Customs and Excise Act 2018

Schedule 6: Customs-approved secure exports schemes

You could also call this:

"Rules for safely exporting goods from New Zealand with official approval"

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

You want to export goods from New Zealand using a secure scheme. To do this, you must apply to the chief executive for approval. Your application must follow the chief executive's rules and include certain information.

The scheme must say how goods will be packed and transported. It must also include conditions for who can pack the goods and how they will be secured. You can find more details about what the scheme must include in clause 2.

If your scheme is approved, the chief executive will notify you in writing. The approval may have conditions and will take effect on a certain date. You can appeal a decision if you are not happy with it.

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This page was last updated on 1 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7040150.

Topics:

Business > Industry rulesMoney and consumer rights > Consumer protectionEnvironment and resources > Town planningTransport and travel > Export and import

Schedule 5A: Powers for dealing with drugs smuggling outside New Zealand, etc, or

"Stopping drugs smuggling outside New Zealand: old laws that are no longer used"

Schedule 7: Administrative reviews, or

"Checking a decision made under the Customs and Excise Act 2018 to see if it's fair"

6Customs-approved secure exports schemes Empowered by s 281

1Application for scheme to be Customs-approved secure exports scheme

An application for a scheme to be approved as a Customs-approved secure exports scheme must—
be made in the way prescribed by the chief executive’s rules; and
include the matters required to be specified in the scheme under clause 2; and
include any additional information that the chief executive considers necessary.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(1)

2Details to be included in scheme

The scheme must specify the following:
how the goods to be exported under the scheme are to be packed, including—
1. the secure package to be used; and
2. the seal, marking, substance, or device to be used in relation to the package, as soon as it is secured,—
  1. to show that, when it was secured, the package contained only the goods, and was secured in an approved way; and
  2. to help to identify tampering or interference with the package after it is secured:
any conditions required by the chief executive as to—
1. the persons who are to pack the goods, and the security checks to be applied to those persons; or
2. the conditions in which packing is to occur (for example, the area or areas in which packing is to occur, and the controls on the entry and exit of persons and goods to and from that area or those areas); or
3. any other requirements relating to how the goods are to be packed:
how, on the completion of the packing of the goods, the goods are to be transported to the place of shipment and shipped, including any conditions required by the chief executive as to—
1. the persons who are to transport the goods, and the security checks to be applied to those persons; or
2. the manner in which the goods are to be transported; or
3. any place or places of security en route to the place of shipment in which the goods are to be stored in the course of being transported to the place of shipment and shipped.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53E

3Matters to be acknowledged in scheme

The scheme must include the following express acknowledgements:
that the goods to be exported under the scheme are subject to the control of Customs from the time when they are first secured in a Customs-approved secure package until they depart from New Zealand:
that the powers of detention and search under section 231(1)(d) are available in respect of a vehicle in New Zealand if a Customs officer has reasonable cause to suspect that there are in or on the vehicle goods that are—
1. subject to the control of Customs; and
2. in a Customs-approved secure package:
that a Customs officer may, under section 230, question any of the following about any cargo to be exported:
1. a person who is the owner or operator of a vehicle that a Customs officer has reasonable cause to suspect has in or on it, or has within the previous 72 hours had in or on it, goods that are—
  1. subject to the control of Customs; and
  2. in a Customs-approved secure package:
2. a person who is the owner or occupier of premises that a Customs officer has reasonable cause to suspect have in or on them, or have within the previous 72 hours had in or on them, goods that are—
  1. subject to the control of Customs; and
  2. in a Customs-approved secure package:
3. a person employed by a person described in subparagraph (i) or (ii):
that the powers under sections 223, 227, and 228 are available in respect of goods that are, or are suspected to be,—
1. subject to the control of Customs; and
2. in a Customs-approved secure package.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53F

4Chief executive must notify applicant of decision whether to approve scheme

The chief executive must, as soon as practicable after a decision is made, notify the applicant of whether the scheme has been approved.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(2)

5Approval of scheme

If the chief executive approves the scheme, the approval—
must be in writing; and
may be given subject to any conditions the chief executive specifies in the approval; and
takes effect either on the day after the date on which it is given or on any later date specified in the approval.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(3)

6Application to amend Customs-approved secure exports scheme

The operator of a Customs-approved secure exports scheme may apply to the chief executive to amend the scheme.
The application must—
be made in the way prescribed by the chief executive’s rules; and
specify the proposed amendments to the scheme; and
contain any additional information that the chief executive considers necessary.

The scheme, as amended, must still comply with clauses 2 and 3.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(5)

7Chief executive must notify applicant of decision whether to approve amendment

The chief executive must, as soon as practicable after a decision is made, notify an applicant of whether the amendment has been approved.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(5)

8Approval of amendment

If the chief executive approves the amendment, the approval—
must be in writing; and
may be given subject to any conditions the chief executive specifies in the approval; and
takes effect either on the day after the date on which it is given or on any later date specified in the approval.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(5)

9Review of Customs-approved secure exports scheme

The chief executive may, at any time, review the operation of any Customs-approved secure exports scheme.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53J

10Revocation of scheme’s approval

The chief executive may, by notice in writing to the operator of a Customs-approved secure exports scheme, revoke the approval of the scheme as a Customs-approved secure exports scheme.
The chief executive must revoke the approval of a scheme under subclause (1) if the operator of the scheme applies to the chief executive for its revocation.
The notice under subclause (1) must specify—
that the revocation is subject to the condition that goods remain subject to the scheme until exported if, at the time the revocation takes effect, the goods have been secured under the scheme in a Customs-approved secure package but not yet exported; and
any other conditions to which the chief executive makes the revocation subject; and
the date on or after which the revocation takes effect.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(4), (6)

11Applicant or operator may appeal

An applicant, or an operator of a scheme, who is dissatisfied with a decision of the chief executive under this schedule may, within 20 working days after the date on which notice of the decision is given, appeal to a Customs Appeal Authority against that decision.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53C(7)

12Goods to be exported under Customs-approved secure exports scheme may be exported under drawback

Goods to be exported under a Customs-approved secure exports scheme may be exported under drawback if the conditions prescribed for the purposes of section 147(1) (if any) are satisfied, even though satisfying those conditions may involve transporting or handling or storing the goods in a way not specified in the scheme.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53G

13Use of Customs-approved export seals in relation to goods to be exported under Customs-approved secure exports schemes

A Customs-approved export seal may be used in relation to a Customs-approved secure package after an approved seal, marking, substance, or device of the kind referred to in clause 2(a)(ii) has been used in relation to the package.
Goods are not be regarded as no longer to be exported under a Customs-approved secure exports scheme just because 1 or more Customs-approved export seals have been used in relation to a Customs-approved secure package.

Compare

1996 No 27 s 53H