Fast-track approvals cost recovery process

Applicants will cover the actual and reasonable costs incurred by government agencies, local authorities, panel conveners and expert panels performing functions, powers and duties under the Fast-track Act in relation to their application. The Government and its agencies do not subsidise Fast-track approvals. 

See the fast-track application and approvals process.

All applicants must pay an application fee and a levy when they lodge a referral, land exchange or substantive application.

The amounts of the fee and levy payable for each application type are set under the Fast-track Approvals (Cost Recovery) Regulations 2025.

Application fees

The fee goes towards recovering actual and reasonable costs incurred by agencies performing their functions, powers and duties in relation to the application.

Applicants: 

• will be invoiced by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which administers the Fast-track process, for remaining costs if the recoverable costs for the application exceed the application fee paid; or    
• may receive a partial refund if recoverable costs for the application are less than the application fee paid.  

Levies

The levy funds wider Fast-track system costs, which include the EPA’s administration costs (where these are not otherwise recoverable), IT costs and panel convener costs.   

The levy also covers the costs of the Minister, the EPA, agencies and panels in relation to appeals and other legal proceedings related to the Act.  

The levy amounts will be reviewed in early 2026. 

Agencies and local authorities (councils) can recover the actual and reasonable costs incurred in performing their functions, duties or powers under the Act regardless of whether an application is subsequently lodged.  

Costs incurred prior to lodgement are recovered directly from the applicant. Once an application is lodged, costs are recovered through the Fast-track process.

Agencies must set and publish their own cost recovery rates.   

Applicants may apply for any number and combination of approvals under the Act, depending on their project’s specific needs. Multiple agencies have functions, duties, or powers under the Act in relation to one application.  

Staff at each agency require different expertise to advise on applications (for example, in planning, conservation, archaeology or geology). Agencies’ overhead costs also vary due to differences in size, their organisational structure, and economies of scale.    

These differences mean government agencies have set individual rates to recover their specific costs of processing Fast-track applications. A single rate across all agencies would result in some applications being charged more than necessary (cross-subsidisation between applications) or in some agencies not recovering their costs.   

Targeted consultation on these rates was undertaken before they were set.

The Act sets out the requirements for referral, land exchange and substantive applications.

The Fast-track website will support applicants to understand what approvals they need, and the consultation required for each one of these before they lodge an application.

See the Fast-track website.

Applicants can contact the Fast-track team – through an 0800 number or by email – when they’re ready to lodge their application. Fast-track advisors will then provide applicants with access to the Application Portal and guidance for completing their application.   

Applicants can review the application form on the Fast-track website to see the information they’ll need to provide. Applications must be lodged through the Application Portal.

The Ministry will recover the actual and reasonable cost of staff time at hourly charge-out rates as set out in table 1 below. Rates include direct staff time (and a share of overheads and operating costs).

See our cost recovery policy for more detail about the costs you may need to pay.

Specified Māori groups that have roles set out under the Act are provided some financial support to participate in application processes.

Financial contributions will be paid to each specified Māori group when they have made comments on applications. These contribution amounts are set in the Fast-track Approvals (Cost Recovery) Regulations 2025, and will be recovered from applicants through the Fast-track process. The Regulations set higher and lower contribution amounts; which amount applies will depend on the number and types of approvals sought in the application (refer to Regulation 6).