How to file an Official Information Act (OIA) request in New Zealand

The Official Information Act 1982 lets any New Zealand resident request information held by ministers, government departments and many crown entities. Agencies must respond as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than 20 working days unless extended.

Write clearly: describe the information, date range and agencies involved. You do not need a lawyer. Email the agency's official OIA mailbox — many list it on their contact page. Keep copies; the Ombudsman publishes guidance on unreasonable refusal.

If an agency ignores you or over-redacts, you can complain to the Ombudsman. regulation.nz prepares and tracks OIA requests for free — including deadline reminders and escalation prompts.

For complex cross-agency requests (for example, correspondence between MPI and a council on a consent), naming all holders upfront saves weeks of referral ping-pong.

regulation.nz maps all 321 NZ regulatory bodies in one place. A $8.99 AI consultation identifies every regulator you need, the order to apply, fees and timelines — then prepares applications for checkout. OIA requests, complaints and appeals are always free.