Alcoholics Anonymous Aotearoa/New Zealand
Last updated: 7th May 2026

1. Purpose

This Website includes original New Zealand A.A. service content and material used with permission from A.A. rights holders. We publish this notice to help protect the integrity of the A.A. message, A.A. literature, A.A. marks, and the anonymity and goodwill of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In this notice, we, us and our means the NEW ZEALAND GENERAL SERVICE BOARD OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS INCORPORATED which operates the New Zealand General Service Office (NZGSO).

2. Ownership and permissions

Unless otherwise stated, the Website design, layout, text, graphics, compilations and locally created content are owned by us or licensed to us.

Certain literature, excerpts, titles, graphics, marks and other materials appearing on this Website are owned by or used with permission from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. and, where applicable, AA Grapevine, Inc. All such rights remain reserved.

Nothing on this Website transfers any copyright, trade mark or other intellectual property right to any user.

3. A.A. literature and excerpts

A.A. Conference-approved literature and related A.A. material must not be altered, adapted or presented in a way that changes its meaning or suggests endorsement of any outside enterprise, cause, product or service.

Except where applicable law allows otherwise, entire books, pamphlets, PDFs or other substantial A.A. works must not be copied, uploaded, reposted, distributed, or published on any website, app, social media page, discussion board or other digital service without the required permission.

Where limited reprinting of approved excerpts is permitted for local A.A. service use, the quotation must remain accurate and the appropriate credit line must be used.

4. Credit lines

Where a quotation from an A.A. book or pamphlet is reproduced with permission or within an allowed local A.A. service use, the credit line should read:

Reprinted from [name of publication, page number], with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

If Grapevine material is used with permission, the relevant Grapevine credit line should also be used.

5. What is generally not permitted

Without the required permission, you must not:

• post or upload entire A.A. books, pamphlets or PDFs to another website, platform or app;
• reproduce A.A. literature on an ongoing daily or serial basis through electronic distribution;
• use A.A. literature, names, marks or graphics on novelty items or merchandise;
• use A.A. material in advertising, sponsorship, promotion, political messaging or commercial marketing;
• alter, abridge or remix A.A. literature in a way that changes or obscures the A.A. message;
• use A.A. content or marks in a way that could mislead people into thinking a non-A.A. product, service or organisation is approved by or affiliated with A.A.

6. Trade marks and logos

Names, titles, logos and graphics associated with Alcoholics Anonymous may be protected by trade mark, copyright and other rights.

You must not use any A.A. mark, logo, title or identifying graphic in connection with goods or services that do not originate from, or are not authorised by, Alcoholics Anonymous.

You must not use A.A. marks in a way that:

• causes confusion about source, approval, endorsement or affiliation;
• weakens or dilutes the meaning of A.A. marks;
• compromises A.A. anonymity, goodwill or singleness of purpose.

7. Linking

Linking to public pages on this Website is generally permitted provided the link is honest, non-misleading, non-commercial in context, and does not suggest endorsement or affiliation.

Deep-linking to downloadable literature files, member-only material, or content intended to be restricted may be refused or disabled at our discretion.

8. Permission requests

If you are unsure whether a proposed use is permitted, contact GSO before using the material.

Requests should identify:

• the material you want to use;
• where and how you want to use it;
• whether the use is within A.A. service, educational, media, or another context;
• whether the use is online, print, audio, video, or merchandise.

Contact: [email protected]

9. Reports of infringement or misuse

If you believe content on this Website infringes copyright, misuses A.A. marks, or should not be publicly available, please contact us promptly with:

• the URL or location of the content;
• a description of the concern;
• your contact details;
• any supporting information.

We may remove, disable or amend content while concerns are assessed.