Sending and receiving personal items

All goods arriving from overseas by post and courier services are liable for Customs duties and charges when they arrive.   

When buying goods online,check what type of things are prohibited - not allowed into New Zealand.

Importing prohibited goods is against the law, and you may receive a $400 fine. You can also be fined if the contents of a parcel addressed to you do not match the description on the parcel declaration.

If your goods require Customs clearance, an Import Entry must be completed within 20 days of your items arriving in New Zealand.

Goods are kept in storage facilities handled by freight and postal companies until a Customs Clearance is processed. Most locations offer a complimentary storage period of three to four days before additional fees are imposed.

It is important for you to act quickly to get your goods cleared. You can submit your documentation in advance (in other words, before your goods arrive). Customs is not responsible for any storage (also known as demurrage) fees that may be incurred due to a delayed clearance.

Courier and freight companies often have a policy of holding goods for a maximum of 20 days before returning the package to its origin.

If you’re sending items out of New Zealand (in other words, the goods are leaving the country, and you are not going with them), you must have a Customs export clearance for anything you’re exporting by:

• fast freight (for example, a courier)
• air
• sea.

If you’re sending something by post, you only need a Customs export clearance if the package is one of the following:

• valued NZ$1000
• for commercial purposes.

Note: there are different rules for sending commercial vs personal items out of New Zealand:

• Sending commercial items
• Sending personal items

If you're planning on bringing items into New Zealand (importing) or sending items overseas (exporting) that are over NZ$1000, you need to apply for a Customs Number.