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Travel to and from New Zealand by small craft

Yachts

If you own or are responsible for small craft arriving in New Zealand, you need to inform Customs about:

  • the vessel
  • its journey
  • crew
  • passengers
  • cargo on board.

Find out about the documentation you must provide:

  • before you arrive
  • while in New Zealand
  • when you leave.

Small craft includes international ocean-going vessels that are:

  • recreational vessels
  • yachts
  • super yachts
  • pleasure craft.

Before you travel to New Zealand

Submit the documents below before you travel to New Zealand. Note that certain documents have deadlines for submission. Missing these deadlines could delay your Customs clearance into New Zealand.

Requirements for each person aboard

NZCS 340: Advance Notice of Arrival (small craft)

You or your agent must give Customs advance information about the craft, voyage, passengers and crew. This information must be sent to Customs at least 48 hours before you enter New Zealand's waters (12 nautical miles from the coast). This information should preferably be emailed to us before you leave your last overseas port.

Completing the Advance Notice of Arrival (ANA) is mandatory. You are liable for prosecution if you do not submit it within the required time or do not provide information in the specified format.

You must supply the following documents with your Advance Notice of Arrival form:

  • A scanned copy or photograph of the passport bio-page for all passengers and crew on board.
  • A copy of the Certificate of Registration for the craft.
  • A photograph showing the craft in full.
  • Evidence of value of the craft. You only need to provide this if you are a visiting foreign craft.

Ensure the documents you email to Customs are legible.

Send your completed ANA and supporting documents to yachts@customs.govt.nz.

If you do not receive an autoreply:

  • check your internet connectivity
  • check the recipient address
  • resend all information again.  

Your completed form will also be forwarded to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for biosecurity clearance purposes.

Travel plan changes

If your travel plans change after you have submitted your Advance Notice of Arrival (ANA), you must advise Customs by email to yachts@customs.govt.nz and ITOCOperationsCentre@customs.govt.nz. This is especially important if you intend to arrive before the ETA stated in Part B of the ANA.

Evidence of value

Customs will need to assess duty and GST liability on the value of the craft provided at the time of arrival.

Evidence of value should be provided at the same time as the NZCS 340: Advance Notice of Arrival (at least 48 hours before your get to New Zealand’s waters).

Documents accepted as proof of value include:

  • Bill of Sale (preferred).
    • This should be a purchase agreement that includes the purchase price and date.
    • Depreciation may be applied by Customs to the purchase price, which will reduce the declared value of the craft.
    • More details about how depreciation is applied are provided below.
  • A full replacement marine insurance value (current).
  • A New Zealand boat valuation by an independent assessor.
    • If you cannot provide a Bill of Sale or marine insurance value, you may be requested to provide a boat valuation.
    • New Zealand residents may not be required to provide evidence of value if customs clearance is not required.
    • This must be done at the time of importation to establish the value of the craft. 
    • A boat valuation will be at your own cost.

Documents can be supplied as JPEG, PNG, PDF, or Word (.doc or .docx) format. Customs cannot accept links to drop-boxes or external drives, such as Google Drive. Hard copies of documents may be provided only if you are unable to submit your documentation before arriving in New Zealand.

Depreciation

If a bill of sale is provided, depreciation may be applied to the purchase price. The depreciation rate follows New Zealand Inland Revenue's (IR) straight-line depreciation rate. The IR rate is annual but can be prorated for part of a year. Depreciation starts from the delivery date (the date you take possession of the craft following purchase) until the date the craft arrives in New Zealand. For craft acquired mid-year, depreciation is calculated monthly. Part months count as whole months. You must have owned your craft more than three months. The maximum depreciation allowable for any craft is 80%.

NZCS 224A: Apply for, or update, a Customs Number as a private individual

If you are visiting from overseas or if you are permanently importing your craft into New Zealand for the first time, you will need a Customs Number. A Customs Number is required as part of the craft arrival process, to record your details (as owner or person responsible for the craft).

Your Customs Number is unique to you, and you keep the same number permanently. You will need your number for any future imports.

If you have been issued a Customs Number previously, you will have received an email notification with your number. This came either directly from Customs or your customs broker.

