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Permits to export alerts

Export Business Restricted/prohibited items

You need government permission to export some items from New Zealand.

This page explains the export restrictions and prohibitions checks in our entry processing system – CusMod.

Electronic compliance checks

CusMod will run compliance checks on permits from:

  • Kiwifruit Marketing Board
  • New Zealand Meat Board
  • Ministry of Health/Office of Radiation Safety
  • Ministry for Primary Industries
  • New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority.

We may audit these approvals, and ask you for more information on the details you entered in your entry.

Approval numbers

You must have approval number(s) for the permits from the organisations listed above.

Enter the approval number(s) in the “Permit number” field:

  • at the beginning of the entry, if the approval number covers all the item(s) on your entry
  • on the detail line of the entry, if it doesn’t cover all the item(s) on your entry (you can enter up to 5 approval numbers per detail line).

Permit declarations

Exporters/agents can declare that item(s) need permission for export when they’re:

  • protected NZ objects
  • controlled drugs
  • hazardous wastes
  • indigenous timber.

After we’ve accepted your entry, we will send you a message saying you need a permit.

Export prohibitions and restrictions our alerts cover

Aircraft

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to export military aircraft and aircraft that have been adapted for military use.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Animal products

You must register with the Ministry for Primary Industries before you can export animal products – eg meat, fish and honey – from NZ.

For meat classified under the headings 02.02, 02.03, 02.04 and 02.06 of the Tariff of New Zealand, enter the following in your export entry’s “Permit number” field:

  • MEL plus your NZ Meat Board registration number
  • APA plus your registration identification.

For other animal products, enter APA plus your registration identification in the “Permit number” field.

Anti-personnel mines

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to export anti-personnel mines.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Cattle, deer, goats and sheep for slaughter

You must have approval from the Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries to export cattle, deer, goats and sheep for slaughter.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Chemicals

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to export:

  • chemical weapons
  • chemicals that may be used to make chemical weapons.

The Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1996 covers these chemicals in 3 schedules.

If the chemicals are covered in Schedule 1:

  • you must give us a copy of the approval.

If the chemicals are covered in Schedules 2 and 3 of the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1996, and:

  • there is a separate tariff item for the chemical -enter MFA plus the permit number in the “Permit number” field
  • the tariff item covers chemicals which are and aren’t covered by the Act:
    • enter CWA in the “Prohibited” field
    • enter MFA plus the permit number in the “Permit number” field
    • they’re not subject to the Act - enter NCW in the “Prohibited” field. This code overrides the requirement for approval.

Cluster munitions

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to export cluster munitions.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Controlled drugs

You must have approval from the Ministry of Health (MoH) to export controlled drugs, eg methadone and pethidine.

In the “Prohibited” field, enter:

  • NCD for non-controlled drugs
  • CDS for controlled drugs - you must give us a copy of the approval from MoH.

Conventional weapons, dual-use goods and electronic publications

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to export goods, software and technologies listed on the New Zealand Strategic Goods List (NZSGL), including:

  • some conventional weapons and dual-use items that have, or could have, military use, eg computers, navigation and marine equipment and firearms
  • dual-use equipment, chemicals, biological agents and plant pathogens that could be used to make chemical, nuclear or biological weapons
  • software and other technology that have or could have strategic use in developing, making or deploying biological, chemical or nuclear weapons, or military items
  • goods, software and technologies that aren’t on the NZSGL, but which could still be used inappropriately, for example:
  • in developing, making or deploying nuclear, biological or chemical weapons and how they’re delivered, eg weapons of mass destruction
  • in military applications, if the destination country is under a United National Security Council arms embargo
  • as parts of military items in categories ML1 to ML22 of the NZSGL, and that have been exported from NZ illegally, ie military weapons, ammunition and equipment.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Dairy products

If you’re exporting dairy items which aren’t covered by an exemption, you must register with the Ministry for Primary Industries. Enter the code “APD” and your approval number in your export entry’s “Permit number” field.

Only approved exporters and the NZ Dairy Board are allowed to export some dairy products to:

  • the EU
  • the USA
  • Japan
  • the Dominican Republic.

If you want to export dairy items that aren’t on the export control list, you must enter the following information in the “Prohibited” field your export entry:

  • DPN – for exports not covered by export restrictions
  • DPQ – for exports covered by export restrictions. If you’re exporting to:
    • Japan, and exporting edible fats under tariff heading 2106.90.99.19H, declare that your items are or aren’t subject to export controls, as appropriate
    • the EU, you must declare that butter under Tariff heading 0405.10, cheddar cheese and cheese for processing under Tariff heading 0406 are or aren’t subject to export controls, as appropriate
    • the USA, you must declare that cheese under Tariff heading 0406 is or isn’t subject to export controls, as appropriate
    • the Dominican Republic, you must declare that milk powder under Tariff heading 0402 can only be exported by the NZ Dairy Board or an approved exporter.

See the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 for more information about export controls on dairy.

