Importers

This section of the website is to help you with Customs requirements if you are importing goods for:

• commerical application, such as goods for use in your business, or for resale
• private use, for example, gifts or mail order goods.

It is important to understand these requirements because incomplete, misleading, or defective descriptions of goods will mean that the goods are liable to seizure under the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act 1996.

For advice please contact the National Call Centre via email or phone 0800 428 786.   

Private importers
Commercial importers
Prohibited imports
Domestic animal imports
FAQs

For information about importing motor vehicles, whether or not you have travelled overseas to purchase them, see motor vehicles.

For further information about the Tariff, see the Working Tariff of New Zealand.

GST changes for importers

In this year’s Budget on 20 May, Finance Minister Bill English announced an increase to goods and services tax (GST) to 15 percent from 12.5  percent. This will apply to the importation of goods into New Zealand on or after 1 October 2010.

Click here for further information.

Import transaction fee: changes from 1 July 2010

From 1 July 2010, the New Zealand Customs Service begins applying an import transaction fee (ITF) of $24.75 to a range of import consignments which were previously exempt from the fee.

Click here for further information.