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If your business is bringing commercial goods into Australia for the first time — or you have been importing on your supplier’s terms and want to take control — this guide sets out the whole process in order. What you need before you order, how the freight works, what customs and biosecurity require, what it costs, and what actually goes wrong.
Before you place the order
You do not need an import licence
Australia has no general import licence. Any business can import. What you do need is an ABN so the shipment can be entered in your name, and GST registration if you want to claim the import GST back. What is regulated is not the act of importing — it is specific goods.
Check whether your goods are restricted
Some goods are prohibited, and many require a permit, treatment or certification before they can be released. Timber, food, plant and animal products, cosmetics, chemicals, electrical goods, machinery with soil contamination risk, and anything with packaging made of untreated wood all carry conditions. The Department of Agriculture’s BICON database is the authoritative source for biosecurity import conditions, and the Australian Border Force publishes the prohibited and restricted goods list.
Do this before you pay a deposit, not after the container sails. A permit that takes three weeks to obtain is an administrative task at the quoting stage and a very expensive problem at the wharf.
Agree the Incoterm
The Incoterm decides where the supplier’s responsibility stops and yours starts. It is the single most commercially important line in the purchase order.
| Incoterm | Supplier covers | You cover | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW — Ex Works | Goods available at their factory | Everything from the factory door | Maximum control, maximum admin. Often the cheapest total cost if managed properly. |
| FOB — Free On Board | Export clearance and delivery onto the vessel | Ocean freight, insurance, arrival, clearance, delivery | The most common and usually the most workable term for Australian importers. |
| CIF / CFR | Ocean freight (and insurance under CIF) to the destination port | Arrival, clearance, destination charges, delivery | Looks simple, but destination charges are set by the supplier’s agent and you have no control over them. |
| DDP — Delivered Duty Paid | Everything to your door including duty and taxes | Nothing | Convenient, but you lose visibility of the true freight cost and often of the customs entry. |
The trap most first-time importers fall into is CIF. The ocean freight looks cheap because the supplier negotiated it, but the destination charges — terminal handling, documentation, agency fees, deconsolidation — are billed to you in Australia by an agent you did not choose and cannot negotiate with. Buying FOB and controlling your own freight forwarder usually costs less and always gives you better information.
Classify the goods and check the duty rate
Every imported good has an HS tariff classification. That classification sets the duty rate and determines whether a free trade agreement concession applies. A general rate of 5% applies to many manufactured goods; many goods are Free; and Australia’s FTAs with China, Korea, Japan, the US, ASEAN, India, the UK and others can reduce the rate to zero where the origin rules are met and a valid certificate or declaration of origin is held.
Get the classification confirmed by a licensed customs broker before you commit. Use our import duty and GST calculator to model the tax on the shipment once you have a rate.
Choosing the freight mode
| Sea LCL | Sea FCL | Air freight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | Part loads, roughly 1–13 m³ | Full or near-full containers | Urgent, high-value, low-volume |
| Charged on | Revenue tonne (1 m³ = 1,000 kg) | Per container | Chargeable weight (1 m³ ≈ 167 kg) |
| Typical transit | Longest — consolidation and deconsolidation add time | Port to port plus clearance | Days |
| Handling | Cargo is handled at both ends | Sealed at origin, opened at destination | Multiple handling points |
Work out your cube and weight first — that is what decides the answer. Our CBM calculator and air freight chargeable weight calculator will give you both figures, and our LCL vs FCL comparison covers the crossover point in detail.
The documents that matter
| Document | Who issues it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | Establishes the customs value. Must show a full goods description, quantities, unit prices, currency, Incoterm and both parties. |
| Packing list | Supplier | Piece count, dimensions, gross and net weights, marks and numbers. Drives the freight charge and the cargo report. |
| Bill of lading or air waybill | Carrier or forwarder | Contract of carriage and, for an original B/L, title to the goods. Cargo is not released without it. |
| Certificate or declaration of origin | Supplier or chamber | Required to claim a preferential FTA duty rate. No valid origin document, no concession. |
| Packing declaration | Supplier | Confirms the treatment status of timber packaging. Missing declarations trigger inspection and delay. |
| Permits and treatment certificates | Regulator or treatment provider | Required for goods with biosecurity conditions. Must be correct before arrival. |
| Marine insurance certificate | Insurer | Your only protection against loss or damage. Carrier liability is limited and rarely covers the value of the goods. |
Most import delays are document delays. Get the invoice and packing list checked before the goods leave, not after they arrive.
