Before a new or used motor vehicle arrives in New Zealand, it must be thoroughly cleaned
to ensure all biosecurity risk is removed.  While a valet service may make the vehicle look
presentable, it doesn’t ensure the vehicle will meet the ‘clean’ biosecurity requirement.
Below are examples of some frequently contaminated vehicle areas and tips to ensure the
vehicle arrives in New Zealand ‘clean’. If the vehicle doesn’t meet the ‘clean’ requirement,
any subsequent treatment or inspection costs are the responsibility of the importer, and
vehicle may be subject to re-shipping back to the country of origin.

Vehicle Interior
Interior areas of a vehicle include the boot, between and under car seats, ceiling areas,
floor surfaces, side panels, all compartments, the spare tyre and its storage area.  Look
for egg masses and insects on both sides of the spare tyre, check the surrounding area.
The tyre tray should be cleaned and vacuumed. Vacuum under and between car seats.
Plant material, seeds and wood chips must be removed. Remove hubcap to check
underneath for eggs masses, insects, plant material, spiders and soil.

Vehicle Exterior
Exterior surfaces include bumpers, grates, hubcaps, mud guards, trays, tyres and wheels.
Remove hubcap to check underneath for eggs masses, insects, plant material, spiders and
soil. Look for egg masses, insects and spider webbing in and around the bumper and grates.
A light road film on the wheel is ok, but more than that is not considered clean, especially
if plant material, seeds or soil clumps are found. Look for plant material in exterior
compartments and trays. Remove any pooled water from the vehicle.  If mud guards are
covered in felt, thorough scrubbing or water blasting is often required, especially around
the wheel arch. Thoroughly check mudguards, tyres and wheel arches for soil and seeds.
Water blasting may be best to remove soil in these areas. Look for insects, plant material
and spiders in and around bonnet grilles. Look out for reptiles and snakes. They are
attracted to warmth and confined spaces such as motors.  Look for plant material in
exterior compartments and trays. Remove any pooled water from the vehicle.  If mud
guards are covered in felt, thorough scrubbing or water blasting is often required,
especially around the wheel arch.  Thoroughly check mudguards, tyres and wheel
arches for soil and seeds. Water blasting may be best to remove soil in these areas.
If the underside of the bonnet is covered in felt, a thorough scrubbing/water blasting
may be needed to remove plant material and seeds. Use a bright light to illuminate all
motor crevices. Ensure insects, plant material and spiders are removed from the motor.

Vehicle Underside
Look for animals, snakes, spiders, insects, soil, seeds and plant material. Use a bright torch
to inspect what you can of the vehicle underside. A high pressured water hose can help
clean what you may not be able to see.

Best ways to remove contamination: • Insect infestation – If you can see many insects in
or on the vehicle, fumigation or heat treatment should be carried out.
• Insects/snails – remove.
• Plant material – remove.
If found in the interior, use a vacuum cleaner. If that vacuum is going to be imported along
with the vehicle as personal effects, remember to remove the vacuum bag beforehand.
• Seeds – hand pick seeds off with sticky tape or equivalent. Loose seeds can be vacuumed
from interior.
• Soil – pressure hose on exterior.

Inspection Checklist:
Below is a check list to follow to ensure all areas of the car have been cleaned prior to
importation.

Area to inspect and clean
1  Clean the grille and front of vehicle
2  Clean across and under the bonnet and air vents
3  Clean front wheel, mud guards and wheel arch
4  Clean mirrors and window ledges
5  Clean across and around the roof
6  Clean back wheel, mud guards and wheel arch
7  Clean back bumper area
8  Repeat the entire process on the other side of the vehicle
9  Open bonnet and thoroughly clean motor area. Remember to use a torch to make sure all
motor crevices have been cleaned. Use a bright light to illuminate all motor crevices. Ensure
insects, plant material and spiders are removed from the motor.  Use a bright torch to
inspect what you can of the vehicle underside. A high pressured water hose can help clean
what you may not be able to see.
10 Clean all interior areas of vehicle, including all compartments, under carpet if loose,
under mats, between and under the seats
11  Clean the underside of vehicle

Please note: If personal effects are accompanying a vehicle, you need to declare and
package them separately as MPI quarantine officers must be able to verify the cleanliness
of the vehicle on arrival. Any associated unloading or additional inspection costs will be the
responsibly of the importer.