International Shipping to New Zealand from UK

Shipping times to New Zealand can vary. Shipping groupage in a shared container takes longer than shipping a full container load as different customers shipments need to be consolidated to fill one container.

NB: These are approximate sea freight shipping times to ports in New Zealand only. You will need to allow additional time for New Zealand customs clearance and final delivery to your destination.

How Long Does Air Freight Shipping to New Zealand take from the UK?

For sending excess baggage or boxes to New Zealand by air freight allow approximately 7 – 14 days.

Whether you require full or shared-container shipping to New Zealand depends on the quantity or combined dimensions of your items.

Shared Shipping Containers to New Zealand (Groupage)

For small moves, we load items into a shared shipping container from the UK to New Zealand alongside the boxes of other PSS customers, this is also known as our groupage service.

Part-load container shipping (sometimes called LCL – Less than Container Load) is an easy way to send a single box of clothing or personal goods and sports equipment, smaller furniture items, or household contents from a single room up to a small flat. You will only pay for the space you use.

Full-Load Container Shipping from the UK to New Zealand

For larger loads to send to New Zealand, our sole-use container shipping to New Zealand, also known as Full Container Load (FCL), is the most beneficial shipping option.

For those sending a large family home of furniture and personal items, PSS can provide a 20ft or 40ft shipping container intended for your sole use. The cost of container shipping to New Zealand from the UK is then calculated based on the size of the shipping container used.

Our 20ft and 40ft shipping containers have plenty of space, and it is up to you how you fill that container. A standard 20 ft shipping container is large enough for the contents of the average three bedroom house. Whereas a 40 ft shipping container is usually big enough to fit the goods of a 4 bedroom house and car.

The quoted cost includes a full, professional packing service.

Another advantage of having your own sole use shipping container, is that it leaves immediately on the next available ship bound for New Zealand. There is no waiting around for other customers to fill the container.

It is highly advisable to take out maritime shipping insurance or shipment protection cover before you ship your personal effects or household goods to New Zealand.

Although it is unlikely to experience problems when shipping items from the UK to New Zealand, it is still smart to have shipment protection cover when sending goods overseas, especially for items of significant financial value.

PSS International offers very flexible Shipment Protection Plans. You can cover your whole shipment or choose the individual items you wish to cover.

Your PSS Move Manager will explain the different options available to you and guide you through completing the Shipment Protection Valuation form.

If you meet the criteria below you may be able to import your belongings without paying any duty or tax. However, other fees and charges from NZ MPI may still apply.

For more details we recommend you read our FIDI Customs Guide for New Zealand and speak to our team.

• Household goods imported by returning New Zealanders are admitted free of duty and GST provided they have resided outside New Zealand for more than 21 months and that the goods have been owned and used overseas by them.
• Household goods imported by migrants are admitted free of duty and GST where the migrant holds a permanent residency visa, a “work to residence” visa or a work permit (valid for at least 12 months) in their passport upon arrival of the goods in New Zealand. The goods must have been owned and used overseas prior to importation.
• The owner of the goods must be in New Zealand upon importation to qualify for duty and GST free entry, or within 6 months of arrival of the goods against payment of a monetary bond (Minimum NZ$500). If the owner does not arrive within 6 months any bond paid is forfeited and an additional processing fee will apply.

New Zealand has unique flora and fauna and so has stringent biosecurity to protect the environment whether you are shipping boxes from UK to New Zealand or larger loads.

New Zealand, therefore, has an uncompromising list of items that are prohibited or on restricted entry into the country, which you should observe before your consignment is shipped. You must also ensure that you thoroughly clean any outdoor items before shipping.

What are restricted and prohibited items for shipping to New Zealand?

• Weapons disguised as any other object
• Weapons such as butterfly knives, flick knives, swordsticks, knuckle-dusters
• Objectionable material on videotapes, films, records, CD-ROMs, magazines etc.
• Equipment used for the consumption of cannabis or methamphetamine
• Anything planned for use as part of a crime

Restricted imports to New Zealand where pre-approval may be required are:

• Ivory in all forms, including carvings and jewellery
• All meat or food derived from dolphins, whales, cranes, pheasants and sea turtles
• Tortoise or sea turtle shell jewellery and ornaments
• Carvings and products made from or with whalebone or bones from marine animals
• Cat skins
• Medicine containing musk, or tiger or rhinoceros derivatives i.e. bone or horn
• Carnivorous plants
• Live species including hawks, owls, eagles, parrots, cacti, orchids, cycads and cyclamens
• Trophies of all big cats, rare reptiles, sea turtles, cranes, pheasants, bears, deer and antelope

Artwork and Antiques

If you have antiques valued at NZD$1000 or above you will need an import declaration. You can import antiques over 100 years old free of duty when sending boxes to New Zealand if you can provide a Certificate of Antiquity.

Popular items that are often shipped to New Zealand include golf clubs, guitars, toolboxes, surfboards, and monitors.

