International convention and customs procedures of New Zealand

International Conventions

Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls For Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
Party to the International Coffee Agreement

International Economic Cooperation

New Zealand has signed a free trade agreement (CEPA) with Hong Kong.

Non Tariff Barriers

Import licenses are no longer required to import goods into New Zealand. The country does not impose any import restrictions or barriers to imports for purely trade-related reasons. Although, there are strict health, content, safety and origin-labeling rules, and stringent restrictions relating to live animal and plant health requirements.

Some goods are prohibited from importation. For more information you can log on the customs website.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

All commercial imports into New Zealand are subject to duties, GST and other potential charges. New Zealand applies a Customs duty of 5% on average. The customs duties with value-added tax are calculated on the FOB value or on specific duties. These are not excessively high and they give an average level of 15%. Higher duties, however, are levied on textiles, clothing, shoes, motor cars and pneumatics imports. No duty is imposed on imported products with no local equivalent in New Zealand. Some imports are cheap and are subject to a special duty for the protection of the local production. New Zealand applies preferential tariffs to imports coming from Australia (zero tariffs), Canada, UK, and other developing countries that it has trade agreements with.
For more details you can log on the customs website.

Customs Classification: New Zealand has fully adopted the harmonised system of customs classification.
Import Procedures: There are few documentation requirements for importing and exporting goods. The New Zealand Customs Service website outlines minimal requirements. Import declarations must be made electronically by the importer or a Customs House Broker acting for the importer.
All commercial goods brought into the country must have a Customs Entry Form or Informal Clearance Document (ICD) submitted. These documents must be cleared 20 days before arrival and must be submitted by a qualified Customs broker or by a qualified importer. They must include how the goods will be transported (with freight contracts: Airway bill or Bill of lading) and all invoices or documents related to the import. The submission must include a complete description of the goods, the currency of reference, the contact details of the seller and the buyer, the name of the vessel or the flight number of the plane used.
Import procedures are described on the website of the New Zealand Customs Service.
Generic import clearance procedures are available on the Website of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.
Importing Samples: Goods that qualify as samples are eligible for duty-free entry. However, an import entry clearance must still be completed before arrival into the country. For more information, click here.