What it costs
The freight rate is only part of the landed cost. Budget for:
- Origin charges — pickup, export clearance, terminal handling at load port (depending on Incoterm)
- International freight — ocean or air, plus fuel and any seasonal surcharges
- Marine insurance — typically a small percentage of the CIF value
- Destination charges — terminal handling, wharfage, documentation, deconsolidation for LCL
- Customs duty — customs value × duty rate
- GST — 10% of the Value of the Taxable Importation, which is the customs value plus duty plus transport plus insurance
- Government charges — Import Processing Charge of $50 or $152 for electronic declarations over AUD 1,000, plus a biosecurity cost recovery charge of $48 by air or $71 by sea from 1 July 2026
- Customs brokerage — entry preparation and lodgement
- Quarantine — inspection, and treatment or fumigation if directed
- Delivery — transport to your premises, plus unpack if required
- Detention and demurrage — the cost of holding equipment or leaving cargo at the terminal past free time
Duty is a genuine cost. GST is generally recoverable as an input tax credit if you are registered and the goods are for business use. Model the tax component with our duty and GST calculator.
Arrival, clearance and delivery
- Pre-arrival. Documents go to your customs broker. The import declaration is prepared and lodged, duty and GST are calculated, and any permits are attached.
- Cargo report and arrival. The vessel or aircraft arrives and the cargo is reported. Discrepancies between the cargo report and the entry cause holds.
- Assessment. Australian Border Force and, where relevant, the Department of Agriculture assess the entry. Goods may be released, or held for documentation, inspection or treatment.
- Payment. Duty, GST and charges are paid. Goods are not released until they are.
- Free time starts. For FCL, the clock on detention and demurrage begins. This is where importers lose money fastest.
- Transport and delivery. Cargo is picked up and delivered. For FCL you also need to plan unpack and empty container return within free time.
- Empty return. The container goes back to the nominated empty park. Late returns attract detention.
Where first-time importers lose money
- Buying CIF. Cheap freight, uncontrolled destination charges.
- Underestimating free time. Detention and demurrage accrue daily and are entirely avoidable with a delivery plan made before arrival.
- Wrong or vague goods descriptions. “Samples”, “gifts” or “parts” on an invoice invites a hold and a request for information.
- No packing declaration. Timber packaging without a declaration means inspection, and often fumigation, at your cost.
- Claiming an FTA rate without the origin document. The concession is denied and duty is payable, sometimes with a penalty.
- Understating the cube. Cargo is re-measured at the depot and re-rated.
- No marine insurance. Carrier liability is limited by convention and will not make you whole.
- Booking too late. Space, equipment and permits all take lead time, particularly before Chinese New Year and in peak season.
How MTF Logistics helps
MTF Logistics coordinates international freight for Australian businesses — sea freight LCL and FCL, air freight, customs clearance coordination, documentation, project logistics and delivery across Australia. We work with importers who want to know what is happening to their cargo and what it is going to cost, rather than finding out at the invoice.
Send us your commercial invoice, packing list, supplier address and delivery address, and we will come back with the freight options, the likely duty position and a landed cost you can plan around.
Planning your first shipment?
Tell us what you are importing, where from, and when you need it. We will tell you what it takes and what it costs — before you commit.
Request a freight quote Call 1300 710 683Frequently asked questions
Do I need an import licence to import into Australia?
No. Australia has no general import licence. You need an ABN to import in your business name, and GST registration if you want to claim import GST back. Specific goods may require a permit, treatment or certification.
How long does it take to import from China to Australia?
It depends on the mode, the port pair and the season. Sea freight is measured in weeks and LCL adds consolidation and deconsolidation time at both ends; air freight is measured in days. Customs and biosecurity assessment, inspection and transport all sit on top. Ask for indicative transit times at the quoting stage and build a buffer.
What is the difference between a freight forwarder and a customs broker?
A freight forwarder arranges and manages the transport of your goods. A licensed customs broker acts as your agent to lodge the import declaration with the Australian Border Force. Many shipments need both, and we coordinate the process end to end for our clients.
Should I buy FOB or CIF?
For most Australian importers, FOB gives better control and better total cost. Under CIF the supplier’s agent controls the destination charges you pay, and those are the charges you cannot negotiate once the cargo has sailed.
What happens if my shipment is held by customs or quarantine?
Holds are usually documentary or biosecurity-related. The fastest resolutions come from having the correct invoice detail, packing declaration, permits and treatment certificates ready before arrival. We manage the response and keep the delivery plan moving while it is resolved.
Official sources
- Australian Border Force — Importing
- Australian Taxation Office — GST and imported goods
- Australian Border Force — Import Processing Charge
- BICON — Australian biosecurity import conditions
This guide is general information for Australian business importers and is not customs, tax or legal advice. Rates, charges and import conditions change. Government charges referenced are current as at September 2026. Confirm requirements for your specific goods with a licensed customs broker.