Bylaws

The purpose of this bylaw is to protect the public from nuisance, protect, promote and maintain public health and safety and minimise the potential for offensive behaviour in public places. It also regulates the use of signs and trading activities in public places.

Activities in Public Places Bylaw 2025

The purpose of the bylaw is to protect public health and the security of the public wastewater system as well as protect NPDC’s investment in existing and future infrastructure, treatment plants and disposal facilities.

Trade Waste Bylaw 2025

The purpose of this bylaw is to give effect to the Policy by regulating the keeping of dogs for the protection of the health and safety of the public.

Dog Control Bylaw 2022

The purpose of this bylaw is to prohibit, regulate or control the consumption or possession of alcohol in public places to reduce alcohol related harm.

Alcohol Control Bylaw 2020

The purpose of this bylaw is to control the keeping of animals (including pigs, poultry, bees, livestock and cats) within the district to ensure they do not create a nuisance or endanger health to neighbours and other members of the public; and to regulate the slaughtering of animals to avoid causing nuisance or offence.

Animals Bylaw 2020

The purpose of this bylaw is to protect the public from nuisance caused by smoke from fires and to maintain public health and safety (other than in relation to fire safety, which is governed by the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017).

The purpose of this bylaw is to facilitate the orderly, safe, and efficient management of cemeteries and crematoria under the control of the Council; and minimise the potential for offensive behaviour in cemeteries and crematoria under the control of the Council. 

The Cemeteries and Crematoria Handbook accompanies the bylaw and sets out rules for the use of cemeteries and crematoria controlled by the Council.

Cemeteries and Crematoria Bylaw 2020

Cemeteries and Crematoria Handbook 2020

NPDC has undertaken a five-year review, amended and readopted the Freedom Camping Bylaw 2024. The readopted bylaw came into effect on 6 December 2024, and are as follows:

Self-contained freedom camping

Self-contained freedom campers can stay a maximum of three nights in any 30-day period at any single location, excluding banned areas listed below.

Banned areas (no freedom camping is allowed):

• Fitzroy Beach carpark
• Back Beach bottom carpark
• Ōākura beach front
• Waiwhakaiho River Mouth
• East End Beach
• Kawaroa Park
• Corbett Park
• Battiscombe Terrace
• Tongaporutu
• Fort St George
• Greenwood Road
• Weld Road
• Ahu Ahu Road
• Motukari Reserve Carpark

Non self-contained freedom camping

Non self-contained freedom campers may stay for a maximum of one night in a 30-day period at any of the restricted areas listed below, and must freedom camp in the marked spaces. The available spaces will be filled on a first come first served basis.

Restricted areas (areas where non self-contained freedom camping is allowed):

• Battiscombe Terrace, Waitara – six marked spaces for freedom camping.

• Lake Rotomanu, New Plymouth – six marked spaces for non self-contained freedom camping.

Tents

Camping in tents and other temporary structures on public land is banned in New Plymouth District. 

You can read the full bylaw here or collect a hard copy from the Civic Centre on Liardet Street.

Freedom Camping Bylaw 2024

Read more about freedom camping in the New Plymouth District on our freedom camping page.