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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Before you import goods
  5. Sending your goods

Sidebar first - Import

  • Before you import goods
    • Seasonal measures for Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
      • Offshore BMSB treatment providers scheme
        • Guidance factsheets for conducting BMSB treatments
      • Preparing to import BMSB goods
      • BMSB Import scenarios FAQs
      • Safeguarding arrangements
      • Management of LCL/FAK containers
      • What happens to your goods on arrival
      • Management of vessels
    • How to import goods
      • Working with the import cargo and shipping industry
    • Preparing for import
      • Treating cargo outside Australia
        • Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme
        • Ethylene Oxide Offshore Treatment Providers Scheme
          • Pre-Shipment Treatment Import Certificate
        • Offshore Irradiation Treatment Providers Scheme
        • Offshore Treatment Providers
      • Sea container hygiene system
      • Specifications for sea freight container inspection stands
      • Cargo containers: biosecurity aspects and procedures
    • Sending your goods
      • Airports
        • First Points of Entry – information for arriving aircraft and goods
        • First points of entry - airport operator requirements
      • Seaports
    • Returning Australian products
    • Self assessed clearance cargo: how we work with industry
    • Temporary imports and events
    • Exhibitions, sporting, cultural and other events

Sending your goods to Australia

​​​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, Fisheries and Forestry 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:

  • Airports
  • Seaports

Lodging documentation

You are required to provide information to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 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, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Home Affairs​​.​​

​​​​

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

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Last updated: 05 April 2023

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.