17 October 2025
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders involved in the biosecurity clearance of sea freight containers imported into Australia that are unpacked at rural locations. This includes:
- customs brokers
- importers
- class 14.4 - Rural tailgate inspection approved arrangement (AA) holders.
What has changed?
The class 14.4 approved arrangement conditions have been revised to include containers that require mandatory treatment prior to a rural tailgate inspection within the scope of Class 14.4 approved arrangements.
A targeted review of the class 14.4 conditions has been undertaken to:
- expand the scope of class conditions
- amend relevant existing conditions
- introduce new conditions to support the expanded scope
- update the appendix A flowchart.
Background
On 16 February 2024, the department published Import Industry Advice Notice 24-2024, advising biosecurity industry participants of the expanded scope for class 14.4 – Rural Tailgate Inspection activities. This change has since been implemented operationally and is now being formalised through this targeted revision of the class 14.4 conditions document.
What next?
To implement the revised conditions for class 14.4 – Rural tailgate inspection, the department will initiate a variation under section 413 of the Biosecurity Act 2015. This department-initiated variation will apply to all existing approved arrangements that include Class 14.4.
Biosecurity industry participants holding a Class 14.4 approved arrangement will receive a:
- Notice of Intention to Vary the approved arrangement in late October, and
- Notice of Variation (14 days after the Notice of Intention to Vary).
The revised class 14.4 conditions (version 4) have been published alongside the current class conditions on the Conditions for operating approved arrangements webpage.
Further information
- Industry advice notice 14-2025: Class 14.4 Approved Arrangement – New lodgement capability under the approved arrangement class 19.1 and removal of interim process
- Industry advice notice 24-2024: Class 14.4 Approved Arrangement – Expansion of eligible containers for Industry Inspection
- Class 14.4 approved arrangement conditions, informative text, inspection record and awareness video
- Rural tailgate webpage
For further information, please email the Approved Arrangements Program at aa.canberra@aff.gov.au.