Regulation 4 and Schedules 1 and 2 amend Schedule 3 of the principal regulations, which lists the rules in the Civil Aviation Rules (the rules) that, when breached, amount to infringement offences and prescribes the infringement fee payable and the maximum fine a court can impose in respect of those infringement offences.
The amendments—
update the infringement offences to align with amendments made to Part 101 of the rules (which specifies operating rules for gyrogliders and parasails, unmanned aircraft (including balloons), kites, and rockets); and
create new infringement offences for breach of certain rules in Part 107 of the rules (which relates to research and development organisation certification).
Regulatory impact statement
The Ministry of Transport produced an interim regulatory impact statement on 4 September 2024 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the contents of this instrument.
A copy of this regulatory impact statement can be found at—
Date of notification in Gazette: 20 November 2025.
These regulations are administered by the Ministry of Transport.