Customs Regulations in New Zealand

Documents required: (1) Inventory of the goods; (2) Baggage Sufferance Form and Customs Declaration; (3) Original passports will be required to be sighted by customs to establish proof of residency.

Customs Prescriptions:
Household and personal goods ( except motor vehicles, ships and aircraft) will not require duty/tax and import license when meeting all of the following requirements:
- The goods are for your own personal use

First time immigrants:
- you are moving to New Zealand with the purpose of taking up permanent residence
- you have owned and used the goods before the date of your departure for New Zealand

Returning New Zealanders:
- you have lived outside New Zealand for the whole of the 21 months before your return to New Zealand
- you have owned and used the goods for the whole of the 21 months before the date of your departure for New Zealand.

Documents required for the vehicle import (motor cars, motor-cycles and motor scooters): (1) Passport; (2) Drivers licence; (3) Proof of Ownership for required period (e.g. Transfer of ownership document); (4) Proof of purchase payment in full; (5) Evidence if intended permanent residence in New Zealand. 

Customs Prescriptions:
Motor vehicles are subject to duty and G.S.T. However, there is a concession which permits motor vehicles (including motorcycles and motor scooters) to be imported free of duty and G.S.T. Nevertheless, this is not available to returning New Zealand residents unless they have personally owned and used the vehicle on or before 1979.

In order to qualify for this allowance you must be able to meet all the following requirements:
- You must arrive and immediately take up permanent residence in New Zealand for the first time.
- You must have personally used the vehicle for at least one year before your departure date for New Zealand.
- You must be importing the vehicle for your own personal use and not for sale, gift or personal disposal in any other way.
- You must be ready to provide a written undertaking that if you sell or dispose of the vehicle within two years of the date of its importation, you will pay an amount equal to the duty and G.S.T. which would otherwise be payable.

Food products like eggs, dairy and meat must not be included for shipping since this is prohibited. Only food items, which are vacuum packed and fully sealed, may be included. Alcohol may be imported providing a full listing has been made. In case when the importer fulfils the above duty free exemptions for household goods, then he will also be exempt from duties on alcohol.