Your move manager will guide you on restricted and prohibited items; however, for more information, visit the Customs Guide for New Zealand shipping.

Shipping your tools to New Zealand from the UK is recommended as you may find them quite expensive to replace. All types of tools can be taken to New Zealand including building, garden, plumbing and carpentry tools. It is important to ensure your work tools are thoroughly cleaned to avoid any problems with New Zealand customs.

You can ship a box of tools cheaply by sea freight with your other personal items or if you need them urgently for work we offer a cost-effective air freight service. The cost of shipping tools to New Zealand and shipping toolboxes to New Zealand is calculated based on volume and air freight as well as weight. Most UK power tools will work fine in NZ but speak to our team about requirements for shipping batteries as there are different rules for air and sea freight.

To get a quote or cost for shipping tools to New Zealand use the cost calculator on this page.

When exporting sentimental items or expensive furniture overseas, you need to have full confidence in the international shipping company you choose. There are some key pointers to look for that can help determine the best global shipping companies to New Zealand.

Accreditations and associations are the best indicators of how trusted a company is within the industry and how safe its services are. PSS’ continued efforts and dedication to shipping to New Zealand from the UK is echoed in our memberships and achievements:

• FAIM Accredited – the only globally recognised independent quality assurance standard for the international moving industry.
• FIDI Global Alliance Members – providing customers with the same superior standards in New Zealand as in the UK.
• British Association of Removers Members – the leading British quality standard and ensures customers financial protection with the BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme.
• Movers Trading Club (MTC) – Members of this organisation join together to negotiate the best service and shipping rates with leading international shipping companies. Members are therefore able to offer lower shipping rates to customers.

It is also worth looking out for an international shipping company that has a good reputation and is continuously looking to improve its service. You can find reliable companies for shipping to New Zealand by checking out reviews and feedback from previous customers. Although shipping to New Zealand may seem like a stressful experience, when you select a reliable company like PSS, it will feel straightforward.

We offer a full menu of shipping options to New Zealand, whether you are sending personal items, furniture, extra boxes, pets or vehicles, our New Zealand movers have a solution ready and waiting for you:

Shipping Personal Effects to New Zealand from the UK

Shipping personal effects and sending boxes from the UK to New Zealand is simple with PSS. We send personal items to New Zealand for countless customers each year, from clothing and shoes, makeup and toiletries, to sports equipment, tech, musical instruments and beyond, your international shipping options are limitless.

Shipping Furniture and Household Goods to New Zealand

Shipping household goods to New Zealand is a PSS speciality. Using our freight services and industry expertise, PSS can ship furniture of any weight, dimensions and any quantities from the UK to destinations across New Zealand.

Our team of experienced international packers will ensure your items are carefully export wrapped and packed for their journey.

The best way to get started for our international furniture shipping service is to book a free home or video survey so we can give you an accurate quote.

Shipping Excess Baggage & Unaccompanied Luggage from the UK to New Zealand

Using PSS to ship boxes, luggage, suitcases and excess baggage to New Zealand cuts out the extortionate charges issued by airline carriers and makes your journey to New Zealand more manageable by reducing the amount of luggage you have to carry.

We can supply you with a variety of box sizes or you can use your own bags/suitcases.

Whether you have one box, two suitcases or ten loads of excess baggage, our baggage shipping to New Zealand is an ideal service!

Shipping Boxes to New Zealand from UK

If you only have small items to ship to New Zealand, we recommend our box shipping service. Your boxes will be shipped along those with other customers in a shared container (Groupage) so you only pay for the space you use.

We can supply a variety of box and carton sizes including packing and wrapping materials such as bubble wrap. We also have custom cartons for items such as bicycles.

Shipping Cars and Vehicles to New Zealand

PSS provides a range of shipping options to make car shipping to New Zealand feasible – regardless of your vehicle. Whether you want to send a car to New Zealand in a container of its own or alongside personal and household items, our New Zealand vehicle shipping options make it possible.

In addition to shipping cars we can assist with shipping all kinds of other vehicles to New Zealand including motorcycles, bikes, caravans, motorhomes and boats.

Shipping Pets, Dogs and Cats to New Zealand

Pet shipping to New Zealand can be daunting for any pet owners and pet relocation is a very specialised service. We, therefore, work with trusted partners for transporting animals from UK to New Zealand. Whether you want to take your cat or dog to NZ, you can entrust PSS and our partners to relocate them safely.

Shipping Parcels and Small Packages to New Zealand

For small parcels and packages, it is probably best to use Royal Mail, especially for less than 2kg. For larger or multiple boxes you can save by using a personal shipping service like that from PSS.

Shipping Goods and Freight to New Zealand

At PSS International we specialise in personal shipping services for people moving or relocating to New Zealand.

If you wish to ship commercial or non-personal items to New Zealand then it is best to contact a freight-forwarder.

Express Air Freight and Fast shipping from UK to New Zealand

If you need to ship items to New Zealand quickly then we recommend our priority Express Air Freight Service.

