Customs and Excise Act 2018, s 310; Immigration Act 2009, s 295
Yes. If you have unpaid fines of $1,000 or more or owe any amount of reparation, you may be stopped on arrival or departure at any New Zealand international airport. If a warrant has been issued you may be arrested.
The Ministry of Justice and New Zealand Customs match information, so that if you have unpaid fines, an alert will be raised at Customs when your passport is scanned.
If you are concerned about fines, you can call 0800 4 FINES (0800 434 637) to discuss your situation before departing the country.
If you are leaving New Zealand within 48 hours and believe you have overdue fines that may stop you from travelling, call 0800 PAYORSTAY (0800 729 677) at any time to pay by credit card.