New Zealand Customs Requirements

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New Zealand Customs Requirements

When you move to New Zealand there are household items concessions available that mean you will not have to pay GST and duties on most of your items.

You cannot claim household concessions for:

new and unused items
cars
scooters
motorbikes
boats
aircraft
commercial items.
Other types of motor vehicle or craft.

Clearing your items

Your shipping company can provide the documents you need and you can either clear them yourself or the shipping company will clear your items for you for an extra fee on top of any Customs charges.

To get customs clearance for your items, you will need to provide the following items to the New Zealand Customs Service:

a completed NZCS 218: Unaccompanied Personal Baggage Declaration (DOC 543 KB)
any permits you need, eg:
your passport and/or evidence that you’re allowed to live in NZ
a full inventory of the items you’re bringing into NZ
the shipping arrival papers, eg Bill of Lading, Airway Bill or Arrival Advice.

Clearance from MPI will be completed by NZ Customs, once all the required documents have been received.

You can then email all the documents to your nearest Customs Office.

If your items arrive in NZ before you do, you will need to authorise someone else to clear your items for you and give them permission in writing from you and a photocopy of your passport.

If someone else clears your items for you, you might have to pay GST and duties on the items.

Strictly prohibited items include:

Banned goods include:

explosives
weapons (pistols, knives, swords)
animal trophies (as well as items like alligator skin handbags)
live animals
canned and dried meat
dairy products (like milk and eggs)
honey
spices
plants
popcorn
tortoise shells and ivory
coral and clam shells
biological cultures
endangered organisms
Christmas decorations

Source: NZ Van Lines MovingtoNewZealand

If you’re thinking of bringing in animal products such as shells and coral, you will need the correct CITES documentation.

While not strictly prohibited, there are some other items that might be subject to inspection by quarantine and must be declared upon arrival. These include:

Food items and dairy products
Herbs and spices
Stuffed animals and reptiles
Bamboo, cane, rattan, basketry and mats
Unprocessed wool and animal hair
Dried flowers, bulbs, corns, etc
Seeds, pine cones and potpourri
Saddles and riding equipment
Artefacts (wooden carvings, shields, masks, etc)
Camping equipment
Farm clothing, footwear and equipment
Furs, skins and hunting trophies
Vacuum cleaners

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.