The New Zealand Space Agency issues permits and licences for payloads, launch activities, launch facilities, and high-altitude vehicles.
We are committed to the safe, responsible, and peaceful use of space. Applicants for permits and licences must meet requirements of the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities (Licences and Permits) Regulations 2017 (the Regulations). They may also need to meet requirements relating to other regulatory regimes, like those for health and safety, hazardous substances, environmental impacts, and radio spectrum use. Information about these other requirements is below.
Contact us if you have questions about applying for a permit or licence. Talking about your application with us means that we can make sure you are providing us with all necessary information. A discussion can also help us process your application more efficiently. We can help you transfer any sensitive information and ensure it is protected, subject to relevant legislative requirements.
Payloads are objects that are carried, placed, or intended to be carried or placed in outer space. Permits are required for payloads launched from New Zealand and for New Zealand payloads that are launched overseas.
Access the payload permit application form here:
Application for payload permit APP001
The application form explains the information you need to provide. Anyone applying for this permit must meet requirements in the Regulations, specifically those in Schedule 2 and Schedule 4 (links are below). Some requirements may be at least partially met with foreign authorisations.
In some circumstances, you may also need to provide additional information by completing the APP400 and APP800 forms, which are provided below.
We have published several guidance documents that you can see towards the end of this page. Guidance documents that may be relevant to payload permit applicants include those on orbital debris mitigation; payloads of a size less than 1U; liability, insurance, and indemnities; and active debris removal and on-orbit servicing missions.
We encourage payload permit applicants to comply with industry best practices for preserving uses of the night sky.
A launch vehicle is any vehicle which reaches or is intended to reach outer space, or which carries, supports, or is intended to carry or support the launch of a payload. Licences are required for launches that occur in New Zealand and for New Zealand launches that occur overseas.
Contact us to receive a copy of the launch licence application form.
The application form explains the information you need to provide. Anyone applying for this licence must meet requirements in the Regulations, specifically those in Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 (links are below). Some requirements may be at least partially met with foreign authorisations.
In some circumstances, you may also need to provide additional information by completing the APP400 and APP800 forms, which are provided below.
We have published several guidance documents that you can see towards the end of this page. Guidance documents that may be relevant to launch licence applicants include those on safety cases; orbital debris mitigation; liability, insurance, and indemnities; and technical capability.
A launch facility is a fixed or mobile facility or place from which launch vehicles are intended to launch and which includes all other facilities necessary to launch a launch vehicle. Licences are only required for facilities in New Zealand; they are not required for New Zealand launch facilities abroad.
Contact us to receive a copy of the launch facility licence application form.
The application form explains the information you need to provide. Anyone applying for this licence must meet requirements in the Regulations, specifically those in Schedule 2 and Schedule 5 (links are below). Some requirements may be at least partially met with foreign authorisations.
In some circumstances, you may also need to provide additional information by completing the APP400 and APP800 forms, which are provided below.
We have published several guidance documents that you can see towards the end of this page. Guidance documents that may be relevant to facility licence applicants include those on safety cases; liability, insurance, and indemnities; and technical capability.
An HAV is any vehicle that travels, intends to travel, or can travel to higher than flight level 600 or the highest upper limit of controlled airspace under the Civil Aviation Act 1990 (linked below). This may include aircraft, balloons, and sounding rockets. Licences are required for HAVs in New Zealand; they are not required for New Zealand HAVs abroad.
Access the HAV licence application form here:
The application form explains the information you need to provide. Anyone applying for this licence must meet requirements in the Regulations, specifically those in Schedule 2 and Schedule 6 (links are below). Some requirements may be at least partially met with foreign authorisations.
In some circumstances, you may also need to provide additional information by completing the APP400 and APP800 forms, which are provided below.
We have published several guidance documents that you can see towards the end of this page. Guidance documents that may be relevant to HAV licence applicants include those on safety cases; orbital debris mitigation; liability, insurance, and indemnities; and technical capability.
Reporting requirements for licences and permits are defined in the Regulations’ schedules. Schedule 2 describes requirements relevant for all licences and permits. Other schedules describe requirements specific to each licence or permit type: Schedule 3 (launch licence); Schedule 4 (payload permit); Schedule 5 (facility licence); and Schedule 6 (HAV licence).
Links to the schedules are provided below:
Refer to the sections above to see which of the below guidance documents are relevant to your licence or permit of interest:
NZSA Safety Case Guidance [PDF 932KB]
Orbital Debris Mitigation - Operational Policy [PDF 223KB]
Liability Indemnity and Insurance Operational Policy [PDF 181KB]
Operational Policy: Technical Capability - New Zealand Space Agency [PDF 360KB]
Payloads of a size less than 1U - Operational Policy [PDF 336KB]
Active Debris Removal and On-Orbit Servicing Missions: Operational Policy [PDF 211KB]
In addition to providing information specified in the application forms, you may be required to fill out the APP400 or APP800 forms.
This form is used for applications made under the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017 for when there are multiple key persons relied upon for their technical capability in conducting a s…
PDF, 680KB, 2 pages
This form is used for applications made under the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017 for which there are multiple Overseas Authorisations being submitted for recognition by the New Zeal…
PDF, 676KB, 2 pages
The only current holder of a launch licence or a facility licence is Rocket Lab.
To learn about previously issued payload permits, see the summary below:
To learn about previously issued HAV licences, see the summary below:
Register of high-altitude vehicles
Besides complying with the Regulations, applicants may need to comply with other relevant requirements. For reference, resources about other potentially relevant requirements include:
Our email address is nzspaceagency@mbie.govt.nz
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https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/space/permits-and-licences-for-space-activities
Please note: This content will change over time and can go out of date.