To import goods for resale in Australia, identify the importer, meet the applicable customs and biosecurity requirements, and establish that the products can legally be supplied in the Australian market. Border clearance is one part of that process. It does not replace product-safety, chemical, therapeutic-goods or other sales obligations.
Australia does not require a general import licence. However, particular goods can require permits, registrations or other conditions regardless of their value. Use the Australia shipping market overview to prepare the transport enquiry, then verify the requirements for the exact products before dispatch.
Establish the Importer and Business Responsibilities
Identify the entity on whose behalf the goods are imported, who will make the customs declaration and who will sell or distribute the stock. If you appoint a licensed customs broker, confirm the authorisation and scope; using a broker does not automatically transfer every importer obligation.
For a business based outside Australia, establish the Australian arrangements required for the product and sales model. Some sector-specific roles have local eligibility requirements. Do not assume that one customs or tax arrangement satisfies every regulator.
| Role | Responsibility to Establish |
|---|---|
| Seller | The business supplying the stock and its consumer-law and sales-channel obligations |
| Importer | The entity identified in the import arrangement and relevant declarations |
| Licensed customs broker | Who prepares and lodges customs information on the importer's behalf |
| Product-responsible entity | Any required therapeutic-goods sponsor, chemical introducer or responsible supplier under the applicable scheme |
| Freight operator | The accepted transport, handling and delivery scope |
| Receiving business | The warehouse, fulfilment provider or marketplace receiving the physical stock |
Confirm ABN, GST registration and customs identification requirements for the actual arrangement. An ABN is not a product approval, and paying a freight invoice does not by itself establish entitlement to import-GST credits.
Use the customs clearance overview to prepare questions about the declaration, broker and delivery responsibilities.
Prepare the Product and Shipment Documents
Have the broker and relevant product authority confirm what must be submitted or retained. Documents depend on the goods, transport method and declaration pathway.
| Document or Information | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Actual seller and buyer, clear goods descriptions, quantities, values, currency and agreed terms |
| Packing list | SKU quantities, carton or pallet references, gross weights and dimensions |
| Transport document | Air waybill, bill of lading or other document appropriate to the booked service |
| Origin evidence | Manufacturing origin and evidence needed for any preferential-duty claim or applicable labelling rule |
| Importer details | Correct legal entity, contact details and relevant business or customs identifiers |
| Biosecurity evidence | Any required permit, manufacturer declaration, treatment certificate or packing declaration |
| Product compliance file | Specifications, ingredients, model details, labels, test reports and applicable registrations or authorisations |
Keep product models, formulations and quantities consistent across the goods and records. Identify timber or plant-based packaging, animal-derived ingredients, used goods and other features relevant to biosecurity.
Ask the supplier for evidence of the exact product being supplied. A certificate for a similar model or a previous formulation may not support the new stock.
Confirm the Customs Declaration Pathway
ABF guidance states that a consignment with a combined value over AUD 1,000, being cleared into home consumption, requires an Import Declaration. Lower-value air or sea cargo generally uses a Self-Assessed Clearance declaration, with different arrangements for international mail and particular goods.
Have the broker confirm the applicable declaration, customs value, tariff classification, permits and charges. The AUD 1,000 threshold is not a universal exemption from product restrictions, biosecurity, GST arrangements or sales obligations.
Keep the distinction between buying country and manufacturing origin clear. Purchasing goods from a supplier in an agreement country does not by itself establish entitlement to preferential duty treatment.
Treat Biosecurity as a Separate Check
Use the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) to check whether the goods are permitted, which conditions apply, and whether documents, treatment or an import permit are needed. The applicable conditions can depend on the commodity and origin.
If a biosecurity import permit is required, it must be granted before the goods arrive in Australia. An application is not an issued permit. DAFF states that permits cannot be issued retrospectively for goods already brought into Australian territory.
Check the packaging as well as the product. For example, pallets, timber supports or other packing materials can create separate documentary or treatment requirements. Confirm the relevant conditions before the supplier packs the shipment.
For food, meeting biosecurity conditions does not complete the food-safety assessment. Food imported for sale must also meet Australian food standards and the applicable inspection requirements.
