Importing vehicles, machinery, and parts

Vehicles, machinery, and parts (including tyres) often carry soil, plant matter, and animals. MPI's role is to help importers meet biosecurity requirements to keep New Zealand free from contaminants, pests, and diseases which can threaten our environment.

cars in a line at a dock
Importing guide

Your step-by-step guide to importing vehicles, machinery, and parts.

car between two stacks of containers
Import Health Standard

Download the new Import Health Standard (IHS) for Vehicles, Machinery, and Parts.

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Update

9 September 2020 – Revised IHS

MPI has issued the Vehicles, Machinery and Parts Import Health Standard. This came into force on 1 September 2020. Importers who are exporting vehicles, machinery and parts on or after 1 September 2020 must comply with this import health standard (IHS).

Changes that importers should be aware of are:

1. The current brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) management exclusions for new smaller vehicle types remain in the IHS.

2. Some new types of vehicles, machinery, and parts are excluded from BMSB management requirements (treatment or system management) providing they are stored indoors and exported in a fully enclosed container and a signed manufacturer's declaration is submitted before arrival. Exclusions will apply to the following commodities unless exported from Italy:

  • new machinery (non-drivable kind)
  • new jet skis and sea scooters
  • new tyres
  • new vehicle and machinery parts
  • new smaller vehicle types (including all-terrain vehicles (ATV), motorcycles, golf carts, go-karts, scooters, side by side (SxS) racers/vehicles, snowmobiles, quad bikes, and tricycles).

Examples of the new manufacturer's declarations

3. Used small vehicle types (as listed above) exported from Japan will not require year-round mandatory system management. BMSB management requirements will apply instead.

4. Schedule 3 – BMSB management changes:

  • Includes BMSB-risk season dates as well as BMSB-risk countries (no longer stated under every commodity section).
  • Includes vehicles, machinery and parts that spend more than 5 days in a Schedule 3 country before export.
  • Includes the possibility for some vehicles, machinery, and parts being excluded from BMSB management when sealed within a fully enclosed sea contained before 1 September and exported before 1 October of the same year, if evidence of the container sealing is provided (aligns with the Sea Container IHS)
  • Kazakhstan, Moldova, Portugal, and Ukraine added to the Schedule 3 country list.

Vehicles, Machinery, and Parts – Import Health Standard [PDF, 565 KB]

Find out more about the consultation and read the response to submissions

What this import process is for

This import process is for the following goods arriving in New Zealand as cargo (sea freight or air freight):

  • vehicles (including land vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft)
  • all forms of machinery
  • parts from or for vehicles and machinery
  • tyres
  • wire cables and ropes if used with land vehicles or machinery.

Importing related products

If you are importing vehicles, machinery, or parts in sea containers, read our information on importing sea containers

Who to contact

If you have a question about importing vehicles, machinery, or parts, email standards@mpi.govt.nz

If you have a question about brown marmorated stink bug requirements for vehicles, machinery, and parts, email BMSB@mpi.govt.nz

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