In New Zealand, not all tobacco products are treated the same at the border: cigars, cigarillos, and smokeless tobacco (like snuff or snus) can be legally ordered online and sent by international postal services without a special permit, though they are still subject to high excise duties, GST, and other taxes. In contrast, cigarettes, loose-leaf/pipe tobacco, and shisha tobacco cannot be imported through regular mail, if sent this way they are seized and destroyed, so they must be shipped via freight forwarders, non-postal couriers, or as bulk air/sea cargo.
At the border, imported cigars are subject to taxes: customs duty, excise-equivalent duties, and GST, all calculated based on weight and value. As of 2025, the excise-equivalent rate for cigars stands at approximately NZ$1,307.19 per kilogram of tobacco content. Travelers arriving with cigars in their personal luggage are allowed a duty-free allowance of up to 50 g of cigars (or a blend of tobacco products not exceeding 50 g); beyond that limit, duties apply to the excess.