Check the Rules for Supplying the Product
There is no single product-registration process covering every category. Identify the relevant rules using the exact model, composition, intended use, presentation and claims.
| Product Area | Verification Needed |
|---|---|
| General consumer goods, including relevant toys and battery-containing products | ACCC mandatory safety and information standards, product bans and recall obligations |
| Food and relevant ingredients | BICON conditions, imported-food controls, the Food Standards Code and applicable labelling requirements |
| Cosmetics and other products containing industrial chemicals | AICIS business-registration and chemical-introduction obligations, plus applicable cosmetic labelling and product-safety rules |
| Supplements, medicines and other therapeutic goods | Food-versus-therapeutic classification; TGA sponsor and ARTG requirements where applicable |
| In-scope electrical equipment | Relevant state or territory electrical-safety requirements and EESS obligations in participating jurisdictions |
| Radio, telecommunications and other ACMA-regulated equipment | Applicable technical evidence, supplier registration, records and compliance labelling |
These checks can overlap. An electrical product containing a battery can need both market-compliance evidence and a separate transport review. Use the battery-product shipping documents guide to prepare the battery information.
Overseas markings do not automatically establish Australian compliance. ACMA expressly warns that a CE mark does not, by itself, establish compliance with its rules or permission to use the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM).
Distinguish Border Clearance from Permission to Sell
Keep evidence of each applicable stage:
- Customs clearance: The declaration and relevant customs requirements are complete.
- Biosecurity and food release: Any applicable conditions, directions and inspection holds have been satisfied.
- Lawful supply: The goods and responsible businesses meet the relevant product and sales requirements.
For example, ACCC guidance requires products covered by a mandatory standard to comply before supply. A customs release does not establish that this assessment has been completed.
AICIS provides another useful distinction: businesses register as chemical introducers, rather than obtaining a blanket cosmetic-product approval. Registration alone does not complete the chemical-introduction or other product obligations.
For therapeutic goods, ARTG entry is generally required before legal import unless an exemption applies. Confirm the actual category and lawful pathway rather than importing resale stock under a personal-use arrangement.
Do not distribute food that remains under an inspection hold. DAFF's Food Control Certificate can direct that particular import lines be held pending inspection or testing.
Budget for Duty, GST and Compliance Costs
Have the broker confirm the tariff classification, customs value, origin and applicable duty treatment. Check any preferential claim against the relevant rules of origin and supporting evidence.
GST on taxable importations is 10% of the value of the taxable importation. That value can include customs duty, transport and insurance components, rather than only the supplier's goods price. Exemptions and other GST arrangements need separate assessment.
Confirm which entity is entitled to claim any GST credit and what evidence it must hold. Customs clearance, GST registration and credit entitlement are related but separate questions.
Use the landed cost guide to separate goods, freight, handling, duty, GST, inspections, testing, treatment, storage and delivery. Distinguish the cash required for import from any later tax credit confirmed by the business's adviser.
Official Sources to Verify Your Import Plan
| Official Source | What to Verify |
|---|---|
| Australian Border Force: import requirements | General import-licence position, specific permits and importer obligations |
| Australian Border Force: import declarations | Declaration pathway, consignment value and information requirements |
| DAFF: BICON | Commodity-specific biosecurity and imported-food conditions |
| DAFF: biosecurity import permits | Permit requirements and the need for approval before arrival |
| DAFF: sending goods to Australia | Cargo, packing and treatment documentation |
| DAFF: imported-food inspection and testing | Inspection directions and holds on food distribution |
| Food Standards Australia New Zealand: imported foods | Food Standards Code obligations and state or territory enforcement |
| ACCC Product Safety: mandatory standards | Mandatory safety and information requirements before supply |
| AICIS: cosmetics | Business registration, chemical categorisation and other obligations |
| TGA: importing therapeutic goods | ARTG entry, sponsors and applicable exemptions |
| EESS: responsible suppliers | Eligibility and obligations for in-scope electrical equipment |
| ACMA: supplier obligations | Technical compliance, registration, records and labelling |
| ATO small-business guidance: GST and imports | Taxable importations, GST calculation and potential credits |
Check federal requirements alongside the relevant state or territory rules. Retain decisions and compliance evidence, and recheck when the model, formulation, label, manufacturer or business arrangement changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no general import-licence requirement, but specific goods and business activities can require permits, registrations or other authorisations. Check the actual category before ordering.
No. The customs declaration and tax treatment can differ, but product restrictions, biosecurity conditions and rules for lawful sale can still apply.
Not automatically. Verify the Australian rules and whether the overseas evidence is accepted for the exact model and intended use.
No, where a permit is required it must be granted before arrival. Check BICON and complete the process in time before arranging the shipment.
Only if they are correctly classified and comply with the applicable food rules. Some supplements are therapeutic goods and need a different legal pathway.
Only where the operator supports the endpoint and all applicable import, product and receiving requirements are met. Confirm importer arrangements, labels and handover separately through the Amazon FBA seller shipping overview.