Consultation on Additional disciplinary levy for the 2026/27 practising year

Consultation Releases: Wednesday 29 July 2026

Consultation Closes: Wednesday 2 September 2026

The New Zealand Psychologists Board (“the Board”) is seeking feedback by 2 September 2026
on a proposed additional disciplinary levy of $247.83 (plus GST) for the 2026/27 practising year.

Background

In November 2025, the Board advised practitioners renewing their APC for the 2026/27 financial year that they would be required to pay a disciplinary levy which was due alongside the APC fee.  At that time, it was anticipated the levy would cover forecasted costs for current disciplinary cases, provide an allowance for new cases, and restore the Board’s disciplinary reserve to its minimum required balance. Unfortunately, the Board has seen a significant rise in the number of professional conduct cases resulting in charges being laid at the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, which has led to increased costs beyond what was expected. The discipline related expenses the Board is now forecasting to 31 March 2027, in response to this increase in cases and complexity, is significantly more than budgeted and will deplete current financial reserves. This means that the Board now need to raise additional levies for registered psychologists.

Why we levy

The Board’s primary responsibility is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring that psychologists are competent and fit to practise their profession.

When the Board receives a complaint that raises questions about a psychologist’s conduct, including possible breaches of ethical standards, the only way those concerns can be investigated is by a referral to a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC).  Once the PCC has completed its investigation it may decide to lay a disciplinary charge before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT).

The costs of all PCC investigations, and any disciplinary proceeding at the HPDT, must be met by the profession through a disciplinary levy.   The levy, which is set under s 131 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act), raises funds that are ring fenced by law to cover PCC investigations and disciplinary proceedings before the HPDT.

Increased disciplinary costs

The costs associated with PCC investigations and HPDT proceedings vary significantly and are difficult to predict. Factors such as the nature of the conduct in question, complexity, duration, and procedural requirements contribute to the overall costs of each case. In the past year, two particularly complex HPDT cases concluded at a combined cost of more than $380,000.

Unfortunately, since the Board approved the disciplinary levy for the 2026/27 practising year, the number of serious conduct matters being investigated by PCC’s has increased and as a result, more charges are being laid before the HPDT.  The number and complexity of complaints received by the Board, and the impact on related costs and the disciplinary reserves, are outside the Board’s control. Further, HPDT have updated their processes to better manage proceedings and shorten timelines. That means when charges are laid by a PCC with the HPDT, the proceedings may begin in the same financial year as the PCC, historically the timeframe for this may have been across two or more years spreading the costs over multiple budget cycles.

As a result of the cost pressures the Board has re-forecast its disciplinary expenditure for 2026/27, and the estimated disciplinary expenditure now exceeds what was expected when the budget was set.  This means the disciplinary levy collected during the 2026/27 APC renewal process is not sufficient to meet current disciplinary costs or to maintain an appropriate level of disciplinary reserves in accordance with the Financial Reserves Policy.  

Recent disciplinary activity and forecast costs are shown in the following table:

What is the additional disciplinary levy?

To meet the financial costs of its disciplinary obligations the Board proposes to impose a one-off disciplinary levy of $247.83 (plus GST) on all registered psychologists.  The additional disciplinary levy has been calculated including the following considerations:

• current PCC investigation costs
• current and anticipated HPDT proceedings costs
• projected disciplinary expenditure for the remainder of the practising year
• the need to maintain sufficient disciplinary reserves to manage the unpredictable nature of disciplinary matters, and
• the impact of the proposed levy on practitioners

The total funding requirement has been divided across the number of registered psychologists.  The Board considers that $247.83 (plus GST) represents the minimum disciplinary levy necessary to enable it to meet its current responsibilities.

Purpose of this Consultation

Under section 131 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act) the Board may from time to time impose additional disciplinary levies on registered practitioners for the purpose of funding the costs arising out of the appointment of a PCC, any investigation by a PCC, and proceedings before the HPDT. 

The Board has determined that a one-off disciplinary levy is necessary to meet increased disciplinary costs.  In the interests of transparency and engagement, and because registered psychologists will be affected by the Board’s decision, the Board wishes to seek feedback from the profession on this proposal before making a final decision.

Our commitment

The Board acknowledges that an additional disciplinary levy will be unexpected.  The proposal to set a further levy was not taken lightly, and the Board is mindful of the impact of additional costs on registered psychologists in the context of affordability, financial pressure and other constraints.  It also recognises that practitioners paid a disciplinary levy earlier this year.

The Board remains committed to operating in a cost effective and fiscally responsible way, including by monitoring disciplinary expenditure and ensuring that fees and levies are set only at the level necessary to enable it to fulfil its statutory responsibilities and protect the health and safety of the public. 

Have your say

The Board seeks your feedback on the proposed additional disciplinary levy. 

Submissions should be emailed to by Wednesday 2 September 2026.

Following the close the of consultation, the Board will consider all submissions before making a final decision.

A summary of submissions will be published on the Board’s website following the Board’s consideration of the consultation feedback.