Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989

Trade in endangered, threatened, and exploited species - Permits and certificates

27: Control of arrivals from overseas

You could also call this:

"Declaring animals and plants when arriving in New Zealand"

Illustration for Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989

When you arrive in New Zealand, you must let a Customs officer or an Endangered Species Officer check any animals or plants you have with you. You must show them any permits or certificates you have for these animals or plants, and help them with their inspection. You can find more information about permits and certificates in Part 2. If you have an animal or plant that is endangered, and you do not have a permit or certificate, you must give it to an officer.

If you give the officer an animal or plant, you must tell them your name and address. If you are visiting New Zealand, you must give them a contact address in New Zealand and your permanent address outside New Zealand. The officer will take the animal or plant to a safe place.

If the animal or plant is not endangered, it will be given back to you. You will not be in trouble for bringing an endangered animal or plant into New Zealand if you tell the officer about it as soon as you arrive.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM146563.

Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationTransport and travel > Air travel
Previous

26: Permit or certificate to be produced, or

"Show your permit when trading endangered species"

Next

28: Disposal and release of specimens seized from arrivals from overseas, or

"What happens to endangered species items seized when people arrive in New Zealand"

Part 1Trade in endangered, threatened, and exploited species
Permits and certificates

27Control of arrivals from overseas

  1. Every person shall, on arriving in New Zealand, permit a Customs officer or any other Endangered Species Officer to inspect and examine any specimen of an endangered, threatened, or exploited species in that person's possession as part of that person's personal effects or baggage, and shall afford to that officer all reasonable facilities and assistance in carrying out any such inspection and examination, and shall produce any permit or certificate granted under this Part or Part 2 in respect of that specimen.

  2. Subject to section 30, where any person is found to be in possession of any specimen of an endangered, threatened, or exploited species, or a specimen that an Endangered Species Officer has reasonable cause to believe or suspect may be of an endangered, threatened, or exploited species, and has not been granted a permit or certificate in respect of that specimen under this Part or Part 2, that person shall—

  3. surrender the specimen to an officer; and
    1. state to the officer his or her full name; and
      1. in the case of—
        1. New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, state his or her address:
          1. visitors to this country, state an address at which he or she may be contacted and his or her permanent address outside New Zealand—

            2. where that person has voluntarily disclosed the presence of the specimen to the officer as soon as practicable after the specimen arrives in New Zealand, for the purposes of this Act, he or she shall be taken not to have imported that specimen.

          2. Any specimen surrendered to an officer under subsection (2) shall be conveyed to any institution or place considered by the Director-General appropriate for the holding of that specimen.

          3. If any specimen surrendered to an officer under subsection (2) is subsequently ascertained not to be a specimen of an endangered, threatened, or exploited species, it shall be released to the person who surrendered the specimen.

          Notes
          • Section 27(1): amended, on , by section 289(1) of the Customs and Excise Act 1996 (1996 No 27).
          • Section 27(1): amended, on , by section 2 of the Trade in Endangered Species Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 100).