Purpose of the Border Clearance Levy
Biosecurity New Zealand (an MPI business unit) and the New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) work together at New Zealand's border. They check everyone who arrives in or leaves New Zealand. Part of that work is checking that international travellers don't bring biosecurity risk goods into New Zealand.
The Border Clearance Levy (also known as the Border Processing Levy) was introduced in 2016. It pays for technology and staff to improve:
- our border protection
- customers' experiences
- processing of travellers.
This has made New Zealand's border services better, and helped protect New Zealand. Processing of people at the border has become more efficient.
The levy rate is based on:
- border processing costs
- forecast traveller numbers
- any surplus or shortfall from the levy's operation to date
- planned biosecurity investment.
Border processing levies – Customs
Levy rates from 1 December 2024
This table shows the levy rates (excluding GST) from 1 December 2024.
| Customs |
Biosecurity |
Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
For cruise ship travellers Arrivals Departures |
$28.50 $0.71 |
$10.58 Nil |
$39.08 $0.71 |
|
For all travellers not on a cruise ship Arrivals Departures |
$13.69 $3.80 |
$16.92 Nil |
$30.61 $3.80 |
These charges are included in the price of air travel and cruise tickets. Private aircraft and yachts will be invoiced.
Find out about the Border Processing Levy changes from 1 December 2024 – Customs
Levy performance reports
Performance reports include information on:
- traveller numbers
- agencies' forecast costs
- agencies' work programmes
- agencies' performance.
The annual reports are available on the Customs website.
