Customs and Taxes in Australia
Since you’ll be bringing items in from a different country there are a few things you need to do. Australia is strict on their custom documents and you need to make sure the description and value of the package match your invoice or you may face a delay. Furthermore, imported goods that are $1000AUD or less may be hit with GST. This charge will happen at the point of sale and not at the border.
Double-check that you are shipping items that are allowed into the country as well. There are things that Australia doesn’t allow in and are strictly prohibited to protect the country. A few items to keep in mind are:
- Meats and fruits
- Painting equipment
- Chewing tobacco
- Cosmetics
If you’re unsure if your item will be allowed into the country, you can check out Forwardme.com’s website to see a list of what is prohibited in Australia.
Australia is also picky about the packaging that your items arrive in. To avoid any issues make sure you don’t ship with any of the following:
- Egg cartons
- Wooden boxes
- Cardboard boxes that have been used to hold fruits, vegetables, or meats
- Straw material
- Dried plant material
When you ship, make sure the package is in a new, sturdy, double-walled cardboard box that is durable and suitable for making a trip across the country. Materials like bubble wrap and newspaper are also allowed to protect fragile items.
Shipments are also subjected to duty and other taxes may be applied. There is a 10% GST on the price of the product that is under $1000AUD. You may be able to defer payment if you’re an importer and registered for GST. If you’re sending personal items to Australia you may also get away from duty and taxes if:
- Personally owned and used goods for at least 12 months before shipping to Australia
- Have arrived intend to arrive in Australia
- Are you a permanent resident or are you a first-time migrant from a place outside Australia taking up permanent residency?
These are items like clothing, furniture, rugs, books, and bicycles.
How Forwardme.com can help
This might seem like a lot of information but with Forwardme.com, we have your back. We will give you a free US address and after you’re finished shopping online your package will arrive at Forwardme.com. Once we have it we will ship the item directly to your Australian address with no stress.
Our personal shoppers can help get your shipments to you easily and quickly, taking time to make sure all custom documents are done and you won’t be surprised with taxes or duties before your package arrives. We will also make sure that no prohibited items will ship to Australia to make sure you don’t get charged additional fees.
Shipping from the US to Australia might seem like a stressful process but with the help of Forwardme.com, you can seamlessly shop and ship from the US to Australia easily.
