Patch 2025.05

May 2025 update

This month’s changes affect accommodation support, benefits, investment tax, pay-equity claims, sentencing, shooting rules, care subsidies, SuperGold rebates, veterans, air levies and immigration appeals.

• Accommodation support rules change — Accommodation costs used for support payments will be calculated under new rules. Starts 2 Mar 2026
• Benefit work rules change — Work-gap, benefit expiry, regrant and sanction rules change on different dates. Starts 26 May 2025
• Tax rules change for investments — Tax rules change for new investment assets and other Budget measures. Starts 30 May 2025
• Pay equity claims get a new process — A new process helps resolve claims about systemic sex-based undervaluation of predominantly female work. Starts 14 May 2025
• Three-strikes sentencing rules return — Rules reinstating three-strikes sentencing take effect. Starts 17 Jun 2025
• Shooting club and range rules change — Rules affecting shooting clubs, shooting ranges, and other matters change. Starts 24 Jun 2025
• Residential care asset limits rise — Asset thresholds used to assess residential care subsidies increase from 1 July 2025. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• SuperGold cards accepted for rates rebates — SuperGold cardholders may use their cards to show eligibility for the higher rates-rebate income threshold. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• More conditions covered for veterans — Medical condition references used for veterans’ support are updated, with two new conditions added. Starts 26 Jun 2025
• Air passenger levies rise sharply — Domestic and international passenger levies, including security levies, increase from 1 July. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Immigration appeal fee increases — The fee for certain residence visa and deportation appeals increases to $943. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Korea medal rules change — Rules for the New Zealand General Service Medal (Korea) change. Starts 3 Jul 2025
• Some financial-market exemptions end — Four financial-market exemptions are revoked or given earlier end dates, with their policies added to regulations. Starts 12 Jun 2025
• Food importer levy rules change — Food importers face a levy based on the kilograms of food imported in the previous levy year. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Animal industry service fees change — Fees and charges for Ministry services to the animal products industry change from 1 July 2025. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Dairy industry service fees change — Fees and charges for Ministry services to the dairy industry change from 1 July 2025. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some biosecurity charges change — Some biosecurity charges for importers and facility operators change from 1 July 2025. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Animal welfare service fees change — Some animal welfare fees and Ministry hourly rates change from 1 July 2025. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Problem gambling levy rules begin — Regulations for the problem gambling levy begin. Starts 1 May 2026
• Election spending limits increase — Spending limits for election candidates, parties, and some promoters increase. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Māori Land Court fees rise 3.65% — Fees for proceedings in the Māori Land Court increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Occupation tribunal application fee rises — Applying for a Trans-Tasman Occupations Tribunal review will cost $622 instead of $600. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Tax review filing fee rises — Filing a claim with a Taxation Review Authority will cost $552 instead of $533. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Supreme Court appeal fees rise — Fees connected with Supreme Court appeals increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Criminal judgment copies cost $34 — A copy of a judgment about a criminal appeal will cost $34 instead of $33. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some alcohol licensing fees rise — Fees for certain alcohol licensing appeals and register extracts increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Environment Court fees rise 3.65% — Fees for proceedings in the Environment Court increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Tenancy Tribunal fees rise — Fees for Tenancy Tribunal applications, records, and proceeding copies increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Real estate complaint fees rise — Fees for some real estate complaints appeals and reviews increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Prostitution operator certificate fees rise — Fees for applying for or replacing a prostitution operator certificate increase by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Motor vehicle disputes fee rises — Starting a Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal case will cost $75.65 before GST instead of $73.04. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Lawyer complaint review fee rises — Applying for a review of a Standards Committee decision will cost $67 instead of $65. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some lawyer and conveyancer fees rise — Fees for several Disciplinary Tribunal applications and appeals rise from $416 to $431. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• High Court civil fees rise — Fees for civil cases in the High Court rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Family Court application fees rise — Fees for various Family Court applications rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Employment Court fees rise — Fees for Employment Court proceedings rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Disputes Tribunal claim fees rise — The fee for lodging a Disputes Tribunal claim rises by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• District Court civil fees rise — Fees for civil proceedings in the District Court rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Copyright Tribunal application fee rises — The fee for applying for a Copyright Tribunal order rises from $231.30 to $240 before GST. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Charity appeal fees rise — The fee for filing certain charity-related appeals rises from $173.91 to $180 before GST. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some criminal court fees rise — Fees for some criminal proceedings and court documents rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Customs appeal fee rises — The fee for appealing to the Customs Appeal Authority rises from $533 to $552. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Court of Appeal civil fees rise — Fees for civil proceedings in the Court of Appeal rise by 3.65%. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Criminal appeal document fee rises — Accessing or copying criminal appeal documents in the Court of Appeal rises from $33 to $34. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Civil aviation fees increase — Some aviation licensing, advice, monitoring, and overseas travel charges increase. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some Customs fees rise or fall — Certain cargo, import, and export transaction fees change for goods moving through New Zealand. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Levies apply to water services — Regulations set levies on water services. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Gas industry levies set for 2025/26 — Gas industry participants pay levies funding the Gas Industry Company. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Some new vehicle registrations get a fee — Applicants registering specified previously unregistered vehicles must pay a clean vehicle standard fee. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Conveyancers’ professional body rules change — The constitution of the New Zealand Society of Conveyancers changes. Starts 15 Apr 2025
• Permits can cover incidental wildlife deaths — Authorities may allow unavoidable, foreseeable wildlife deaths during otherwise lawful activities, subject to wildlife protection. Starts 14 May 2025
• Businesses can share more register information — Businesses can choose to add a bank account name and Māori-entity information to the register. Starts 12 Jun 2025
• Aviation fuel must be stored at specified sites — Some aviation fuel suppliers must hold stock at Auckland Airport’s JUHI, Wiri Terminal, or both. Starts 1 Nov 2026
• Criminal court procedures change — Criminal court procedures change to help apply the reinstated three-strikes sentencing law. Starts 17 Jun 2025
• Fast-track project contacts change — The named authorised people and organisations for two fast-track projects change. Starts 30 May 2025
• Ngāti Ranginui claims settlement takes effect — The law records the Crown’s acknowledgements and apology and gives effect to parts of the settlement. Starts 22 May 2025
• Past government spending is validated — The law confirms and validates matters from several past financial years. Starts 22 May 2025
• Some legal exam rules are disallowed — Specified provisions of the Professional Examinations in Law Regulations 2008 stop having effect. Starts 21 May 2025
• Financial markets rules are updated — Financial markets rules are amended. Starts 12 Jun 2025
• Waitaki council exempt from historic waste rule — Waitaki District Council is exempt for specified historic waste disposed of at Palmerston landfill in 2024. Starts 16 May 2025
• Treaty settlements office name is updated — The office’s new name replaces its former name in the Ombudsman agency list. Starts 12 Jun 2025
• Treaty settlements office name is updated — The office’s new name replaces its former name in the Public Service agency list. Starts 12 Jun 2025
• Cyclone recovery leadership role ends — The Chief Executive, Cyclone Recovery is removed from the list of public service chief executives. Starts 1 Jul 2025
• Ferry company joins government finance schedule — Ferry Holdings Limited is added to a government finance schedule and given certain financial powers rules. Starts 16 May 2025