Vehicles on the beach

Kāpiti beaches are shared spaces – as a community, we want everyone to be able to enjoy them safely together.

Vehicles are not permitted on most beaches in Kāpiti.

Two-wheeled and off-road motorbikes are not permitted on any beach, foreshore or dune areas.

Exempted vehicles are:

vehicles launching or retrieving boats in an authorised boat launching area
land yachts/blocarts in the authorised area
emergency vehicles
lifesaving vehicles
prams
wheelchairs
mobility scooters used by people with a physical or neurological condition.

Parking on the beach/foreshore

Vehicles may only be parked in boat launching areas if they:

are launching or retrieving boats
display a valid mobility sticker.

Traffic in & around beach areas

Roads around beach areas can get busy with vehicles going in and out of parks or towing boats, along with more pedestrians. Reduce your speed when going through these areas and take extra care around pedestrian crossings and in carparks.

General information on road safety.

Permitted driving zones on the beach/foreshore

Other vehicles may drive:

On the…	from the…	to the…
foreshore	official beach access point at Olliver Grove, North Waikanae	official beach access at the southern end of Rodney Avenue, Te Horo. Note: this is a shared zone with blocarts/land yachts.
shingle track through the reserve beside the foreshore	northern bank of the Mangaone Stream, Te Horo Beach	southern bank of the Ōtaki River mouth.
shingle track through the reserve beside the foreshore	northern bank of the Ōtaki River mouth	official beach access opposite 100 Marine Parade, Ōtaki Beach.
foreshore	official beach access point opposite 8 Marine Parade, Ōtaki Beach	northern boundary of the Kāpiti District. Note: the Waitohu Reserve area is outside the limits of the foreshore and is off limits to all vehicles.

Permitted vehicle use

Exempted vehicles on the beach must:

access the beach through an authorised vehicle accessway, at no more than 10km/h
give way to pedestrians, bathers, horses and dogs at all times (except in boat launching areas, where vehicles have right of way)
be driven in a safe and careful manner, at no more than 20km/h, and with consideration for all other beach users
not be parked in a way that blocks access for other beach users
not be repeatedly driven back and forth over the same stretch of wet sand (as this can damage shellfish beds)
not be driven onto dune areas, as they are fragile and contain breeding birds and erosion-control plants.

Watch out for...

See Looking after our beaches for how you can help protect Kāpiti's significant and sensitive flora and fauna.

Accessways and driving zones on the beach foreshore

Reporting vehicles on the beach

Council officers and local Police actively patrol beach areas, but can’t be everywhere at once. You can always call the Kāpiti Coast District Council, and the following agencies also need to be advised.

If a vehicle is...	call...
posing immediate danger or risk to beach users	Police (555) immediately*
driving in the Waikanae Scientific Reserve	the 24-hour Department of Conservation Emergency Line
on the beach or in the beach reserve (dunes, etc)	Greater Wellington's 24-hour Environmental Hotline.

You can also take a photo of the vehicle’s number plate, and if possible the driver – as long as it doesn’t put you at risk. Otherwise, make a note of the vehicle’s number plate, and the time and date, and report it to Police.