The New Zealand Legislation Data API provides programmatic access to legislative data, so you can develop tools and services, and carry out research using New Zealand law. The data is free to use and reuse, but access requires an API key and is subject to reasonable rate limits so the service remains reliable for everyone. We don’t guarantee that the API will always be available or error-free, and the information provided is not legal advice. You’re responsible for how you use the data, and we may change or withdraw the API, or these terms, at any time. Full details are set out below.
Agreement
1. The New Zealand Legislation Data API (API) is provided by the Parliamentary Counsel Office (we, us, our) to give users access to New Zealand legislative data.
2. The words you and your refer to users of our API, whether you are using it as an individual or on behalf of an organisation.
3. By using our API, you are agreeing to comply with these terms of use (terms). If you are using our API on behalf of an organisation, you are agreeing to the terms for that organisation.
Accessing our API
4. To allow you to access our API, we need to assign you an API key. Your API key is linked to your name and email address, so that we can contact you about changes to the API.
5. To request an API key, email contact@pco.govt.nz.
6. You must keep your API key secure and confidential. You must not share your API key with or allow it to be used by any person or organisation other than you.
Content
7. Our API allows you to access legislative data equivalent to that published on the New Zealand Legislation website.
8. Our API includes records relating to agency published secondary legislation that have been collected from agency websites through the pilot secondary legislation service. Records created through this pilot may be inaccurate or incomplete, with accuracy expected to improve over time.
9. Information provided through the API is not legal advice. You are responsible for how you use and represent the data.
Copyright
10. Under section 27 of the Copyright Act 1994, there is no copyright in New Zealand legislation, including legislation made available through our API. Section 27 does not affect the copyright in any work that is incorporated by reference into legislation.
11. To the extent there is copyright in the compilation of data about legislation produced by our API, the Crown does not assert copyright over that compilation. All legislation and data about legislation provided by our API may be reproduced in any format or media, free of charge, without requiring specific permission.
12. Content available through our API may include logos, emblems, trademarks, or other copyright material. This content may be reproduced in any format or media free of charge, subject to any restrictions specified in the relevant material and provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context.
Acceptable use
13. You must not use our API in a way that interferes with its operation, compromises its security, or unreasonably impacts other users.
14. The following rate limits apply when using our API:
10,000 requests per API key per day, resetting at midnight New Zealand time.
2,000 requests per IP address per five-minute period, resetting after five minutes.
15. If your use of our API requires a higher rate limit than this, you can contact us to request a higher rate limit for your API key.
16. We track use of our API and may restrict use outside the current limits or any other unreasonable use (in our sole discretion).
Support and availability
17. Support for our API will be generally available on New Zealand business days by email to contact@pco.govt.nz.
18. Our API may be unavailable from time to time due to outages or scheduled maintenance. Where possible, we will tell users in advance about scheduled maintenance.
Liability
19. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we exclude all warranties and representations (express or implied) in relation to our API. In particular, you acknowledge that we do not warrant or represent that our API will operate without interruption or will be error free or complete.
20. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we exclude all liability to you and any third party for any loss, damage, cost or expense suffered or incurred by you or them arising directly or indirectly from your use of, or access to our API or otherwise arising in connection with these terms, and whether in contract, tort (including negligence), statute, or otherwise.
Privacy
21. Our treatment of your personal information is described in our privacy statement. In using our API you will be taken to have read and agreed to that privacy statement.
Term
22. We may suspend your access to our API or terminate this agreement if you breach any of the terms.
23. We may also end our provision of our API to everyone, or just to you, for any reason at any time.
Miscellaneous
24. Our failure to enforce any of these terms will not be construed as a waiver of such terms or a waiver of the right to enforce those terms at a later time.
25. We reserve the right to change any of these terms or our privacy statement at any time. Your continued use of our API will constitute consent to any change notified on the New Zealand Legislation website.
26. These terms are governed and are to be construed in accordance with New Zealand law.
27. A person who is not a party to these terms shall have no rights under the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017 to enforce any of them.
These terms of use are based on text from Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand licensed by them for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.