Biosecurity Costs Regulations and Levy Orders Review Project 2009
For more information about Fees, please visit the Fees and Charges page.
The Biosecurity Costs Regulations and Levy Orders Review Project is coming up to completion. The new Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations 2010 (the Regulations) and the Biosecurity (System Entry Levy) Order 2010 (the new levy order) will take effect on 1 July 2010.
The Regulations and the new levy order will bring a number of changes to the structure of charges paid by importers to MAF for biosecurity clearance of imported goods and other related activities at the border.
The new levy order replaces the three existing levy orders - the Biosecurity Risk Screening Levy Order 2006, the Biosecurity Shipping Container Levy Order 2006 and the Biosecurity Gypsy Moth Levy Order 2004.
The levy is imposed on:
(1) all importations of goods for which an import entry has been made in the Customs computerised entry processing system (unless an exemption from the import entry transaction fee applies under regulation 24A of the Customs and Excise Regulations 1996), including:
- import entries;
- simplified import entries;
- temporary import entries;
- private import declarations.
(2) all importations of goods for which a document is lodged with the New Zealand Customs Service under regulation 26(2) of the Customs and Excise Regulations 1996 (including electronic cargo information reports).
The new single levy of $12.77 (GST inclusive) will be collected by the New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) on behalf of MAF. The levy will be applied every time the Customs import entry transaction fee (ITF) is applied in the Customs system for the clearance of imported goods.
Generally the import transaction fee will apply to goods valued over $400, but at times packages valued at less than $400 will attract the fee. Details of the application of the Customs import entry transaction fee are available on Customs’ website www.customs.govt.nz 
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand has prepared briefs outlining main changes to the fees and charges under the new Regulations and the new levy order that will be common for certain stakeholder groups. Please read on the information provided below.
- Stakeholder brief - Used vehicles
(121 KB) - Stakeholder brief - Facilities (109 KB)
- Stakeholder brief - Fresh produce (121 KB)
- Stakeholder brief - Generic publications (205 KB)
- Stakeholder brief - Finance containers (170 KB)
- Stakeholder brief - Permit to import live animals (144 KB)
- Stakeholder brief - Personal effects (153 KB)
You can still access the documents from the consultation phases of the project, namely, the Discussion Paper, Submissions Analysis and Regulatory Impact Analysis following the corresponding links.
- Review of Biosecurity Border Clearance Charges 2009 Discussion Paper (326 KB)
- Submissions Analysis (191 KB)
- Regulatory Impact Analysis (403 KB)
More information on changes to biosecurity border clearance charges under the 2010 Regulations and the new levy order can be found in the frequently asked questions section of the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand website Review of Biosecurity Border Clearance Charges 2009 FAQ's (30 KB).
The project newsletters are also available on this page.
Newsletters
- Final Newsletter - Oct, 2010 (46 KB)
- Newsletter #12 - August, 2010 (46 KB)
- Newsletter #11 - May, 2010 (153 KB)
- Newsletter #10 - April, 2010 (41 KB)
- Newsletter #9 - November, 2009 (55 KB)
- Newsletter #8 - September 25, 2009 (55 KB)
- Newsletter #7 - July 22, 2009 (49 KB)
- Newsletter #6 - May 25, 2009 (33 KB)
- Newsletter #5 - March 31, 2009 (40 KB)
- Newsletter #4 - February 20, 2009 (41 KB)
- Newsletter #3 - December 15, 2008 (24 KB)
- Newsletter #2 - November 12, 2008 (31 KB)
- Newsletter #1 - October 16, 2008 (32 KB)
Page last updated: 29 November 2010