Taking cash in or out of New Zealand: What are the rules?

Planning a trip to New Zealand from the UK? You might be visiting relatives, sightseeing, working, studying or perhaps even moving there permanently.

Whatever your plans, if you’ll be travelling with cash, you need to know the country’s rules for bringing currency in and out of the country.

Read on for everything you need to know about the rules and limits for taking cash in or out of New Zealand. We’ll run through how and when to declare cash, along with potential penalties if you carry too much without declaring it.

We’ll also show you a convenient cash-free alternative for spending in New Zealand and worldwide - the Wise card.

How much cash can you bring to New Zealand? What are the limits?

You can enter New Zealand with any amount of cash in any currency. However, you must make a declaration to customs officials if you’re carrying cash worth $10,000 New Zealand dollars (NZD) or more - this is around £4,591 in GBP.

What qualifies as cash when moving through borders?

For the purposes of moving it across international borders, the following are usually classed as cash:¹

• Physical currency, such as banknotes and coins
• Cheques
• Travellers cheques
• Promissory notes
• Money orders or postal orders
• Bills of exchange
• Bearer bonds.

Are there penalties if you bring in too much cash to New Zealand?

In New Zealand, a failure to declare cash over the legal limit when entering the country is considered a criminal offence. And there are penalties for breaking the law - such as fines or even imprisonment.¹

At the very least, it’s likely that the money will be seized.

How to declare cash at New Zealand customs when you travel

Never had to declare cash at an international border, or deal with foreign customs authorities? It’s understandable to feel a little daunted and unsure of the process.

So that you know what to expect, here’s some handy info on how to declare cash at the airport in New Zealand.

Declaring cash before your trip

If you want to breeze through the airport on arrival and avoid delays at customs, you can declare cash before you fly to New Zealand. There’s a Border Cash Report form you can complete online within 72 hours before travelling - you can find it here.¹ You can also download, print and complete a paper form if you prefer, and take it with you when you travel.

It’s important to note though that even if you’ve completed this form, you’ll still need to inform a customs officer at the airport that you’re carrying cash over the given limit.¹

Declaring cash on arrival to New Zealand

To declare cash at an airport or seaport (i.e. a cruise terminal) once you arrive in New Zealand, follow these steps:

1. Look for the ‘goods to declare’ or ‘red channel’ signs
2. Tell a customs official you wish to declare cash, and you’ll be asked to fill in a form. If you’ve already completed a paper form, hand it over - or provide details of the online form if you’ve completed one.
3. Follow all instructions and have your passport and other documents ready - we’ll run through what else you might need next.

If you can’t find a declaration point, ask at the airport or seaport’s information desk. You can also find contact details for New Zealand customs services here.

Checklist for cash declarations at New Zealand customs

While you may not be asked for all of it, it’s sensible to have the following ready to provide at customs:

• Your passport, home address, contact information and other personal details
• The address of where you’ll be staying in New Zealand (i.e. your hotel address)
• Details of your journey, including travel dates, where you travelled from, flight numbers, ferry routes, vessel names, and any countries you’ve passed through in transit
• The total amount of cash and the currency
• Details of who owns the cash and the intended recipient, if it’s not you.
• Details and evidence (if you have it) of the source of the money, including the country of origin and how it was generated.
• Details of what the cash will be used for.

How much cash can you take out of New Zealand? Are there limits?

You can take cash worth up to $10,000 New Zealand dollars (NZD) out of the country without needing to declare it to customs officials. Anything over this must be declared at the border.¹

How much cash can I take to Australasia from the UK?

Countries in Australasia have their own rules and limits for how much cash you can bring in, so you’ll need to do some research before you travel. For example, you can find info on taking cash in and out of Australia here.

There are also the UK’s own rules to bear in mind. You can take up to £10,000 in or out of the UK without having to make a customs declaration.³

What are the penalties for travelling with too much cash?

If you bring too much cash into New Zealand or fail to declare it, you risk your money being seized.

You may also be ordered to pay a fine of up to $10,000 NZD or face a prison term of up to 3 months - or perhaps even both.²

Destinations where a declaration isn't needed

No matter where you’re travelling to once you leave New Zealand, you’ll need to declare any cash exceeding $10,000 NZD to customs authorities.¹

Destinations where declaration is needed

All onward destinations require a customs declaration if you’re carrying more than $10,000 NZD,¹ except if you’re travelling between cities or locations within New Zealand itself.

Additional tips for travelling with cash

Avoid travelling with cash if you can

Travelling with large amounts of cash is a security risk, so it’s best avoided unless absolutely necessary. Consider spending on a card instead or withdrawing cash at a New Zealand ATM on arrival - you’ll find them outside NZ banks and in most commercial centres.

Get a money belt

If you do need to carry cash, the safest way to carry it is on your person. So, it could be worth investing in a decent money belt to wear under your clothes.

Split your cash

Carrying one big wad of cash isn’t very discreet, and it’s risky too. If it’s lost or stolen, you’d have no spending money left at all.

So consider splitting your money between a money belt worn on your person, between members of your travelling party, and between pieces of luggage too.

Be aware that exchanging currency in cash can be costly

If you’re carrying money to pay for your trip and need to exchange it once you get to New Zealand, you might struggle to find a good deal.

This is especially true of exchanging cash in airports and hotels, where exchange rates are notoriously poor.

Wise – An international alternative to carrying cash

Rather avoid the concerns and inconvenience of carrying cash between countries? Check out the Wise card instead.

It’s a truly international debit card, as it works in 150+ countries including New Zealand without any foreign transaction fees*.

Your Wise card awaits 💳

Best of all, your Wise card automatically converts currency at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend, for just a small conversion fee*. If you already have the currency in your Wise account, there’s no fee to pay.

You can also use Wise to send money worldwide for great exchange rates and low fees*.

FAQs: How much cash can you travel with?

What else needs to be declared at customs in New Zealand?

As well as currency, you need to declare the following when arriving or leaving in New Zealand:⁴

• Anything over your duty-free allowance in cigarettes, alcohol or other goods
• Any prohibited or restricted goods.
• Items which may contain harmful diseases and/or pests, such as animal and plant products, some foods, and medicines.

Is New Zealand cashless?

New Zealand isn’t cashless, but use of debit and credit cards, mobile payments and online banking is on the rise.

Is it better to use cards or cash in New Zealand?

Debit and credit cards are widely accepted in New Zealand, especially in major towns and cities.

However, there may be places where cash is best - such as in rural or remote parts of the country, or in smaller shops and cafes. You may also need cash for tipping, shopping at markets, public transport and buying street food.

So, it’s best to take a mix of cash and card to New Zealand with you.

Can I use my UK debit card in New Zealand?

Yes, your UK debit card should be accepted in New Zealand wherever you see the Mastercard or Visa symbol. This includes shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and public transport, as well as ATMs.

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Sources used:

1. New Zealand Customs Service - NZ Border Cash Report form and limits for taking cash in or out of New Zealand
2. New Zealand Customs Service - penalties for failure to declare cash at NZ customs
3. GOV.UK - Taking cash in and out of the UK
4. New Zealand Traveller Declaration - completing your NZ travel declaration

Sources last checked on date: 17-Jan-2025