This page provides information about: 

  • what an excise declarant is
  • who can apply to be an excise declarant
  • what you need to know to become an excise declarant
  • how to apply to be an excise declarant. 

What an excise declarant is

An excise declarant is responsible for informing Customs what excisable products have been removed from a Customs-controlled area. Excise declarants do this by completing and submitting excise entries using Trade Single Window (TSW).

What you need to know to become an excise declarant

Review the information for excise declarants on the Customs website. Ensure you understand:

How to apply to be an excise declarant

Apply to become an excise declarant in TSW by following the steps below.

Step 1

Create a RealMe account.

Step 2

Register to become a TSW user (PDF, 436 KB). Customs will then provide you the NZCS 252 Declarant competency assessment.

Step 3

Ensure you know relevant details about the CCA you will be lodging on behalf of. These include:

  • when their entries and payment will be due
  • their CCA code
  • the type of products that will be included in the entries
  • the excise item numbers, and units of measure, for those products.

If you are in the process of licensing the CCA, you may not have all these details yet (such as a CCA code). Continue your application with the information you have available. Customs will provide the other details once the premises is licensed.

Step 4

Complete these documents and send them to Customs:

  • NZCS 252 Declarant competency assessment
  • ‘Link letter’ – a letter or email authorising Customs to link you to the organisation in TSW
    • You can only lodge entries for CCAs you are linked to.
    • This letter must be from a company director or senior manager.

Customs will review your application to determine whether you meet the criteria to be a declarant.

Step 5 - Application outcome

Once Customs approves your application, Customs will provide you:

  • an approval letter
  • your declarant code
  • instructions to retrieve a PIN automatically generated in TSW
    • the PIN is required when submitting entries

If your application is not approved, Customs will inform you and explain the reason for that decision.