Can you sleep in a van anywhere in New Zealand?

You can't just park a campervan anywhere you want in New Zealand. There are a number of options for staying overnight in a campervan, including holiday parks and commercial campgrounds, Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites, regional park camping areas, and freedom camping spots.



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The answer is: of course! Campervans are specially equipped to keep you secure and comfortable during your trip around this beautiful country. And if the increasing number of campervan travellers is any indication, sleeping in a campervan is not only safe, it's also one of the best ways to enjoy New Zealand.

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Yes, since freedom camping in New Zealand became legal in 2011 you can live in a campervan for an extended period of time. But a general rule is one cannot park in one spot indefinitely.

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Every district and council has different bylaws. Some will not let you freedom camp within 1 kilometre of the town, or will only let you stay in a carpark for 1 night. Council rules are also different from the rules you have to follow on DOC land. Find out what rules you need to follow by contacting the local council.

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Sleeping in your car in any public place is illegal and getting caught could land you an instant NZ$200 fine.

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A campervan trip around New Zealand is not cheap It's not only the rental price but on top of that, the insurance, one-way drop off fee, cost of a campsite each night and compared to a rental car, extra fuel costs. From our experience, the dream of a campervan trip around New Zealand often doesn't live up to reality.

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Almost all holiday parks around New Zealand provide access to hot showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, lounge areas and communal kitchens. On average, it will cost you about NZ$35-40 per night (for 2 adults) to park your campervan at a powered holiday park site.

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The biggest issue with these freedom camping rules is they vary between every local council, district, township, and city. This has made freedom camping in NZ more difficult to understand and the risk of fines much higher.

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