If the registered person fails to comply with reporting requirements, or provides false or misleading information, this is an offence and the person will be liable for a fine and/or a term of imprisonment:

• failing to comply with reporting obligations – fine of up to $2,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year
• providing false or misleading information – fine of up to $4,000 and/or imprisonment of up to two years

There is a right of review and appeal process available in certain circumstances:

• The offender can have the details of their registration reviewed by the Commissioner of Police if they believe that they have been placed on the register in error or an error was made in working out the length of the reporting period.
• If the offender received a non-custodial sentence and the judge ordered them to be registered, the offender can appeal their registration to the District Court within 20 working days of being given notice of the registration.
• If the offender is registered for life, they can seek a review by the District Court of their reporting obligations after 15 years of registration.
• The Commissioner of Police can review reporting obligations during registration if the offender becomes seriously ill or suffers from an impairment that makes it impossible for them to meet reporting obligations.

The register is a record of a range of up-to-date personal information about registered child sex offenders living in the community. It is a tool to help Police and Corrections staff with the monitoring of people who have been convicted for child sex offences, with the aim of preventing re-offending and keeping children safe.

People who are convicted of committing qualifying sexual offences against children and are sentenced to imprisonment or receive a non-custodial sentence and are ordered by the judge to be registered, are registered on the Child Sex Offender Register. They must have been 18 years or older when they committed the offence.

The aim of the Child Sex Offender Register is to improve child safety by having up to date information available on known child sex offenders living in the community that can be used to monitor risk of reoffending.

The New Zealand Police administer the register and staff from both Corrections and Police are involved in assessing risk of reoffending by registered individuals.

Information received about a registered person is assessed by their Police case manager (and their probation officer if the person is on parole or extended supervision order) and by specialist staff working in the Child Sex Offender Registry. They assess what effect changes in the registered person’s circumstances may have on their risk of reoffending, and whether preventative action needs to take place to try and reduce any increased risk and keep children safe.

Offenders who were convicted of a qualifying offence* and sentenced to imprisonment prior to legislation coming into force, and are still on a related sentence or order (eg. parole or extended supervision order) on that date, are required to be registered.

*Qualifying offences that were introduced in the Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) Amendment Bill enacted in 2025 are not retrospectively applied.

A person is registered for either 8 years, 15 years or for life, depending on the severity of the offence they committed and the sentence they received.

Once a registered person has completed their registration period, they will no longer need to report.