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What our fees cover

When you apply for an animal welfare export certificate (AWEC), MPI will charge you for the work we do, to recover our costs. This includes:

  • an AWEC fee
  • assessment costs at an hourly rate
  • any reasonable costs we incur, like travel, photocopying, or testing.

Not all charges on this page may apply to you, and there may be other charges not listed here.

AWEC Fee

A fee is charged for each AWEC issued by Verification Services.

  Charge (excl GST) Charge (incl GST)
AWEC fee $46.58 $53.57

Hourly rates

Hourly rates of $186.30 excluding GST ($214.25 including GST) are charged by the animal exports team (for assessment of AWEC applications for livestock exports only).

More details are in the form  Request for services [PDF, 284 KB] 

Hourly rates are charged by Verification Services as follows:

Charge type Charge (excl GST) Charge (incl GST)
Hourly rate for work done during normally rostered hours (charged in 15 minute blocks) $186.30 $214.25
Hourly rate for work done outside normally rostered hours (charged in 15 minute blocks) $252.17  $290

Failing to cancel an unneeded booking

MPI encourages you to cancel a booking if it turns out that it will not be needed. MPI may charge $46.575 if you do not cancel a booking you have with a veterinary inspector if it is no longer needed.

Mileage rate charges

Charge type Charge (excl GST) Charge (incl GST)
Mileage charge, for each kilometre travelled $0.67 $0.7705

After-hour rates

If the MPI staff have to work outside their normal hours, after-hour charges may apply. These charges include the following:

  • Callout charges for when an inspector needs to return to work having completed their normal hours. A minimum of three-hours are charged when an inspector is called-out.
  • Overtime rates for when an inspector works extra hours on top of their normal roster (for example, additional hours after the end of a rostered shift).
  • Penal rates, which are additional hourly rates where staff need to work unsociable hours (for example, very early morning).

Call-out charges

Biosecurity and general inspectors – at time-and-a-half

$164.66 per hour

$189.36 per hour

Biosecurity and general inspectors – at double time

$192.34 per hour

$221.19 per hour

Biosecurity and general inspectors – on a public holiday or a Ministry holiday

$442.90 per day plus $136.98 per hour

$509.34 per day plus $157.53 per hour

Veterinary inspector – at time-and-a-half

$198.89 per hour

$228.72 per hour

Veterinary inspector – at double time

$236.67 per hour

$272.17 per hour

Veterinary inspector – on a public holiday or a Ministry holiday

$604.44 per day plus $161.11 per hour

$695.11 per day plus $185.28 per hour

Overtime rates

Veterinary inspector – at time-and-a-half

$236.67 per hour

$272.17 per hour

Veterinary inspector – at double time

$287.04 per hour

$330.10 per hour

Penal rates

Veterinary inspector – at penal 0.5

$50.37 per hour

$57.93 per hour

Veterinary inspector – at penal 1.0

$100.74 per hour

$115.85 per hour

Veterinary inspector – at penal 2.0

$201.48 per hour

$231.70 per hour

Example of how an AWEC fee is calculated

An example of the estimated fees to issue an AWEC for one dog to the USA would be: 

Item Cost
AWEC fee  $46.58
Additional time $93.15 (based on half an hour – actual time and charge will vary) 
Sub-total $139.73
Plus GST  $20.96
TOTAL $160.69

Note, the actual fees charged will depend on the time required to issue the AWEC, so these may vary significantly from this example. MPI recommends that you contact a registered pet exporter for an estimate or quote for all the costs involved.

List of registered pet exporters

Who to contact

If you have questions about animal welfare export certificates fees and charges, email animalexports@mpi.govt.nz

MPI business units