Fees and charges for importing zoo animals
You'll be charged for services provided by MPI and other service providers when you're importing zoo animals.
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.
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Application for permit to import live animals into quarantine, containment, or transitional facility, including zoo animals | $191.95* | $220.74* |
|
* If processing your application takes longer than one-and-a-half hours, additional time will be charged at an hourly rate of $102.27 excluding GST or $117.61 including GST. |
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Border clearance charges
MPI may charge you for costs related to inspecting your zoo animals when they arrive in New Zealand.
This inspection may happen at the border or at a transitional or containment facility.
Charges for MPI inspectors
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Biosecurity inspector/advisor – hourly rate* | $102.27 | $117.61 |
| Veterinary professional/inspector for live animal inspections – hourly rate* | $186.30 | $214.25 |
| If the MPI inspector has to work outside of rostered hours, callout charges will apply. | ||
| Call-out charges | ||
| Veterinary professional/inspector – at time-and-a-half | $252.17 | $290.00 |
| Veterinary professional/inspector - at double time | $318.04 | $365.75 |
| Veterinary professional/inspector – on a public holiday | $845.13 a day, plus hourly rates | $971.90 a day, plus hourly rates |
| Travel charges for MPI inspectors | ||
| Travel within zone 1 – up to 4 km from base | $34.86 | $40.09 |
| Travel within zone 2 – over 4 km and up to 10 km from base | $70.75 | $81.36 |
| Travel within zone 3 – over 10 km and up to 25 km from base | $109.24 | $125.63 |
| Travel within zone 4 – over 25 km and up to 50 km from base | $149.19 | $171.57 |
| Travel more than 50 km from base | Hourly rates, plus a mileage charge of $0.67 a kilometre. Other travel-related costs may also apply. | Hourly rates, plus a mileage charge of $0.7705 a kilometre. Other travel-related costs may also apply. |
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*Hourly rate charges also apply to waiting times. |
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Other charges
Zoo animals arriving in New Zealand must be taken to a transitional facility for inspection before they can be released to your containment facility.
Contact individual transitional facilities to find out their charges.
Find out more
- Read about MPI's updated fees and charges
- Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations 2010 – New Zealand Legislation website
Who to contact
If you have questions about MPI's fees and charges, email info@mpi.govt.nz.