Endangered, threatened and exploited species

You must have approval from the Department of Conservation to export items involving endangered, threatened and exploited species.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Hazardous chemicals and pesticides

You must have approval from the Environmental Protection Authority to export hazardous chemical and pesticides covered by the Rotterdam Convention, eg Lindane, Crocidolite.

Hazardous waste

You must have approval from the Environmental Protection Authority to export hazardous wastes covered by the Basel Convention.

In the “Prohibited” field, enter the code:

  • NHW, for non-hazardous wastes, or
  • HAW, for hazardous wastes.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Horticultural products

You must have approval from the NZ Horticulture Export Authority (HEA) to export a range of horticultural products, including apricots and kiwifruit.

Enter HOE plus the permit number in the “Permit number” field.

Indigenous timber

You must have approval from the Indigenous Forests Unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries to export NZ indigenous timber.

If the Tariff heading only covers indigenous timber – eg Rimu – the alert will ask you to give us a copy of the approval.

If the Tariff heading covers both indigenous and foreign timber, the alert will ask you to enter in the “Prohibited” field:

  • IND, for indigenous timber you must give us a copy of the approval
  • NID, for foreign timber.

Kiwifruit

You must have approval from the Kiwifruit Marketing Board to export kiwifruit to any country other than Australia.

Enter ZIL plus the approval number in the “Permit number” field.

You must have approval from the Horticulture Export Authority (HEA) to export kiwifruit to Australia.

Enter HOE plus the approval number in the “Permit number” field.

Meat

You must be registered with the NZ Meat Board if you want to export meat classified under the headings 02.02, 02.03, 02.04 and 02.06 of the Tariff of New Zealand.

Enter MEL plus your registration number in the “Permit number” field.

In the “Other information” field, you may also need to enter:

  • MSN plus the MPI seal number
  • EMP plus the NZ Meat Board EMPIC number.

Ozone-depleting substances

You must have approval from the Environmental Protection Authority to export ozone-depleting substances, eg CFCs.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Persistent organic pollutants

You must have approval from the Environmental Protection Authority to export persistent organic pollutants covered by the Stockholm Convention.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Pounamu (greenstone)

You must have approval from the Minister of Customs to export pounamu (greenstone).

This restriction doesn’t apply to items made from pounamu, eg:

  • jewellery
  • consignments a single exporter is shipping, which don’t weigh more than 5kg.

You must give us a copy of the approval.

Protected New Zealand objects

You must have approval from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage to export protected NZ objects, eg:

  • Māori artefacts
  • veteran and vintage motor vehicles (including tractors)
  • traction engines
  • books
  • works of art.

If your items are classified under Chapter 97 of the Tariff of New Zealand:

  • and are less than 50 years, enter NAT in the “Prohibited” field
  • and are 50 years old or older, enter ANT in the “Prohibited” field you must give us a copy of the approval.

You must give us a copy of the approval for all other protected NZ objects.

Radioactive substances

You must have approval from the Office of Radiation Safety to export radioactive material.

Enter ORS plus the permit number in the “Permit number” field.

Rough diamonds

You may only export diamonds from NZ which are certified under the Kimberley Process.

You must give us a copy of your Kimberley Process certificate.

Toothfish

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) manages the primary Antarctic toothfish fishery, located in the Ross Sea.

You can only export toothfish from the fishery if it’s covered by:

United Nations sanctions

You must have approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to export items that are subject to United Nations (UN) export sanctions.

The link above must be checked for further detail on the goods and other restrictions which apply.

MFAT should be contacted direct by any exporter with questions in respect of their obligations.

Most sanctions prohibit “dealing in assets” of sanctioned entities/individuals. These prohibitions prohibit any import or export transactions involving ANY goods involving sanctioned entities / individuals.

Exporters are advised to undertake due diligence in respect of their obligations under the various sanctions.

There are sanctions in force in respect of:

Wine

Grape wine made from grapes grown in NZ

You must have approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to export grape wine made from grapes grown in NZ for sale.

You don’t need to register if you’re exporting these wines for:

  • use in research and development
  • use as a trade sample
  • the personal or non-commercial use of the person travelling with the wine
  • consumption by passengers or crew on ships or aircraft leaving NZ.

If you’re exporting these wines:

  • and need to be registered with MPI, enter WIN plus your MPI approval number in the “Permit number” field
  • and don’t need to be registered, enter SAM in the “Prohibited” field.

Other wines

You must register with MPI if you’re exporting:

  • fruit wine
  • vegetable wine
  • grape wine made from grapes not grown in NZ.

You don’t need to register if you’re exporting these wines for:

  • use in research and development
  • use as a trade sample
  • the personal or non-commercial use of the person travelling with the wine
  • consumption by passengers or crew on ships or aircraft leaving NZ.

If you’re exporting these wines:

  • and need to be registered with MPI, either;
    • enter WIF and the Permit number format for this field. or
    • use the override and add a free text comment quoting the MPI registration number.
  • and don’t need to be registered, enter SAM in the “Prohibited” field.