Legal Advice Hotline
Legal Hotline is a free, 24/7 legal information line for New Zealand — call 0800 461 100 any hour, day or night, and talk through your situation in plain English at no cost. An AI legal assistant trained on New Zealand law explains what the law says about your situation and what your options are. It gives legal information, not legal advice, and calling creates no lawyer-client relationship — and if you need a lawyer, a one-hour consultation with a New Zealand lawyer (NZ$295, GST inclusive) can be booked right on the call.
Free legal information, 24/7. Want a lawyer? Book a one-hour consultation with a New Zealand lawyer for NZ$295 (GST inclusive) — right on the call.
What the Hotline Is — and Isn't
New Zealand has no government-run, around-the-clock line for general legal questions. The public services are excellent but targeted or time-limited: Police Detention Legal Assistance runs 24/7 but only for people being questioned or held by police, while the Citizens Advice Bureau and Community Law Centres keep limited hours. Legal Hotline fills the gap in between — a free, private legal information line that answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0800 461 100. You get clear, plain-English legal information immediately: what the law says, how the process works, which deadlines apply. To be clear about what it is: this is general legal information, not legal advice, we are not a law firm, and calling creates no lawyer-client relationship.
How It Connects You to a Real Lawyer
Legal information is free, and for many callers it is enough. When your situation needs formal advice or representation, you can book a one-hour phone consultation with a New Zealand lawyer for NZ$295 (GST inclusive) right on the same call — no forms and no call-backs. The line covers the areas New Zealanders call about most: criminal charges and police matters in the District Court, family law from care of children to relationship property and protection orders, employment problems like personal grievances before the Employment Relations Authority, drink-driving and traffic charges, civil disputes including Disputes Tribunal claims, and wills and estates. If a free service is the better fit — a Community Law Centre, the Citizens Advice Bureau, or legal aid — we say so and point you there.
How It Works
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the call really free?
Yes. Calling 0800 461 100 is free from New Zealand phones, and the legal information you get on the call is free too — no charge, no income test, no time pressure. The only thing that costs money is optional: the one-hour consultation with a New Zealand lawyer, at a flat NZ$295 including GST, which you can book on the call if you want one.
Is there a free 24/7 legal advice line in New Zealand?
There is no government-run, around-the-clock line for general legal questions in New Zealand — the free 24/7 schemes are situation-specific, like Police Detention Legal Assistance for people being questioned or held by police, and services such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and Community Law Centres run limited hours. Legal Hotline fills that gap: a free, private, 24/7 legal information line on 0800 461 100 for any legal question. It gives legal information, not legal advice, and a NZ$295 (GST inclusive) consultation with a New Zealand lawyer can be booked on the call.
Is this legal advice or legal information?
The free line gives legal information — what New Zealand law says, how the process works, and what options people in your situation generally have. Legal advice — a qualified lawyer applying the law to your specific facts and telling you what you should do — is what the paid NZ$295 (GST inclusive) consultation is for. Calling the hotline is free and creates no lawyer-client relationship; we are not a law firm.
What areas of law does the hotline cover?
Criminal law and police matters, family law (separation, care of children, relationship property, protection orders), employment law and personal grievances, drink-driving and traffic law, civil disputes including Disputes Tribunal claims, tenancy questions, and wills and estates. New Zealand has one national legal system, so the same law applies wherever in the country you call from.
Who answers when I call?
An AI legal assistant trained on New Zealand law answers immediately, 24 hours a day — no hold music and no call-back queue. It talks with you in plain English (or your language), explains where you stand, and if you want a lawyer it can book a one-hour consultation with a New Zealand lawyer (NZ$295, GST inclusive) before you hang up.
Need legal help right now?
Call the free information line any time, day or night — and if you want a lawyer, book a NZ$295 consultation (GST inclusive) right on the call.
Call the Free Hotline 0800 461 100Free legal information. Not legal advice.