How to Send Money From Australia to New Zealand

Sending money across the Tasman is usually a bank-to-bank job: Australian dollars leave your account and New Zealand dollars arrive in someone else's. It could be support for family, rent on a place in Auckland, or your own savings when you move. The two things that trip people up are the New Zealand account number format and an exchange rate margin that's easy to overlook.

This guide covers the ways to send, the details you need, what affects the cost and how long it takes. We checked every figure on this page on 29 October 2026.

RemitHome.net.au is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not a bank or a money transfer business, we don't send money for anyone, and we're not registered with AUSTRAC because we don't provide remittance services. No link on this site is an affiliate link right now. If that changes, we'll say so in our affiliate disclosure, and it won't change what we write. This is general information, not financial advice. Providers named on this page are examples we checked, not recommendations.

The details you need

The New Zealand account number

A New Zealand bank account number has four parts. Payments NZ explains that the first two digits are the bank number and the next four are the branch number. ANZ's New Zealand payment guide, dated September 2026, sets out the full format:

That gives 15 digits, or 16 when the suffix is written with three digits. People often write it with hyphens between the parts. Wise's New Zealand page asks for the recipient's full name and the 15 to 16 digit account number made up of the same four parts.

Ask your recipient to copy the number straight from their banking app rather than typing it from memory.

Why name checks won't save you

New Zealand banks have introduced Confirmation of Payee, which checks that the account name matches the account number. The Banking Ombudsman Scheme says it began in November 2024 and was to be fully in effect by April 2025. But it also says international transactions aren't subject to the check. A payment from Australia won't get that safety net, so a wrong digit can send money to a stranger.

Ways to send money to New Zealand

Moneysmart, run by ASIC, describes two main routes: your bank, or a money transfer business.

Bank transfer from your Australian bank

Your bank sends the money through SWIFT, set up in online banking or at a branch. Some banks let you choose to send AUD or NZD. If you send AUD, the New Zealand bank converts it at its own rate, and your recipient may pay a fee to receive it. Ask your bank which currency it sends, its fee and its exchange rate.

A bank transfer can make sense for very large amounts, such as house deposits, where you want everything in one regulated bank-to-bank payment. Even then, it's worth comparing the NZD that will arrive against a specialist provider.

Online money transfer providers

Online providers convert your AUD and pay NZD into a local New Zealand account. As listed on 29 October 2026:

• Wise pays to local New Zealand bank accounts, and also lists sending to a recipient's mobile number. It says you can send up to NZD 2 million per transfer.
• Western Union pays to New Zealand bank accounts and offers cash pickup, and asks for the receiver's account number and the purpose of the transfer.

Cash pickup

Western Union lists cash pickup on its Australia to New Zealand page. It can help if someone needs cash quickly, for example while travelling. Ask the provider what ID the recipient must show.

Mobile wallets

The providers we checked don't list a New Zealand mobile wallet as a payout option. Transfers go to a bank account or for cash pickup.

What affects the cost

Moneysmart says providers choose their own exchange rate and charge fees, and the cost depends on how much, where and how you send. Five things matter for New Zealand:

1. The exchange rate margin. A provider's rate and the market rate can look almost identical, so a margin of a cent or two per dollar is easy to miss. On a large transfer it adds up. Compare the provider's rate with a mid-market reference.
2. The transfer fee, which can be flat, a percentage or both.
3. Receiving fees if AUD arrives and the New Zealand bank converts it, or if a bank in between takes a cut.
4. How you pay. Cards can cost more than bank transfer or PayID.
5. The amount. A flat fee hurts more on a small transfer, while the margin matters more on a large one.

For a reference rate, the Reserve Bank of Australia publishes daily exchange rates against major currencies, including NZD. The RBA says its data shouldn't be relied on for regulatory or commercial purposes, but they're a useful check on how far a provider's rate sits from the market. The World Bank's Remittance Prices Worldwide also covers transfers sent from Australia. Our fees and exchange rate margins guide shows the arithmetic step by step.

How long it takes

Moneysmart says transfers can be instant or take up to five business days. As stated on providers' pages on 29 October 2026:

• Wise says that once it receives and converts your money, it usually takes 0 to 1 working days to reach the New Zealand bank account, and conversion can take up to 2 working days.
• Western Union says cash pickup can be ready in minutes.

New Zealand and Australia have different public holidays, and a payment started late on a Friday may not land until Monday.

Moving your own money when you relocate

If you're moving to New Zealand, you can send your own savings by bank or provider. AUSTRAC says you don't need to declare money moved through a bank or money transfer business. Physical cash is different: if you carry $10,000 or more in cash, in any combination of Australian and foreign currency, out of Australia, you must declare it to AUSTRAC. Splitting cash between travellers to avoid the declaration is illegal.

For large amounts, providers may ask where the money came from. That's a normal part of their legal checks.

Check the provider and watch for scams

Money transfer businesses in Australia must be registered with AUSTRAC. Search the Remittance Sector Register before you use one. Our AUSTRAC guide explains what to look for.

Watch for payment redirection scams. Moneysmart, citing the National Anti-Scam Centre, says Australians lost more than $166 million to payment redirection scams in 2025. The usual pattern is an email or message, seemingly from a landlord, lawyer or supplier, saying their bank details have changed. Confirm any new account number by phone using a number you already trust. Scamwatch also warns never to send money to someone you've only met online.

For other countries and the basics that apply to every transfer, see our guides home page.

Frequently asked questions

What's the format of a New Zealand bank account number?

Two digits for the bank, four for the branch, seven for the account and a two or three digit suffix: 15 or 16 digits in total. Ask the recipient to copy it from their banking app.

Does Confirmation of Payee check my payment from Australia?

No. New Zealand's Banking Ombudsman Scheme says international transactions aren't subject to the check, so check the account number carefully yourself.

Should I send AUD or NZD?

If you send AUD, the New Zealand bank converts it at its own rate and may charge a receiving fee. Sending NZD lets you see the exact amount that will arrive. Compare both.

How long does a transfer to New Zealand take?

From seconds to a few working days. Wise says its deposits usually take 0 to 1 working days after conversion. Bank SWIFT transfers can take longer.

Do I need to declare money I send to New Zealand?

Not if it goes through a bank or money transfer business. You only declare physical cash or bearer negotiable instruments of $10,000 or more that you carry, mail or ship across the border.