Submission form for enforcement agencies

Officials may submit a publication for classification under section 13(1)(b) of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 (Classification Act).

Submissions are made on behalf of the Secretary for Internal Affairs, Commissioner of Police, or the Chief Executive of New Zealand Customs. The courts may also refer publications for classification in any civil or criminal proceedings. There is no fee for submitting a publication under section 13(1)(b).

Submission Form

To submit a publication under section 13(1)(b) of the Classification Act, the submitting official must complete a ‘notice of submission’. A notice of submission must include:

  • A completed Notice of Submission (Officials) form. If the owner is known, include their contact details and those of their legal counsel. We are obliged to inform the owner of a publication that it has been submitted for classification and give them an opportunity to make written submissions.
  • A copy of the publication/s to be classified.
  • If more than one publication is being submitted then a schedule that accurately lists the names of the publications should be included. The schedule should contain a brief description of the publication and any other relevant information. A sample schedule can be downloaded here.

Useful links

Chief Censor's own motion

DIA officials may also be directed by the Chief Censor to locate and seize a publication being called in to be classified under Section 13(3) of the Classification Act. Once the publication has been acquired the Classification Office will process the submission on behalf of the Chief Censor.