The nuclear quadrupole interaction of short-lived beta-emitter (12)N(I = 1, T(1/2) = 11 ms) implanted into a ZnO single crystal has been studied by means of the beta-NMR method. We have observed a quadrupole splitting of (12)N in ZnO at room temperature, from which the electric field gradient (EFG) q = +(8.6 +/- 1.1) x 10(19) V/m(2) was deduced assuming axially symmetric EFG with respect to the crystalline c axis. A first principle calculation does not reproduce the data under assumption of the lattice location of (12)N at the oxygen substitutional site.