Registration of log traders and forestry advisers

For individuals Mā te takitahi

For businesses Mā ngā pakihi

About the registration system

From 6 August 2022 to 29 June 2024 log traders and forestry advisers were required to register to operate. A public register of all registered log traders and forestry advisers was published on this website and is no longer available. The system enabled anyone to make a complaint against a registered log trader or forestry adviser which would be considered by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Legislation and repeal of the system

The Forests (Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Act was repealed on 29 June 2024. Refunds were issued to anyone who paid an application fee to MPI for registration.

Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Act 2020 – NZ Legislation

Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Regulations 2022

Fee and levy waivers were also repealed.

Any reference to being a registered forestry adviser or log trader under this Act should be removed from websites and all other materials.

Voluntary registration scheme for forestry advisers

Forestry professionals can register voluntarily with the New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF). Qualifications and experience in forestry are among the requirements for registration. Registered people are listed in the NZIF's public directory.

Find a registered forest professional – NZIF

Eligibility and obligations of registered log traders and forestry advisers

Log traders and forestry advisers needed to meet certain criteria to register. Once registered, they were listed in a public register and had to meet certain obligations. These are outlined below. Due to the legislation being repealed, log traders and forestry advisers no longer need to register or meet these obligations. The public register is no longer published.

Who was eligible to register

Log traders who needed to register were businesses who:

bought or exported logs grown in New Zealand,
processed logs grown themselves,
acted as an agent for a business doing one of the above, or
transferred logs between related companies.

They needed to trade at least 2,000 cubic metres of logs each financial year to be eligible to register.

Forestry advisers who needed to register were individuals who provided forestry adviser services to clients for reward. They needed to have certain qualifications and/or experience.

To register, log traders and forestry advisers also needed to pass a background check. For log traders, this included questions about decision makers in the business, including sole traders. The background check included a criminal record check and questions about civil liabilities.

More information about who was required to register, and the criteria to become registered is available in the repealed legislation:

Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Regulations 2022 (repealed) – NZ Legislation

Forestry adviser registration: Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Regulations 2022 (repealed) – NZ Legislation

Developing the registration system

Cabinet papers, discussion documents, summaries of submissions, and regulatory impact statements about developing the registration system are available online:

Publications database – MPI website