About the Civil Aviation Act 2023

Until 5 April 2025, nothing Act-related will change for people operating in the aviation sector, as the 1990 Act still applies.

The objective of the 2023 Act is to provide a single, modern statute that will provide a platform for safety and security within (and appropriate regulation of) the civil aviation system now and well into the future.

The 2023 Act achieves this by giving effect to a range of substantive policy proposals and rewriting of existing provisions into modern drafting language. It also reflects a number of policy decisions the Government has made over the past 10 years. For more information about how the Act was developed, visit [this page].(external link)

On that page, you can access our consultation documents, impact assessments and the Cabinet papers that led to new sections in the 2023 Act. Key changes include:

• strengthening drug and alcohol management across the aviation sector
• clarifying aviation security powers and allowing for more flexible security settings at airports if needed in future
• setting out the responsibilities for the operation of new and emerging technologies
• repealing the Airport Authorities Act 1966 and introducing a modern airport registration regime https://www.transport.govt.nz/area-of-interest/environment-and-climate-change/corsia/(external link)
• enabling New Zealand to meet its obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)

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