Regulations

To import a vehicle into Australia there are regulations with which vehicles must comply. The age and origin of the vehicle (based on original manufacture) along with the status of the importer play an important role in whether a vehicle can be imported into Australia and what documentation may be required.

While Australia has very strict safety and emissions standards and modification work that may be required to bring non-compliant vehicles in line with required standards can be expensive, conversion or modification work is not required for vehicles falling into any one of the below categories:

•     – Vehicle has been owned and used in the country of origin for a period of more than twelve months by the person importing the vehicle into Australia.
•     – The vehicle was originally manufactured or sold in Australia and carries the compliance plate fitted at the time of original manufacture.
•     – The vehicles date of manufacture is prior to January 1st 1989.
•     – The vehicle was newly purchased having been manufactured to comply with Australian safety and emission standards.

Vehicle Import Approval (VIA)

Applications normally take between 4-6 weeks to be processed and returned. Vehicles cannot be shipped from the UK until the import approval has been issued.

Import approval will only be granted to private individuals with a full residency visa or to Australian or New Zealand nationals eligible to drive a vehicle in Australia. If you are arriving into Australia before you arrange shipment of your vehicle, please be aware that you must apply for your VIA within 6 months of your arrival into Australia.

Applying for Your VIA

Vehicle Import Approval applications must be made to the Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport. The quickest way of submitting your application is by using their online portal that can be found here. When you make your application online you will need to make a payment of AU$50 to cover the application fee and have scanned copies of required documentation to attach to and submit with your application.

Additional Addendum forms covering applications to import other types of vehicles (such as small road trailers or for vehicles manufactured before 1989) or for vehicles for a use other than domestic road use (such as non-road vehicles, special purpose vehicles or vehicles imported for exhibition) can be found on the Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport website here.

Preparation for Quarantine inspection

Before your vehicle is shipped you should make sure that it is well cleaned. On arrival in Australia all vehicles are inspected by the Australian Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) for ‘cleanliness’. Typical areas that are frequently overlooked when cleaning a vehicle for shipment are:

•     – Wheels/tyres, Wheel arches and Mud guards
•     – Spare tyre, Spare wheel housing and Boot.

Documentation we need

To ship your vehicle to Australia there are a few things that you will need to provide us with:

•     – A Copy of the V5 (Licence Document) for your vehicle – we do not need the original.
•     – A Copy of your Passport Photopage.
•     – A Copy of a valid MOT certificate will be required if you require collection of your vehicle using an insured driver.

We will also require a copy of your VIA to arrange shipment of your vehicle from the UK.

On arrival in Australia

Shortly after departure from the UK we will provide you with copy shipping documentation (the Bill of Lading) covering transport of your vehicle to Australia along with anticipated arrival date and contact details for our agents. Our agents will be in contact with you prior to your vehicle’s arrival to make arrangements for completion of local import formalities.

Destination Charges for R-Rack Service

We have negotiated preferential rates for discharge, and handling in Australia for customers using our R-Rak container services.

• $85/cbm – Port Service Charges, Container Tracking, Container Unpack, 1st AQIS Inspection
• $320 – Valuation Fee (Only if you owned the car for more than 12 months)
• $250 – Customs Clearance
• $110 – AQIS Attendance Fee
• $90 – Personal Effects Surcharge (if there are Personal Effects inside the vehicle)
• $55 – Sea Cargo Automation

Note: Some air conditioning systems contain prohibited gasses and may need to be degassed prior to shipment.
Please note that the above charges are excluding of GST or Duty, see below, and are up to first AQIS Inspection only. Additional charges might apply if the cargo fails the AQIS inspection. Customs cleaning and re-inspection will then be necessary and additional charges apply.

Duties and Taxes

The table below provides a summary of Duty and GST rates applied by Australian customs:

Import Duty is calculated at the rates shown below based purely on the value placed on your vehicle following it valuation by Australian Authorities.

GST is calculated at the below rate and is based on the Value of the Taxable Importation (VoTI) and this is calculated as: Customs Value + Duty + Shipping and Insurance costs of transporting your vehicle to Australia.

Luxury Car Tax (LCT)

Australian customs may apply this additional charge for higher specification or valuation vehicles.

Registration

Once a vehicle has been customs cleared into Australia and customs duties and GST have been paid, it must be checked by the State department Motor Vehicle Registration service who will examine the vehicles (similar to an MOT) and issue a road worthiness certificate. This should be presented along with other vehicle documentation at the registration counter who on payment of registration and roadworthy examination fees provide the yearly registration label to be displayed in the vehicles windscreen (similar to a tax disc) and will also provide the Australian number plates assigned to the vehicle. When registering your vehicle, stamp duty fees are payable to the local state registration authorities.