What our fees cover
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) calculates fees on a cost-recovery basis.
Activities and services we charge for include:
- import permits
- border clearance inspections
- laboratory costs.
Not all the fees on this page may apply to you and there could be other charges not listed here, like transport, storage, or treatment costs.
Import permit
Some seeds for sowing need a permit before they can be imported into New Zealand. The import health standard (IHS) will tell you if a permit is needed.
- Check the IHS for your seeds for sowing [PDF, 1.9 MB]
| From 1 July 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
| • Application for permit to import seeds for sowing | $233.25 | $268.24 |
| Biosecurity advice and assessment, including assessment for equivalence measures – hourly rate for activities taking 30 minutes or more, charged in 15 minute increments | $155.50 | $178.83 |
| * If processing your application takes longer than one-and-a-half hours, additional time will be charged at an hourly rate of $155.50 excluding GST or $178.83 including GST. | ||
Border clearance charges
MPI may charge you for costs related to inspecting your seeds when they arrive in New Zealand.
The fee is $155.50 ($178.83 including GST) per hour for biosecurity inspectors.
You may also be charged extra fees if MPI's inspector has to:
- travel to inspect your goods
- wait before inspection can start
- work outside of normal hours.
