When planning to import goods, you will need to ensure that the airport or seaport of first arrival is approved to land your goods. You are also required to provide information to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and to the Department of Home Affairs about your goods.
Aircraft and vessels arriving in Australia are inspected and cleared at their first point of entry. When you are planning to import and unload goods in Australian territory, you will need to ensure that the landing place or port is determined to be a first point of entry for those goods or class of goods:
Lodging documentation
You are required to provide information to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and the Department of Home Affairs about your goods.
Documentation and other information relating to the import process, your cargo and non-commodity ( for example packaging) concerns must be provided through approved systems and processes.
These documents may include:
- ocean bill of lading
- master air waybill
- unpack location
- cargo type; for example air freight, break bulk, FCL/X, LCL, ISO tank, hard frozen, dangerous goods
- packing lists
- packing declarations
- cleanliness declaration
- treatment certificates for goods and/or packaging
- import permit(s) issued by the department, and documentation to meet permit requirements.
Goods that require an import permit, but arrive without one, including where an application is currently under consideration, will be directed for export from Australian territory or required to be destroyed in an approved manner. Conditionally non-prohibited goods that are subject to alternative conditions, as detailed in Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON), that do not meet those conditions will be directed for immediate export.
Refer to Documentary requirements for more information.
For goods valued over A$1000, refer to Australian Border Force - Declarations for imported goods.
You can seek the services of a licensed customs broker to act on your behalf. Low value goods may be declared on your behalf by your freight forwarder or express couriers.
Temporary imports
If you are staging or participating in an event where you need to bring equipment to Australia on a temporary basis, you will need to organise clearance with both the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and the Department of Home Affairs.