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
- travel costs.
Not all the fees on this page may apply to you and there could be other charges not listed here – like transport and storage costs.
Import permit
Zoo animals need a permit before they can be imported into New Zealand.
The import health standard (IHS) for your zoo animal will tell you the type of permit needed.
Check the IHS for your zoo animal
| From 1 July 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
| Application for permit to import live animals into quarantine, containment, or transitional facility, including zoo animals | $233.25 | $268.24 |
| * 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 zoo animals when they arrive in New Zealand. These may be inspected by either a biosecurity or veterinary inspector.
This inspection may happen at the border or at a transitional or containment facility.
Fees are $155.50 ($178.83 including GST) per hour for biosecurity inspectors and $216.84 ($249.37 including GST) per hour for veterinary 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.