You can apply for a Customs Number any time prior to arrival to make your clearance quicker.

En route to New Zealand

Sharing your movements

Activate your AIS transponder (or other observable satellite tracking system) prior to departure. Keep it on for the duration of the journey so your movements can be verified.

You can update your ETA by contacting Maritime Radio by HF or VHF when within range.

When you arrive in New Zealand waters, advise Maritime Radio (HF) on one of these frequencies:

  • 2182 kHz
  • 4125 kHz
  • 6215 kHz
  • 8291 kHz
  • 12290 kHz
  • 16420 kHz
  • VHF Ch 16

Use of quarantine Q flag

You must fly the international quarantine flag when you enter the 12 nautical mile limit of New Zealand, until you are given arrival clearance.

On arrival in New Zealand

Ensure you have your last overseas port clearance ready for inspection upon arrival into New Zealand.

Ports of arrival

Your first place of arrival in New Zealand must be a port or marina that has been approved to receive yachts and other recreational vessels from overseas. In some cases, you may need to contact the port or marina directly to pre-arrange your arrival.

The ports and marinas approved to receive all types of recreational vessels are:

  • Opua Marine Park, Opua
  • Marsden Cove Marina, Whangārei
  • Viaduct Marina and Silo Marina, Auckland (approved for “superyachts” for pre-arranged clients only)
  • Westhaven Marina, Auckland
  • Vessel Works Marine Precinct, Tauranga (by prior arrangement)
  • Port Marlborough, Picton (including Waikawa Marina)
  • Nelson Port
  • Lyttelton Port of Christchurch, Lyttelton.

When you berth at your first port of arrival, border officers from Customs and MPI will come aboard your vessel. You must stay on board until you are given clearance to leave your vessel. Only border staff may board your vessel until clearance is given.

Requirements for each person aboard

The following documents are required at time of arrival:

  • Your passport and visa (if applicable).
  • A Border Cash Report if you carry NZ$10,000 or more cash (or foreign equivalent) into or out of New Zealand. If you have not completed a Border Cash Report before reaching New Zealand, a border officer will provide a form to you to complete. Find out more at Border Cash Report.
  • Your New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) must be completed before you arrive into New Zealand. If you have not completed your NZTD prior to arrival, a border officer will assist you to complete this. Find out more at New Zealand Traveller Declaration

You must also pay border processing levies. Customs will send an invoice to the email address you provide on the Advance Notice of Arrival form. Find out more at Border processing levies. You have until the 20th day of the following month to pay. Late charges will apply until it’s paid.  

Form C1B: Inward Report (small craft)

You must provide an Inward Report within 24 hours of arriving at a Customs place or port of arrival. This form provides details of the craft and crew. We recommend that you complete as much of this form as possible before your arrival, as this will help with the clearance process.

Customs clearance

You, as owner or person responsible for the craft, must gain Customs clearance for importation of your small craft. There are two types of Customs clearance that can be given, depending on your situation: temporary importation and permanent importation.

Temporary importation

Small craft temporarily arriving in New Zealand may qualify for a Temporary Import Entry (TIE).

There are conditions that must be met for a TIE to be considered:

  • Your small craft must depart New Zealand within 12 months from the date of arrival.
  • You, as owner, must not be living permanently (domiciled) in New Zealand. This includes owners that are foreign owned companies.
  • You, as owner, are domiciled in New Zealand but plan to leave within 12 months.

A security is required for TIE clearance. Types of security include:

  • Form C4G: Import Entry (Temporary) – Yachts and Small Vessels. There are conditions that must be met for a C4G to be considered. More details are provided below.
  • NZCS 233A: Temporary Import Approval
  • NZCS 233B: Temporary Import Approval and Undertaking for Multiple Shipments
  • NZCS 608: Bank guarantee
  • Cash deposit

If you qualify to use Form C4G as security, this will be completed on arrival at port. All other types of security are processed by Service Delivery and you will be directed to contact them on your arrival.

Form C4G: Import Entry (Temporary)

Form C4G is a written undertaking by you, as the owner or person responsible for the craft, that you may be liable for duty and GST should you no longer meet the terms of the conditions below.

