Patch 2025.09
September 2025 update
This month brings bigger FamilyBoost payments, longer prescriptions, privacy notices, adoption changes, solar consent exemptions, updated veterans’ rules, divorce fees and travel requirements.
- FamilyBoost payment becomes more generous — The FamilyBoost tax credit is larger, with a higher income threshold and slower reduction as income rises. Starts 1 Jul 2025
- Prescriptions can cover up to 12 months — Prescriptions may cover up to 12 months, but normal dispensing limits remain unless the Director-General of Health waives them. Starts 1 Feb 2026
- Privacy notices when information comes from others — Agencies must tell you when they collect your personal information from someone else, including why and who holds it. Starts 1 May 2026
- Adoption law starts changing — Changes to adoption law start, with some further changes due by 1 July 2027. Starts 18 Sep 2025
- Some roof solar work may be exempt — Some roof-mounted solar panels and other building work may not need building consent. Starts 23 Oct 2025
- Some travellers must give more visa information — Some travellers from Australia must say whether they hold certain Australian visas when requesting a New Zealand travel authority. Starts 27 Oct 2025
- Veterans' condition references updated — Veterans’ support rules update medical-condition references for cervical dystonia, Scheuermann’s disease, and other conditions. Starts 23 Oct 2025
- Divorce application fees and descriptions updated — Fees and descriptions for some marriage and civil union dissolution applications are updated. Starts 17 Oct 2025
- Forestry carbon calculations change — Forestry carbon calculations will use Earth-curvature measurements and updated rules for grouping areas of trees. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Forestry conversion rules tighten — Rules limit how some farms can register forestry conversions in the emissions trading scheme. Starts 31 Oct 2025
- Customs cost-recovery levies allowed — Customs can set levies to recover costs linked to managing imported, exported, shipped, or prohibited goods. Starts 24 Sep 2025
- Solar export tariffs treated differently — Tariffs paying you for power sent to the grid will not count as alternative options if another option is available. Starts 23 Oct 2025
- Emissions calculations for gas and geothermal change — Some greenhouse-gas participants must collect new information, and emissions factors used for gas and geothermal calculations change. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Some forestry account rules are simplified — Some people entering the emissions scheme can open holding accounts, and some account changes no longer need a statutory declaration. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Synthetic greenhouse gas levies updated — Rules for synthetic greenhouse gas levies change. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Gas and geothermal emissions rules change — Some gas miners must record carbon dioxide information, while emissions factors for gas and geothermal activities are updated. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Emissions unit auction rules change — Unsold units may roll into a later same-year auction, and bid collateral will be due three working days beforehand. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Heritage land mapping requirements change — New heritage covenants or authorities must include updated mapping information to keep a deforestation exemption. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Fishing catch limits and rates change — Fishing catch limits, commercial catch limits, and deemed-value rates are changed. Starts 30 Sep 2025
- Financial service registration checks cost less — The criminal-record-check fee for financial service provider registration drops to $13. Starts 16 Oct 2025
- Motor vehicle traders face updated data rules — Motor vehicle traders will have updated information and data collection requirements when registering. Starts 22 Oct 2025
- Scaffolding work categories are updated — Scaffolding categories used for certificates of competence are updated to match current practice and qualifications. Starts 20 Oct 2025
- Flammable paint retail rules are clarified — Retailers may briefly open certain exempt paint packages for tinting under updated separation-distance rules. Starts 20 Oct 2025
- Forest owners pay a harvested-wood levy — A levy applies to harvested wood from New Zealand plantation forests, with forest owners primarily responsible for paying it. Starts 18 Nov 2025
- New organic standards rules begin later — New regulations for organic standards begin in 2028. Starts 31 Mar 2028
- New organic production rules start — New regulations cover organic products and production. Starts 3 Oct 2025
- Russia sanctions cover more people and entities — The rules clarify service restrictions and add people and entities to the Russia sanctions list. Starts 12 Sep 2025
- Judges' pay rates set for year — Salaries and allowances are set for judges and other judicial officers for the coming year. Starts 1 Oct 2025
- Emissions infringement references updated — References used in rules for climate-related infringement offences are updated. Starts 1 Jan 2026
- Obsolete government rules are revoked — Fifteen old rules and instruments that are no longer needed or effective are revoked. Starts 28 Oct 2025
- Family Court rules change — Rules for Family Court proceedings change. Starts 17 Oct 2025
- Governor-General's salary rises — The Governor-General’s salary rises by 2.4% for the 2025/26 year. Starts 1 Nov 2025
- Temporary government spending authorised — The government can spend money and provide capital during 2025/26 before some formal approvals are made. Starts 18 Sep 2025
- Government spending plans authorised — Parliament authorises government spending and capital payments for the 2025/26 financial year. Starts 18 Sep 2025
- Corrections to earlier rules take effect — Corrections to regulations take effect. Starts 30 Sep 2025