Prohibited equipment in New Zealand

It’s illegal to supply some electrical and radio products in New Zealand.

Purpose of prohibition notices

If electrical or radio products are likely to cause widespread or severe interference to radio reception, they’ll be listed as prohibited equipment. This is done through prohibition notices, which are gazetted by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Prohibition notices stop certain products from being:

  • installed
  • used
  • sold
  • imported
  • distributed, or
  • manufactured.

If a product is found to have a serious problem, you may need to recall any that you’ve sold already, and give the buyer a full refund.

Current prohibition notices

Below are the current New Zealand prohibition notices for electrical or radio products. More notices will be gazetted if other products are found to pose a risk to the radio spectrum.

Unrestricted two way radio equipment

This notice prohibits the import, sale, and distribution of unrestricted two-way radio equipment, other than by a permitted person. It's intended to limit availability of this type of equipment to the amateur radio community:

  • Amateur Radio Operators must hold a certificate of competency to use this equipment.
  • Suppliers must get our approval to supply this equipment.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment – Unrestricted Two Way Radio) Notice 2018(external link)

Get a licence to supply radio equipment

Vehicular short-range radar equipment

The sale or supply of vehicular short-range radar devices that operate in the frequency range 22.000 – 26.625 GHz (excluding apparatus operating in the narrow band 24.000 – 24.250 GHz narrow band radar equipment, authorised under the SRD notice) is prohibited in New Zealand — other than by permitted persons.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Licence to Supply Radio Transmitters – Prohibited Equipment – Ban on the Supply of Vehicular Short-Range Radar Operating in the 22.000 – 26.625 GHz Frequency Range) Notice 2018, No. 2(external link)

Animal tracking and training devices

Some models of dog tracking collars — like the Garmin and SportDog Tek ranges, for example — operate on the same frequencies that we use for emergency services and Department of Conservation communications in New Zealand. It's illegal to sell them here for that reason.

The notice on dog trackers explains the rules around the use of dog trackers in New Zealand and lists the models that are prohibited.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment – Animal Tracking and Training Devices) Notice 2014

Radio jammer equipment

All types of radio jammers are illegal in New Zealand, as they cause full interference across a wide range of frequencies. The only jammers allowed to operate here are used by the Department of Corrections, under strict rules of use.

The radio jammer equipment notice discusses:

  • the manufacture or importing of radio jammer equipment other than by, or for supply to, a permitted person
  • the sale or supply of radio jammer equipment to anyone other than a permitted person, and
  • the use of radio jammer equipment by anyone other than by a permitted person.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment - Radio Jammer Equipment) Notice 2011

Decorative lighting

This notice refers to the installation, use, sale, distribution or manufacture of interfering decorative lighting equipment.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment - Decorative Lighting) Notice 2006

Radio microphones

The 2002 prohibition notice refers to the installation, use, sale, distribution or manufacture of interfering wireless microphones operating on frequencies:

  • 806 MHz to 812 MHz
  • 814 MHz to 819 MHz
  • 824 MHz to 864 MHz
  • 868.1 MHz to 921 MHz
  • 929 MHz to 960 MHz.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment) Notice 2002

The 2013 notice places a ban on radio microphones equipment in the 698–806 MHz frequency range. Licensed suppliers of radio transmitters must not import or supply this type of equipment.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Licence to Supply Radio Transmitters - Ban on the Supply of Radio Microphones Equipment in the 698-806 MHz Frequency Range) Notice 2013(external link)