About export certificates

What an export certificate is

Export certificates give official, government-to-government assurance about products exported from New Zealand.

They are issued by us when we're satisfied that your product complies with the relevant regulations and requirements (from New Zealand, as well as any extra requirements imposed by the importing country).

They are only required by some countries and for some products.

Statements on the certificates include information like:

the country of origin of the product and its ingredients
treatment or other processes the product has undergone, prior to export
the microbiological status of the product
the product's health status – for example, whether a certain animal or plant disease is present in New Zealand.

Depending on what the importing country requires, export certificates can be issued as:

printed documents on secure paper
digital information, transferred electronically from MPI’s system to their own.

Check if you need one

To find out if you need an export certificate or official assurance, check the relevant OMAR, ICPR or import permit, or check with your importing agent.

Check destination requirements

How to get an export certificate

Most export certificates are processed through MPI's electronic certification (E-cert) systems.

If your product is not covered by one of the electronic certification systems, or MPI has not yet published requirements for that type of product, it may not need MPI certification. You'll need to check the requirements of the importing country.

Electronic certification

E-cert is the shortened name for electronic certification. There are different E-cert applications for different products:

These online systems are used by operators, exporters, verifiers, MPI staff, and others in the export chain to:

log information to confirm eligibility for certification
apply for certificates
ensure that products are eligible for export to specific markets
issue export certificates.

Fees and charges apply for using the electronic certification systems.

Contacts for export certification

After raising the export certificate, you need to email or phone an MPI certification team. Let them know that you have raised an export certificate, and they will confirm whether there's anything else you need to do.