Concession fees

Activity fees - land type definitions

Where an activity fee requires the addition of an environmental premium, the table below should be used to determine the appropriate environmental premium rate to apply.

Application processing fees

If you are applying to undertake an activity on conservation land, you will pay a processing fee.

This fee can vary depending on the complexity of the application and whether it needs to be notified. For all applications, we will provide an estimate of the likely cost when your application is received.

Activities with significant environmental effects may require public notification. If your proposed activity must be notified to the public, your fee will include the cost of public notification and hearings.

Costs may be higher than the minimum rates depending on:

• whether the application needs to be advertised in a local newspaper or the 4 daily
• newspapers published in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin
• the number of submissions received
• if hearings are required
• if further staff time needs to be covered.

View previous consultations where DOC has sought public feedback.

Note: Access arrangements include prospecting, exploration, and mining.

Other authorisations

The rates for processing other authorisations depend on processing time and charge-out rate. These include the following authorisations:

• Wildlife authorities
• Research and collection permits
• Milford Sound One-off Landing Permits

DOC staff’s time is charged at a minimum hourly rate of $130.00 plus GST.

Management fees

If you are doing long-term activities on conservation land, you will need to pay an annual management fee to cover DOC's time spent managing your concession. The kind of activity you do on conservation land will affect how much management DOC needs to provide, and this will be reflected in the management fee you are charged.

Standard management fees range from $250 - $500 plus GST per annum and are made up of the components outlined below. Where a concession requires additional management the management fee will be adjusted to reflect this.

Monitoring fee

DOC performs monitoring of permissions granted. Monitoring includes both the effects of the activity on the land and compliance with the conditions of your permission. The extent and frequency of monitoring depend on your specific concession.

Monitoring fees are charged based on the actual time spent undertaking the monitoring, and the fee will reflect the associated costs, including staff time and mileage.

DOC staff’s time is charged at a minimum hourly rate of $130.00 plus GST. Mileage charges are as follows:

In some circumstances, a fixed annual rate may be charged, and you will be advised of this during the application process.

Other processing fees

Making changes to your permission

During the term of your permission, you may need to change what you do or alter some of the conditions of your activity. You may sell your business or change company name or shareholding. The minimum processing fees for some of the common processes undertaken during a permission term are outlined below.

For more information on these processes and others, see Concession changes, expiry and review.

One-off concession applications

A one-off concession is defined as:

• being for a period of no longer than three months
• having only minor environmental effects,
• having clearly defined limits,
• does not involve permanent structures
• will not take place in the same location more than once in three years.

The minimum processing fee for a one-off application is $130.00 plus GST.

Where a one-off application requires additional processing due to the complexity of the application or if it covers multiple locations, this cost will increase.

Note: Activity, management and monitoring fees apply to one-off applications based on what’s relevant to the activity applied for.

Need help?

For questions about your fees, visit our Permit contacts page and get in touch with your nearest office.