Numbers to know
- 111 — Police, Fire or Ambulance. Free, and works on a mobile with no credit. 112 from a mobile also connects to 111
- 105 — Police non-emergencies, 24/7 (or report online)
- *555 — urgent but not life-threatening road incidents, free from a mobile (not a landline)
- Healthline 0800 611 116 — free health advice 24/7, with interpreters
If you can't decide whether it is a real emergency and you are worried, NZ Police's advice is to call 111 and ask the operator.
Earthquakes: Drop, Cover, Hold
All of New Zealand is at risk of earthquakes. When shaking starts: drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck (under a sturdy table if one is a few steps away), and hold on until the shaking stops. Do not run outside or stand in a doorway.
Tsunami: Long or Strong, Get Gone
Any part of the coast can be affected. If you are near the coast and an earthquake lasts more than a minute or makes it hard to stand, move immediately to high ground or as far inland as you can — on foot or by bike if possible. Do not wait for an official warning, and never go to look at a tsunami.
Emergency Mobile Alerts
Authorities can send an alert to phones in an affected area. It makes a loud noise; stop and follow the instructions. There is nothing to sign up for. Most phones bought after 2017 can receive them.
Before a hike
- Choose a trip that suits your fitness and experience, and check the weather — it changes fast in the mountains
- Pack warm clothes and extra food
- Leave your plans with someone you trust, including a time to raise the alarm if you are not back
- Carry a way to get help. Mobile coverage is patchy; a personal locator beacon (PLB) works where phones don't. PLBs can be hired, including at several Department of Conservation visitor centres
Source: New Zealand Police — Call 111
Source: New Zealand Police — Use 105
Source: NEMA — Drop, Cover and Hold (factsheet)
Source: NEMA — Long or Strong, Get Gone (factsheet)
Source: Department of Conservation — Land Safety Code
Common questions
What is the emergency number in New Zealand?
111. It covers police, fire and ambulance, is free, and works on a mobile with no credit. 112 from a mobile is connected to 111.
What should I do if I feel a strong earthquake at the beach?
Drop, cover and hold until the shaking stops, then move immediately to high ground or inland. A long or strong earthquake is itself the tsunami warning.
More on the NZeTA
Healthcare and ACC
ACC can cover visitors' accident injuries, but not illness, and most visitors pay for care. Reciprocal agreements: UK and Australia only.
Phones and SIM cards
To use the local network you need a New Zealand SIM. Coverage is good in towns but patchy in rural areas. 111 is free even without credit.
Driving in New Zealand
Drive on the left and carry your licence, plus an approved translation or IDP if it is not in English. Drink-drive limits and the November 2026 change.
Smoking, vaping and alcohol
18 to buy alcohol, tobacco or vapes, and a passport is the ID visitors can use. No smoking or vaping indoors in bars, and local liquor bans.
What is the NZeTA
The NZeTA is a pre-travel authorisation for visa-waiver passports, not a visa. What it covers, who needs one, and what it does not do.
How to apply
Applying takes about ten minutes in the official app (NZ$17) or on the Immigration NZ website (NZ$23). The steps in order, and what trips people up.