4 May 2026
Who does this notice affect?
All BICON account holders who submit import permit applications.
What is changing?
From 16 May 2026, a new mandatory question will be included in all application forms.
The question asks you to identify whether you are ‘an agent acting on behalf of an importer’.
The purpose of this change is to ensure agents confirm they are authorised by the importer to act on their behalf before lodging an application and that permit conditions are communicated to the importer.
What action is required?
When submitting an import permit application in BICON:
- The user must indicate whether they are acting as an authorised agent for the importer
- Where the user submitting a permit application is an agent, confirmation is required that:
- The importer has authorised the agent to apply on their behalf, and
- The importer has been provided with a copy of the permit conditions acknowledgement.
BICON account holders can set their default answer to the question depending on whether they are typically an applicant or agent. The response can be changed for individual applications where required.
Which applications are affected?
Any applications that have not yet been submitted to the department will require the question to be answered. By default, the answer is set to no.
Applications that have been submitted before 16 May 2026 do not need resubmission.
How do I determine whether I am an agent?
The following definitions are provided to assist users in selecting the correct role.
Applicant
The proposed importer, or an employee of the importer.
Agent
An external third-party person or organisation (including an employee of that organisation) authorised by the importer to apply and act on their behalf.
Common examples may include customs brokers, freight forwarders, logistics and service providers, overseas exporting agents or their representatives.
Importer
The person seeking to bring goods into Australia and the person to whom the permit is granted under section 179 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Biosecurity Act).
For the purposes of the Biosecurity Act, the importer is the holder of the permit and the person responsible for complying with any conditions imposed on the permit.
Importer contact
The person the department may contact for specific queries on details of the commodities/products on an application.
It is the user’s responsibility to determine whether they are acting as an applicant or agent for the purposes of the permit application. Independent legal advice should be sought where required.
Whose details appear on the import permit?
The name and address of the Importer and the Importer Contact name are listed on the Import permit. No change is being made to this arrangement.
What will this look like?
When applying for a new permit application in BICON, a new question will be asked on the page where a user selects the relevant contacts for the application.
The new question asks, ‘Are you an agent acting on behalf of an Importer?’.
- If you select Yes, the user progressing the application will be marked as an ‘Agent’.
- If you select No, the user progressing the application will be marked as an ‘Applicant’.
The submission declaration has been updated to reflect the changes.
Further information
Please contact the department by phone 1800 900 090 or email to imports@aff.gov.au if you have any questions.