Find out what concession you will need and how to apply for one below.

Pre-application meeting

We’ll help you to:

• Understand the concession you will need to apply for.
• Navigate our statutory planning documents, so you can consider whether the activity you wish to undertake is consistent with them.
• Understand DOC’s responsibility to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which requires consultation with Treaty Partners on most applications. If you wish, DOC can help you contact the local iwi, hapū, and whānau to assess whether your proposed activity will have any cultural effects. Often this consultation can enhance the activity you are considering.

Type of concession

If you plan to undertake guided walking on a conforming track you will need a:

• Conforming concession – for guided walking on specific tracks only.

See conforming track schedules for a list of the tracks that are available for guided walking. To apply for activities or locations not listed in the conforming track schedules refer to land-based guided activities.

Apply for your concession

• Fill in the conforming guided walking permit application form (PDF, 370K) or (Word, 221K).
• Download the relevant conforming track schedules and indicate which locations and the number of trips per year you wish to apply for.
• Email the form and track schedules to permissions@doc.govt.nz.

If your application is approved we will send you a contract which you must sign and return before proceeding with your activity.

Find out more

Find out more about the process and how to prepare your application.

Permissions application process

Preparing a permission application

Application requirements

As part of your application you will need an independently audited safety plan.

You also need to read and understand the actual and potential effects of your proposal in the application form. These outline the rules to follow to ensure the environmental impact of your trip is minimal.

Timeframe

If your proposed activity has to be notified to the public because there are likely to be significant environmental effects over the duration of your activity, this will impact your application processing time.

How long it takes to process an application

Fees

We will invoice you once we have processed your application. The cost of your application will depend on the number of tracks you apply for. The standard fee is $400 plus GST ($460 including GST) for up to 10 tracks.

Another $115 plus GST ($132.25 including GST) is charged for every additional 10 tracks:

• 1-20 tracks costs $515 plus GST
• 21-30 tracks costs $630 plus GST.

You will also be required to pay ongoing concession fees.

Conforming track schedules

Find out tracks that are available for guided walking in each region.

• Southern South Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 64K)

• Eastern South Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 50K)

• Western South Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 64K)

• Northern South Island Conforming Track Schedules (Word, 61K)

• Lower North Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 59K)

• Central North Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 34K)

• Hauraki – Waikato – Taranaki Conforming Track Schedules (Word, 37K)

• Auckland Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 39K)

• Northern North Island Conforming Track Schedule (Word, 35K)

Contact us

For more information or assistance with your conforming concessions contact the nearest of these DOC offices.