Our performance against permit processing timeframes
In 2024, New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZP&M) introduced processing timeframes for minerals and petroleum applications received from 1 July 2024. Our performance against those timeframes will be published quarterly.
On this page:
We are experiencing a significant increase in the number and complexity of permit applications which may impact our processing timeframes.
More information: Permit processing timeframes: January-April 2026 update
In 2024, we introduced average processing timeframes for minerals and petroleum applications:
Timeframes for applications enabled by the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025
The tables below show our performance against these timeframes for the most recent financial quarter. To access all historical information, download the file below.
Permit processing performance [XLSX 18KB]
Minerals permit applications outcomes
1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
| Application Type | % outcomes within stated timeframes | Total number of outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| New or subsequent applications | ||
| Tier 1 or 2 Prospecting Permit (PP) and Exploration Permit (EP) | 56% | 9 |
| Tier 1 Minerals Mining Permit | ||
| Tier 2 Minerals Mining Permit | 50% | 4 |
| Tier 3 minerals mining permit applications (previously hobby mining permits) | ||
| All new and change applications | 25% | 12 |
| Changes to all existing permits | ||
| Change of Conditions | 67% | 3 |
| Transfer of Interest, Change of Operator | 85% | 13 |
| Notification of Control | ||
| Consent to a Dealing | 100% | 1 |
| Changes to existing Minerals Prospecting and Minerals Exploration Permits (Tier 1 or 2) | ||
| Extension of Duration Appraisal | ||
| Extension of Duration | 0% | 1 |
| Change of Minerals | ||
| Extension of Land or Amalgamation | ||
| Changes to existing Minerals Mining Permits (Tier 1 or 2) | ||
| Extension of Duration (Tier 1 and 2) | 0% | 2 |
| Change of Minerals (Tier 1 and 2) | ||
| Extension of Land or Amalgamation | 50% | 2 |
| Transition from a Tier 2 to a Tier 3 permit | 0% | 1 |
| Surrender applications | ||
| Partial Surrender | 67% | 3 |
| Full Surrender | 88% | 8 |
Petroleum permit applications outcomes
1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
| Application Type | % outcomes within stated timeframes | Total number of outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Application type | ||
| Petroleum Mining Permit | ||
| Amalgamation | ||
| Change of conditions | ||
| Change of control | ||
| Change of operator | ||
| Extension of duration | ||
| Transfer of interest | ||
| Surrender or Relinquishment | ||
| Dealing | 100% | 3 |
| Extension of land | ||
| Petroleum Mining Permit | ||
| Petroleum Exploration Permit | ||
| Open market applications | ||
| Petroleum Prospecting Permit | ||
| Petroleum Exploration Permit | ||