Form C4G can be used as security when:

  • A commercial small craft owned by an overseas company has been imported temporarily for pleasure purposes.
  • The small craft can be sailed in. It can be freighted in as cargo on another vessel, provided it has the capability to sail into New Zealand under its own power.

There are conditions of Form C4G that you, as owner, must meet:

  • The small craft will not be sold, offered for sale in New Zealand, destroyed, or given away without permission from New Zealand Customs.
  • The small craft is in New Zealand for a maximum of 24 months.
  • The small craft is in New Zealand for bona fide tourism purposes (combination of tourism refit/refurbish can be considered).
  • The small craft will not be used solely for commercial hire, transport of cargo or carrying paying passengers. (Craft entered on a TIE with a C4G as security can charter up to 65% of their time in New Zealand).

Form C4G is issued at the time of arrival in New Zealand. You will be provided a copy of this form which you must retain and provide to Customs on departure from New Zealand.

Permanent importation

When a craft is being permanently imported into New Zealand, you must obtain Customs clearance. Upon arrival at the port, you will be directed to contact Service Delivery, who will create an import entry. Duty and GST need to be paid at the time of importation. The craft must stay under Customs control until the entry has been submitted, processed, and full payment has been made.

If you, as owner, are a New Zealand resident and cannot provide evidence of being domiciled overseas, the craft will be cleared under an import entry for permanent importation and duty and GST will become payable.

Arranging Customs clearance for small craft imported as cargo on another vessel

You can use a Customs broker or freight forwarder to arrange Customs clearance. The shipping company that transported your craft should tell you when it has arrived or is expected to arrive in New Zealand. They will provide you the shipping documents confirming the arrival.

Alternatively, you can arrange Customs clearance directly with Customs. You will need to email your request, including all required information, to Service Delivery: service.delivery@customs.govt.nz. Do this as soon as you receive notification that your craft has arrived or is expected to arrive in New Zealand. Any delay in arranging Customs clearance may result in additional storage charges, for which you are responsible. Please check with your shipping company or freight forwarder that they have not already arranged Customs clearance before contacting Customs.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) clearance

You, as owner or person responsible for the craft, must also gain biosecurity clearance for your small craft. This is done with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Further information is available on the MPI website: Arriving in NZ in yachts and other recreational boats

While you are in New Zealand

If your small craft has temporary importation clearance, you’ll need to know about steps for purchasing ships spares and parts and what to do if your situation changes.

Purchasing ships spares and parts

Non-consumable ship spares and parts that ensure that the craft can sail, or ensure the safety of passengers and crew, may be purchased in New Zealand duty GST-free. Duty and/or GST may be payable on consumable goods.

If you are importing ship spares and parts into New Zealand, you will need to email a Customs broker or Service Delivery (service.delivery@customs.govt.nz) to arrange clearance for your goods. When you contact the Customs broker or Service Delivery, you will need to provide:

  • your copy of Form C4G, if you have one.
  • purchase invoice/s for the ship spares and parts being imported
    • these must include the name of the craft and the name of the owner or person responsible for the craft
  • Customs Number for the owner or person responsible for the craft.

You will be required to pay an Import Entry Transaction Fee (IETF) even if the goods qualify to be imported duty and GST-free.

When buying ship spares and parts in New Zealand, the supplier has the discretion to apply a GST exemption. For queries relating to GST exemption on goods purchased in New Zealand, contact Inland Revenue.

Selling your small craft

You must have permission from Customs before you sell your small craft. You may be required to provide a security or pay for any duty and GST owed.

Email your request to Service Delivery: service.delivery@customs.govt.nz.

Extending your stay (under C4G security)

Under the terms of your temporary importation, your small craft must depart New Zealand within 24 months from the date of arrival. You must have permission from Customs to extend your stay beyond 24 months.

Email your request to Service Delivery: service.delivery@customs.govt.nz. We advise making your request as soon as possible, once you know of any change in your situation. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you extend your stay beyond 24 months without permission, you will be required to pay duty and/or GST. This is calculated on the value of the craft at the time of importation. Payment must be made within 10 working days of the expiry of your Temporary Import Entry.

Leaving New Zealand

Ports of departure

You must depart New Zealand from a port that is a designated Customs place of departure.

