MPI Border Inspections on Your Vehicle: What to Expect & How to Prepare

When you’re importing a vehicle into New Zealand, you’ll have to get clearance from the MPI. The Ministry for Primary Industries is responsible for biosecurity in the country. It’s their job to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases transported through food, vehicles and other goods brought to NZ.

You’re going to want to be prepared for your MPI border inspection. Without clearance at this checkpoint, you may have to pay an additional cost and your entry into New Zealand may be delayed.

What happens during an MPI inspection?

An MPI inspection makes sure your vehicle is clear of any biosecurity risk material.

More specifically, they’re checking for pests and diseases found in soil, plants and animals. This includes creepy crawlies and their eggs.

The inspection takes place at a transitional facility or at your place of arrival – whether this is a port or an airport.

When you arrive, your vehicle will be inspected by an MPI officer. If the officer is satisfied that there’s no biosecurity risk associated with the vehicle and its parts, they’ll issue a biosecurity authority/clearance certificate (BACC) and you’ll be able to continue your journey into NZ.

If the officer can’t verify cleanliness, your vehicle may need to be dismantled in some way. No one wants that, so make sure you clean your vehicle before arrival. We’ll show you how later on in this guide.

Why are biosecurity inspections important?

The whole reasoning behind biosecurity checks is to protect human health, agriculture and horticultural production, forestry, tourism and international trade in New Zealand.

More trade and travel adds pressure on the country’s biosecurity systems, with new pests and diseases presenting possible issues for the areas mentioned above. Before giving any vehicle the go-ahead, MPI needs to be confident it doesn’t contain unwanted organisms.

How to clean your vehicle

A quick valet on your vehicle before you arrive in New Zealand might not be enough. While a valet makes a vehicle look presentable (and smell pretty good), it doesn’t guarantee to clear it of biosecurity contaminants and regulated pests.

The MPI released a guide for cleaning used vehicles, which we’ll summarise here:

• To remove animal excrement or soil, use a high-pressure hose on your car’s exterior
• To remove insects and snails, take them out and spray residual insecticide over the surrounding areas. For lots of insects or spiders, opt for fumigation or heat treatment
• To remove egg masses, use your hand to get rid of all traces
• To remove plant material, use high-pressure air and/or a vacuum cleaner on the interior, and a high-pressure hose for the exterior
• To remove seeds, hand-pick them with sticky tape and vacuum loose seeds

Some areas to check on your vehicle:

• The interior
  • Spare tyre
  • Under and between car seats
  • Boot/trunk
• The exterior
  • Tyres/wheels
  • Bumper and grates
  • Mudguards
• Vehicle underside
• Motor area
  • Bonnet/hood and grilles
  • Surfaces
  • All hinges and crevices
  • The underside of the bonnet

If you have a 4-wheel drive, you should also check:

• The box-shaped tubes with drain holes
• Underbody protection plates (bash plates)
• Head and taillights

Vehicle inspection guide checklist

Work through this checklist to make sure you’ve covered all areas of your vehicle before importation.

What happens when the MPI finds contaminants?

When the MPI is happy that any biosecurity risks to do with the vehicle or its parts have been managed, you’ll get clearance to import it into New Zealand. But what if things don’t run so smoothly?

If MPI inspectors are unable to verify that your vehicle is clean and clear of biosecurity contaminants, it may need to be fully or partially dismantled.

If they do find contaminants, the vehicle may be cleaned by MPI or taken to an MPI-approved facility. If they cannot contain or remove the issue, you might be dealing with the reshipment or destruction of the vehicle. This might incur another cost payable by you.

The best way to avoid this is to carry out a thorough inspection and clean before making the journey.

Any other vehicle checks you need to be aware of?

Yes, there are a couple more inspections your vehicle must pass to enter New Zealand: customs clearance and structural inspections.

Customs clearance

Unless you have a CPD that gets your vehicle into NZ duty-free, you’ll be expected to pay for customs duty.

Read up on the steps you’ll need to follow so customs can clear your vehicle.

Structural inspection

A structural inspection will be carried out by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). They’ll look for existing accident damage, structural repairs, corrosion or evidence of water or fire damage.
Read more about the structural inspection process and what to expect if your vehicle fails the check.