NZ Customs Guide: Prohibited Items, Duties & Tax Exemption

When shipping by sea from China to New Zealand, it is important to note that New Zealand's customs quarantine is extremely strict. If undeclared animal or plant products or prohibited drugs are found, you will face heavy fines and may even be prosecuted.

Below is Seapoe's guide to New Zealand customs prohibited items and duties, based on relevant New Zealand customs regulations and our company's years of experience in carrying personal effects.

New Zealand Customs Restricted/Dutiable Items

Items requiring a permit to import:

• Ivory in any form, including jewellery and carvings
• Turtle or sea turtle shell jewellery and ornaments
• Meat or food derived from whales, dolphins, rare cranes and pheasants or sea turtles
• Medicines containing musk, rhinoceros or tiger derivatives, such as ground horn or bone
• Carvings or other items made from the bone of whales or other marine mammals
• Cat skins
• Sea turtles, all big cats, rare reptiles, cranes, pheasants, bears, antelopes and deer antlers
• Live species, including pet hawks, eagles, owls and parrots, many cacti, orchids, cycads and cyclamens
• Carnivorous plants

Australian Customs Prohibited Items

You cannot bring any of the following items into New Zealand:

• Objectionable material contained in videotapes, films, records and publications
• Weapons such as firearms, knives and swords
• Any weapon disguised as something else
• Drugs or drug-taking equipment (except pipes)
• Anything you intend to use for a crime.

Seapoe recommends not shipping the following items to Australia: liquids, powders, food, medicines, and products with built-in batteries.

New Zealand Personal Effects Customs Guide

Under relevant New Zealand customs regulations, eligible individuals may import personal effects such as furniture, tableware, books and artworks duty-free. Below are the detailed documents required for customs clearance of personal effects and duty-free information:

Duty-free conditions for personal effects

• A New Zealand or Australian passport
• A current New Zealand residence visa or permit
• A current permanent residence visa issued by the Australian Federal Government (including a resident return visa)
• A current work visa valid for one year or more
• A current work visa or permit issued under the Work to Residence (Skilled Migrant Category) policy or the Long Term Business Visa/Permit category
• A current visitor visa or permit valid for three years or more
• Having lived outside New Zealand for more than 21 months
• Having owned and used all the goods before importing them here with you.

Documents to prepare

• NZCS 218
• POA (Power of Attorney)
• Copy of passport
• Packing list
• Relevant shipping documents

For individuals who do not meet the duty-free conditions for personal effects, duties are generally payable at the import duty rates prescribed by New Zealand customs.

● Chinese customs policy:
China Customs: Import & Export Prohibited Items & Duties

● New Zealand customs policy:
New Zealand official: Customs requirements