A letter of free sale is an official document confirming that a product is legally manufactured and freely available for sale in Australia. An importing country authority may require a letter of free sale to support the registration of non-prescribed goods before they can be exported to that country.
If the importing country does not specify that the letter must be issued by Australia’s competent authority (that is, the department) it may be issued by a Chamber of Commerce instead.
If your product is a medicine or supplement that is registered or listed with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), contact the TGA Exports team at tga.exports@health.gov.au.
The TGA regulates therapeutic goods and issues export certificates for these products. More information is available on the TGA website.
Important Information
- A letter of free sale supports product registration and is not a consignment specific export certificate.
- A consignment-specific export certificate may still be required to accompany each consignment if it is an official requirement of the importing country. Exporters should refer to the Manual of importing country requirements for further information.
How to apply for a letter of free sale
An application for a letter of free sale for non-prescribed goods can be submitted through the department’s online portal, TradeClear. TradeClear allows applicants to submit applications, provide supporting documentation and monitor application progress online.
For further information and instruction on how to apply for a letter of free sale, please refer to our ‘Letter of free sale’ help pages within TradeClear.
After you apply
Once submitted, we will assess your application. If further information is required, you will receive an email outlining what is needed and the due date.
You can monitor the status of your application through TradeClear.
If approved, your letter of free sale will be issued to you as an email attachment. A hard copy will also be posted to the business address listed in your application.
Need help?
Further guidance and support materials are available within TradeClear.
If you have any questions, please contact npgreform@aff.gov.au with the subject heading: NPG Reforms – letters of free sale – online application form – enquiry.
For digital support, please call the TradeClear helpdesk at 1800 571 125.