Who needs to register for legal harvest assurance

Ensuring timber is harvested legally

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is working to implement legislation to ensure timber is harvested legally. The new system will come into force by 1 August 2027.

Once the system has started, you must register before you carry out any of the activities explained on this page.

Some people may choose to voluntarily register. They might do this if their customers ask for evidence that timber was legally harvested. If they register, they will need to meet all the obligations that registered people need to meet.

Read more about forestry legal harvest assurance

Which kinds of businesses need to register?

A person in trade (usually known as a "business") can be:

• a sole trader
• a company
• a trust
• a government agency (national or local)
• another organisation.

Businesses will need to register for legal harvest assurance if they do any of these activities:

• buy logs grown in New Zealand
• export logs grown in New Zealand
• process logs they have grown themselves
• are the first processors of regulated timber
• import or export a specified timber product for which they are the importer or exporter
• act as an agent for another business doing any of these activities.

Employees that work for a business that is registered for legal harvest assurance do not need to register as an individual.

Branches and divisions of businesses may register separately

Some businesses have internal branches or divisions. In some cases, a business can apply to register a branch or division separately to the business’s registration. They can do this when the branch or division:

• is carrying out a regulated activity, and
• can be identified separately to the business because of its location or the activities it carries out, and
• can meet the same obligations that anyone registered must meet.

The business still needs to be registered for legal harvest assurance. It is responsible for the branch or division meeting their legal harvest obligations.

Activities that require registration

Businesses need to register before they carry out any of the activities below.

Buying New Zealand logs

A business buys New Zealand logs when it enters a contract to buy them. This contract may be made:

• after harvest, when harvested trees have been cut into logs, or
• before harvest, as trees to be harvested at an agreed time.

For the purpose of legal harvest assurance, a business is buying logs from when they enter a contract to buy the logs and for the period the logs are supplied.

Exporting New Zealand logs

A business exports New Zealand logs when they send New Zealand logs out of New Zealand to another country.

Processing New Zealand logs a person has grown themselves

A business processes logs they have grown themselves when they own the logs being processed without having to buy them.

It also applies if they modify the logs in some way. For example, they:

• change the shape of the log, or
• modify the log on a different site to where it was harvested.

A person does not need to register if they are only doing these things during harvesting:

• on site removal of tops, branches, and limbs
• on site debarking
• cutting stems into log or logs to length
• sorting and loading logs.

First processing of regulated timber

A business needs to register when it performs any first processing of regulated timber.

First processing of timber is the sawing, chipping, pulping, splitting, veneer peeling, or slicing of unprocessed timber (or applying any other process specified in regulations). It does not include:

• removing branches from felled trees
• cutting trees into log grades or lengths at a harvest site.

Examples of first processing facilities may include:

• sawmills
• pulp mills
• wood chipping plants
• veneer plants
• peeler mills
• post and pole manufacturers.

Importing or exporting specified timber products

Businesses who are importing or exporting specified timber products will need to register for legal harvest assurance.

Acting as an agent

A business needs to register when they act as an agent for another business to do any of the listed activities.

Who does not need to register?

Trading in indigenous timber

Businesses trading in indigenous timber do not need to register unless the regulations specify that the timber is regulated timber. We will consult on regulated timber before these regulations are made.

Shipping or transporting logs

Businesses do not need to register when their only activity is shipping or transporting logs, or associated logistics. This includes:

• loading and unloading logs or specified timber products at pickup and delivery points
• stevedoring logs or specified timber products
• marshalling logs
• scaling logs
• transporting logs or specified timber products by road, rail, or another method
• being the importer of logs or products made from wood that are not specified timber products.

Note: Someone who only ships or transports New Zealand logs or specified timber products is not considered to be an exporter.

Exemptions

Some activities may have an exemption. This means you do not need to meet the legal harvest requirements when you do those activities. You may still need to be registered if you carry out other activities.

Some people may also be exempt from registering.

There may be exceptions for some activities. Thresholds are one type of exception. Anyone trading below thresholds for those activities will not need to register.

We will consult on these exemptions and exceptions before making regulations.

Find out more

Forests (Legal Harvest Assurance) Amendment Act 2023 – Section 84 – NZ Legislation

Who to contact

If you have questions, email info@mpi.govt.nz