The ports and marinas approved for departure of recreational vessels are:

  • Opua Marine Park, Opua
  • Marsden Cove Marina, Whangārei
  • Viaduct Marina and Silo Marina, Auckland (approved for “superyachts” for pre-arranged clients only)
  • Westhaven Marina, Auckland
  • Vessel Works Marine Precinct, Tauranga
  • Port Marlborough, Picton (including Waikawa Marina)
  • Nelson Port
  • Lyttelton Port of Christchurch, Lyttelton.

If exceptional circumstances require you to depart from a non-designated port, you must first get approval from Customs - email yachts@customs.govt.nz.

Requirements for each person aboard

  • Check you have a valid passport.
  • Complete a Border Cash Report if you carry NZ$10,000 or more cash (or foreign equivalent) out of New Zealand. Find out more at Border Cash Report.
  • Pay your border processing levies. Customs will send an invoice to the email address you provide on the Advance Notice of Arrival form. Find out more at Border processing levies.

Duty-free items

You can only load duty-free consumable items when you’re about to depart New Zealand.

You can do this through a duty-free business or ships providore. The providore must email NZCS 325: Requisition for Ships Stores (DOC, 147 KB) to us at ships.stores@customs.govt.nz. They must give Customs at least 12 hours notice before you depart.

Keep receipts for any duty-free purchases you’re claiming, as a Customs officer may inspect them.

Form C2B: Advance Notice of Departure (small craft)

You must give Customs advance information about your planned departure. This information must be sent to Customs at least four hours before you leave. We recommend that you submit this information earlier.  This will help you to avoid delays processing your departure.

Send your completed Form C2B to yachts@customs.govt.nz or contact your local Customs office at port of departure. If you do not receive an autoreply to your email, check the email address and resend all information. 

Customs clearance

Contact yachts@customs.govt.nz or your local port of departure at least 48 hours before leaving New Zealand. Make an appointment with the Customs officer at your port of departure to attend at the required time and date of departure to provide Customs clearance.

Once we have approved your clearance, you must immediately depart New Zealand waters. You must not go to any other place within New Zealand, such as an island or harbour within NZ waters, or you risk a fine or prosecution. The only exceptions are in an emergency.

In emergency situations, contact us immediately by one of the methods below.

If the situation isn’t life-threatening, but you still need to pause your journey, you must get our permission first. An officer will tell you what other requirements you must meet.

International voyage certificate

If your craft is registered in New Zealand, an International Voyage Certificate (pleasure craft) is required. This is issued by Maritime New Zealand.

You will need to present this to Customs when we process your clearance for departure.

For more information, visit Maritime New Zealand

Temporary importation refunds

If you paid a financial security as part of your Temporary Import Entry (TIE), you can request a refund from Customs after you have departed.

You should include in your request the following details:

  • Temporary Import Entry number
  • Export Entry number
  • Name of your vessel
  • Your customs number or client code
  • Amount paid as a security
  • A screenshot of your bank details for the account you wish the deposit to be refunded into. This must show:
    • Bank name
    • Account holder name
    • Account number

Send your request to service.delivery@customs.govt.nz. Refunds can take four to six weeks to process.

Penalties

You may incur penalties if you breach New Zealand law by:

  • not complying with public health requirements
  • not complying with Customs requirements
  • failing to declare restricted goods or goods that exceed Customs’ allowances.

Infringement notices information (PDF, 925 KB)

See something suspicious along the coastline?

Help protect New Zealand by reporting suspicious activity that could indicate cross-border crime. Our coastlines are part of New Zealand’s border. Criminals can use them to bring drugs into our country or undertake other illegal activity. If you’re near the coast, be alert to the signs of cross-border crime.

If you notice any of these, you may have witnessed something illegal:

  • yachts or boats meeting at sea
  • landing in an unusual area
  • transferring objects between vessels

People or vehicles in unusual or isolated areas near the coast can also be a sign of crime. This applies especially to activity that looks rushed, nervous or secretive.

If it doesn’t seem right, report it.

Find out more at Border Protect.

Report now by calling the 24-hour confidential hotline - 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768)

Contact us

You can contact us in the following ways.