This takes about 7 – 14 days and is ideal if you wish to send some boxes or bags of personal belongings to arrive ahead of your household container.

It is also commonly used by tradesmen wishing to ship tools to New Zealand so they can begin work immediately on arrival.

PSS provides two packing options, the first being a full professional packing service, or if you prefer, you can self-pack with our “You Pack, We Ship” service.

Professional Packing Service for international shipping to New Zealand

When you opt for our professional overseas packing service, a specialist team will arrive at your home on the day of your move to pack the required items in sturdy packaging materials and moving boxes ready for sending to New Zealand. For furniture, we offer a full export wrapping service so that they are well protected.

We can also provide custom-made wooden crates and antique wrapping for delicate items.

Our packing teams also create an inventory to ensure our customer is aware of every item that we will ship to New Zealand.

Self-Pack Service for international shipping to New Zealand

If you are only sending a small number of items in boxes or suitcases, you can opt to self-pack your belongings in the comfort of your own home. This “You Pack, We Ship” is an increasingly popular option for sending boxes.

We understand the importance of the safe handling and delivery of your goods to New Zealand, so we still provide all moving boxes, tea cartons and packing materials such as bubble wrap when you self-pack.

Once you are ready, we’ll pick up your boxes and deliver them to your new home in New Zealand.

We have regular shipments going to all the major ports in New Zealand and provide a door to door shipping service from anywhere in the UK to anywhere in New Zealand.

As we endeavour to provide you with the fastest and cheapest shipping options to New Zealand we might not always ship to the nearest port to your final destination. This especially applies if we can ship it more more quickly and cheaply via another port.

Examples of ports and cities we ship to include:

North Island, New Zealand

• Wellington
• Auckland
• Hamilton
• Tauranga
• Lower Hut
• Palmerston
• Napier
• Rotorua
• Northland
• Waikato
• Bay of Plenty
• Gisborne
• Taranaki
• Manawatu-Wanganui
• Hawkes Bay

South Island New Zealand

• Christchurch
• Dunedin
• Nelson
• Invercargill
• Queenstown
• Tasman
• Marlborough
• West Coast
• Canterbury
• Otago
• Southland

New Zealand is a very popular destination for those looking to move from the UK. You have wonderful Maori culture, as well as the Bay of Islands to explore, and the good news is that PSS will make the experience of shipping your items to NZ easy.

No matter whether you are taking one, a few or even multiple boxes or luggage to New Zealand then our box shipping service is the best way for you to ship your boxes.

We provide boxes and packaging materials and deliver them to your address in the UK. You then pack all your personal possessions or household items and call us when you are ready for them to be collected.

There are three shipping options for your boxes. The method you choose depends on costs and urgency.

1. Sea Freight: Your boxes are sent in a shared shipping container with other people’s boxes and belongings moving to New Zealand. This is the cheapest way to send your items, but the slowest method.
2. Air Freight: If you need your belongings to arrive sooner then a good option is to fly your boxes to New Zealand using air freight.
3. Express Air Freight: If your shipment is needed very urgently then express air freight is the best option, however, this will be more expensive.

Your dedicated Move Manager will help you with all the required paperwork and answer any questions you have.

You can then take time to enjoy a stop-over on your journey home to New Zealand whilst we take care of transporting your boxes.

Our partner company in New Zealand will notify you when your shipment arrives, take care of customs clearance and deliver your boxes at a time that’s convenient for you. They can also arrange storage for you if you are not yet ready to take delivery making the whole process simple.

If you are looking to post small parcels or packages, we recommend using the Royal Mail postal service. However, this is usually only suitable for packages up to 2kg. If you need to send larger boxes and packages, then our personal shipping service is ideal.

You can send boxes, packages, and parcels weighing up to 25kg. You can send them by economy sea freight or express air courier service.

The cost of shipping boxes to New Zealand will depend on the volume of boxes you are shipping and whether you are using sea or air freight.

To get an initial price we recommend using our free online cost calculator available on this page. Our Move Managers will also be able to tailor your quote to meet your personal requirements. You can be assured that PSS is widely regarded as the cheapest and best company for shipping your items to New Zealand. We are confident that we can give you a very good quote without compromising on service.

Please note that sea freight costs are based on volume whereas air freight rates are calculated by volumetric weight – a combination of weight and volume.

Average shipping times to New Zealand from the UK

The table above gives you an estimate of how long it will take to ship your boxes to New Zealand. Delivery times will vary depending on where in New Zealand you are moving to.

Please note: These times are for arrival in your destination port, You will also need to allow additional time for customs clearance.

Yes! Whilst you can buy a specialist bike box, we can provide you with a strong cardboard bike carton for shipping your bicycle to New Zealand.

You will need to dismantle some parts of your cycle such as pedals and ensure it is thoroughly cleaned for New Zealand customs, but taking your bike with you is very easy.