What is a class determination?
Class determinations are advice provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) upon application on the status of your product under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act 1997.
The class determination service can be used to find out whether a Trade Name Product (TNP) requires registration before it can be imported, manufactured, sold, or used in New Zealand. Generally, agricultural compounds must be registered unless they fit an exempt category in Schedule 2 of the ACVM (Exemptions and Prohibited Substances) Regulations 2011.
Definition of agricultural compound
Apply for an ACVM class determination
To apply for a class determination:
- Follow the request guideline.
- Fill out the request form.
- Send it to the email address on the form with the product label and required fee.
Class determination request guideline [DOCX, 99 KB]
Class determination request: Form ACVM 15 [DOCX, 131 KB]
Fees to apply for class determination and other ACVM services [DOCX, 76 KB]
Each class determination may take us up to 15 working days to complete.
You will receive a class determination outcome letter with the advice. Provided no changes are made to the composition or labelling, class determinations are valid:
- for 3 years if a product is exempt from registration
- indefinitely for products that are not agricultural compounds, unless relevant changes are made to the legislation.
What is a self-determination?
A self-determination allows you to do your own assessment of whether your product is an agricultural compound under the ACVM Act. You will need to decide whether your product must be registered or is exempt.
Note: If the self-determination is incorrect, the product may not be cleared for importation, or if imported may be subject to non-compliance action.
How to make a self-determination
To do your own self-determination, fill out the ACVM 76 form and attach it to your product.
ACVM 76 form: Declaration: Importers self-determination – Agricultural compounds exempt from registration [PDF, 694 KB]
ACVM 76 form: Declaration: Importers self-determination – Agricultural compounds exempt from registration [DOCX, 110 KB]
If you must register your agricultural compound
Read about registering different types of agricultural compounds:
Register a veterinary medicine
Register an agricultural chemical
Register a vertebrate toxic agent (VTA)
Importing a product that doesn't need registration
If you are importing a product that is exempt under the ACVM (Exemptions and Prohibited Substances) Regulations 2011, you need to present your self-determination or class determination outcome letter to MPI Biosecurity New Zealand at the border. MPI Biosecurity New Zealand will use this document to decide if your product can be released.
Clearance delays are likely to occur if class determination outcome letters have expired when importation is attempted. Self-determination declaration forms are likely to experience clearance delays if not fully completed. If the self-determination is incorrect, the product may not be cleared for importation.
Other border requirements: biosecurity, hazardous substances and new organisms
Your product may require biosecurity assessment or Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) approval before it can be cleared for entry into New Zealand. Contact MPI or the Environmental Protection Authority (for HSNO approvals) for further information.
- For animals or plants, email animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz
- Contact the Environmental Protection Authority
Exempt products: your obligations under ACVM Regulations 2011
Even if your agricultural compound is exempt from registration, you must comply with certain obligations when you import, manufacture, sell, or use the product in New Zealand.
Exempt product obligations under the ACVM Regulations 2011 [PDF, 418 KB]
Who to contact
If you have questions about class determinations and self-determinations, email approvals@mpi.govt.nz
