Timber - Sawn

Country
New Zealand (NZ)
Group
Timber
End use
Processing
NPPO Details
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Refer below
Additional Declaration/Endorsement No
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


This ICR applies to timber, lumber, half rounds, mouldings, doweling and laminated beams.

NZ Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) considers a contamination rate of 0.01% w/w of extraneous material to be acceptable.

Timber must be bark-free.

Sawn timber is not to exceed 300mm in thickness (any width is acceptable). Sawn timber which exceeds 300 mm in thickness may be imported in accordance with the requirements specified in the Import Health Standard (IHS): Poles, piles, rounds and sleepers.

Sawn timber must be packed and/or shipped in a manner that prevents infestation and/or contamination by regulated pests if packed prior to shipping. Plastic wrapping, six sided boxing, closed shipping containers are considered as appropriate packaging.

Consignments may be exported using one of the following options:
  • Untreated sawn timber may be exported with or without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate. A phytosanitary certificate with no treatment details will be issued if the consignment is inspected by an Authorised Officer (AO) prior to export and found to be free of live regulated pests specified by MPI. Consignments will be inspected on arrival by an MPI inspector for evidence of pests, bark, or extraneous organic material (e.g. leaves, twigs, soil) with a 100% inspection of the exterior of each stack of sawn wood and a 10% piece by piece (board by board) inspection of each lot, or directed for treatment (heat or chemical treatment) (Option A).
OR
  • Sawn timber which has been treated in accordance with MPI requirements may be exported with an accompanying phytosanitary certificate if the consignment is inspected by an AO prior to export and found to be free of live regulated pests specified by MPI. Evidence of treatment must be presented to the AO at the time of inspection. Treatment details are only to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate if the treatment completed prior to export fully complies with MPI requirements. Consignments of treated sawn timber will be inspected on arrival to verify that the treatment was effective and the goods are free of contaminants (Option B).
OR
  • Sawn timber which has been treated in accordance with MPI requirements may be exported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate. Consignments must be accompanied by a treatment certificate issued by the manufacturer or operator/manager of the treatment facility. Consignments of treated sawn timber will be inspected on arrival to verify that the treatment was effective and the goods are free of contaminants (Option C). 
Certificates accompanying a consignment and submitted as clearance documentation must include the wood species name.

The Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021, require an export licence issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for any exports of two tonnes or more of:

  • woodchips;
  • wood in the round (i.e. logs);
  • wood with a cross-sectional area of at least 225 square centimetres

These are considered 'prescribed goods' under the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021. 

A licence is not required for the above listed wood and woodchips if:
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from an area covered by a Regional Forest Agreement (RFA). Details regarding the areas covered by RFAs can be found here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/forestry/policies/rfa.
  • the wood or woodchips are derived from trees harvested outside Australian territory, including those transiting through Australia.
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from a plantation in a State with an approved code of practice for the establishment, management and harvesting of all plantations in that State.

If an export licence is required, it is the responsibility of exporters to obtain a licence to export prescribed wood or woodchips prior to export.

Exporters can find information on how to obtain an export licence for prescribed wood or woodchips on the departments website - Exports of unprocessed wood and woodchips (wood export licensing) - DAFF.

Any enquires on what is classed as prescribed wood or woodchips should be directed to: wood.export@aff.gov.au, or call (02) 6272 4353.

The only responsibility authorised officers have in relation to the export licences for unprocessed wood is to inform unprocessed wood exporters of the possible requirement to hold a licence to export unprocessed wood.

Any treatment completed prior to export and endorsed on a phytosanitary certificate or a treatment certificate must be in accordance with one of the following options. Treatment prior to export reduces on-arrival inspection.
  • Fumigated with methyl bromide or sulphuryl fluoride (being filleted or otherwise separated layers) at 80 grm/M3 for 24 hours or more at 10 degrees celsius or higher;
OR
  • Heat treated (kiln dried) at a minimum continuous core temperature for a minimum period as below table:
Core temperature (OC)Time (minutes)
70240
80120
9060
10030
11020
12015

OR

  • Chemical preservation to full sapwood penetration as below:
ChemicalMinimum Retention

Boron compounds

(insecticidal and limited fungicidal protection)		0.1% Boric Acid equivalent minimum loading in the sapwood core

Copper + didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC)

(insecticidal & fungicidal protection)

0.35% mass/mass OR

2.8 kg/m3 in softwood timbers,

5.60 kg/m3 in hardwood timbers.

Copper azole

(insecticidal & fungicidal protection)

0.27% mass/mass OR

1.35 kg/m3 in softwood timbers,

2.7 kg/m3 in hardwood timbers.

Copper Chrome Arsenic (CCA)

(insecticidal & fungicidal protection)

0.27% mass/mass OR

3kg/m3 minimum preservative retention

Arsenic

(insecticidal protection only)		0.04% minimum preservation loading in sapwood core

Permethrin

(insecticidal protection only)		Minimum retention of not less than 0.06% mass/mass
All consignments of sawn timber that are fumigated or heat-treated prior to export must be treated no more than twenty-one (21) days before packaging/loading/shipping to New Zealand.
04/02/2025 - Updated general requirements due to legislation changes.
13/08/2021 - Updated methyl bromide treatment schedule for clarity.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026