Guidance when moving your worldly goods to Australia

Perth skyline

Brisbane, Queensland

Houses and apartments on the estuary in
Mandurah, West Australia

Anyone who has watched the television programme 'Nothing to Declare' will realise that there are specific regulations and documentary requirements when moving and shipping effects to Australia. With such a move, and the distance involved, it is important that you use an experienced removals company as they will be able to give the guidance and assistance required to ensure it goes smoothly.

When moving goods to Australia four items are required either before or when the goods arrive in Australia: Customs Form B534, an Inventory of Possessions, together with an entry visa and passport. Entry visas can take many months to obtain (further information is available from: www.customs.gov.au). All goods enter duty free provided they are household or personal effects, and which have been owned and used for 12 months prior to shipping. Where furniture and household effects are new, original invoices will be required, and these items will be dutiable.

Antiques can be shipped duty free provided they are part of the above household effects and have also been owned and used for 12 months prior to exportation. A copy of the purchase invoice and antiquity certificate will be required for authentification.

Goods may be cleared through customs in advance of arrival provided that the owner is due to arrive within six months. However, all shipments must have the consignee's address otherwise customs will not allow the movement of the container, resulting in additional costs.

Australia has very strict quarantine regulations, even greater following the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK. All shipments will be inspected for soil, plants, and food, particularly traces on outdoor items such as garden tools, shoes, horse riding equipment and also including vacuum cleaners. Importation of all plants and vegetable products is prohibited – also, owners should not use fruit boxes for packing.

As with all countries, there are certain items that cannot be shipped. These include certain feathers, furs, skins and tusks of animals deemed to be protected species. Small quantities can be imported but must be supported with a DEFRA "Cites" Certificate.

Firearms are a restricted item and will be confiscated from the shipment until a license is obtained from your state police. Entry is duty free provided the necessary license is obtained and the gun passes a ballistics/safety inspection.

Narcotics and drugs are prohibited. Alcohol will attract a high rate of tax and customs duty depending on the nature of the liquor and alcoholic strength. A full list must be provided detailing each bottle by product, volume, alcohol strength and value.

Dogs and cats can be brought into Australia from the UK and Ireland as long as they have been resident there for at least six months, or from birth, and have not been in boarding kennels in that country during that time. A permit must be obtained for each animal prior to shipping, together with an import license, which can be obtained from the chief medical officer at the Australian high commission. Each animal will need to be micro-chipped and have a clean bill of health from a vet in order to fly. Do not send any birds as they are prohibited animals and will be destroyed on arrival in the country.

Motor and other vehicles can be imported into Australia, although European cars will often fail safety tests and require costly modifications. All motor vehicles will also be subject to customs duty and sales tax. Customs will assess the value of the vehicle based on depreciation of 5% of value for the first month owned, and then 1% every month thereafter, up to a maximum depreciation of 28%. It is important that the owner is fully contactable when the vehicle is imported, as a number of formalities will need to be completed before the container can be moved from the wharf. Failure to be contactable may result in the container being bonded at the wharf, and demurrage and storage costs being incurred which are excessive.

Motorbikes are also subject to sales tax, whereas caravans and non-motorised boxes and other trailers are free of duty as long as there is only one such item per household, within a three-year period. It also has to be imported as part of effects for taking up permanent residence, and have been owned and used for the past 12 months.

Sailing and motor boats can be admitted without duty, again assuming the three year rule, as part of effects for the intention of permanent residence, and owned and used for the past 12 months. In addition, the item cannot be sold of otherwise disposed of within two years in Australia. The vessel must be designed for recreational use in sheltered waters. Sailboats must not exceed 2.5m in width of 1,000 kilograms unladen weight, and must not have an auxiliary motor.

Finally, televisions; the Australian television system uses PAL Colour System B, so sets manufactured in the UK are generally not suitable for use, though you can make use of them for watching your collection of DVDs/videos which can sometimes be great for a child's bedroom or playroom instead of trying to sell or give away a perfectly good television.

Article by Philip Pertoldi, Group Managing Director of Abels Moving Services, holder of a Royal Warrant to HM the Queen for removals and storage services since 1989 (www.abels.co.uk).

© PropertyIndex.com 2009 | Last Updated: 2nd March 2009