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Exporting consumer products from Australia

Australia controls exports by product. Meat, dairy, fish, eggs, plants and organic goods follow the Export Control Act 2020; wine follows the Wine Australia Act 2013; therapeutic goods the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989; and dual-use goods the Defence and Strategic Goods List. Most goods over A$2,000 need an export declaration to the ABF.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Food and agriculture
Export Control Act 2020, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Wine
Wine Australia: licence, product approval and shipping approval
Dual-use goods
Defence and Strategic Goods List, with the Defence Minister's permission
Customs
Export declaration to the ABF for most goods over A$2,000
Customs duty
None on exports
GST
Exports GST-free if exported within 60 days of payment or invoice

By product

What each kind of product needs to leave Australia.

Before the goods leave

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Which Australian law controls the product's export, if any? Read more
  2. 2Which certificates does the importing country ask for, and who issues them? Read more
  3. 3Is an export declaration needed, and which permissions does it quote? Read more
  4. 4How are GST, excise and duty drawback treated on export? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Which law controls which export

Australia has no single export licence; controls attach to kinds of goods.

  • The Export Control Act 2020 regulates the export of goods, including agricultural products and food, so that they meet importing country requirements, comply with standards and are traceable. Rules prescribe meat, milk, fish, eggs, plants and organic goods.
  • Grape products in consignments over 100 litres need a Wine Australia licence, product approval and an export certificate for each consignment.
  • Exporting therapeutic goods for use in humans that are not registered, listed or exempt is an offence where harm is likely.
  • Goods on the Defence and Strategic Goods List, or containing DSGL technology, need the Defence Minister's permission to export.
  • Consumer goods that fail an Australian safety standard, or are banned, need the Commonwealth Minister's written approval to export.
  • The Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 control other goods, such as cat and dog fur, drugs and goods to sanctioned destinations.

How we help: Compliant Always records which of these controls applies to each product and destination, with the source beside it. Ask about this

Export certificates and origin

The certificates exporters obtain for the importing country.

  • Government certificates under the Export Control Act 2020 cover matters a country requires certified before import, for prescribed and non-prescribed goods, and include phytosanitary, Halal and organic goods certificates.
  • Wine Australia issues certificates of origin, VI-1 documents and certificates of free sale for wine.
  • A preferential proof of origin under an Australian FTA may be a certificate from an authorised body or a declaration by an authorised exporter, producer or importer.
  • Exporters and producers who claim Australian origin for a preferential tariff keep the records behind the claim and can be asked questions to verify it.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps each certificate with the shipment and lot, dated, and reads it against what the destination asks for. Ask about this

Export declarations and customs control

How goods are entered for export with the Australian Border Force.

  • The owner of goods intended for export has them entered for export by an export declaration, and they are not loaded until an authority to deal is in force.
  • Declarations are needed for goods over A$2,000, goods needing an export permit, duty drawback claims, and dutiable or excisable goods with duty unpaid.
  • Declarations are lodged in the Integrated Cargo System or at an ABF counter, up to six months before export, and documents are kept for five years.
  • If goods are not exported within 30 days of the intended date, the declaration is withdrawn within seven days.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declaration and the permits it quotes with each shipment, and shows which a consignment still needs. Ask about this

GST, excise and duty drawback

How tax and duty treat goods leaving Australia.

  • There are no customs duties on export.
  • A supply of goods is GST-free if the supplier exports them within 60 days of receiving any payment or giving an invoice, and WET is not payable on a dealing that is a GST-free supply.
  • Excisable goods stay under the CEO's control until delivered for home consumption or export.
  • Duty drawback refunds customs duty on imported goods that are exported, claimed within four years of export.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the dates and proof of export that GST, excise and drawback rely on, by shipment. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ExporterPermits, the export declaration, certificate applications and origin claims.The documents for each consignment kept together, with what is missing shown before loading.
Manufacturer or producerPreparing controlled goods at registered premises, and the records behind origin claims.Registrations and batch records kept by product and lot.
Customs broker or freight forwarderLodging export declarations for the owner.Permit and certificate numbers ready from the record.
Certifying authorityGovernment certificates, wine export documents and origin certificates.Certificates read against what the destination asks for.

Ports and certifying bodies

Export controls on food, plants and organic goods are Commonwealth law under the Export Control Act 2020, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with registered establishments and accredited properties across the states and territories.

Export declarations go to the Australian Border Force through the Integrated Cargo System, or at an ABF counter in each state or territory.

Where are the goods going?

Most of what products have to meet is set where they are sold. Each guide sets out the rules on arrival, with the official source for each.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need an export licence to export from Australia?
There is no single export licence. Controls attach to kinds of goods: prescribed food and agricultural goods, wine, therapeutic goods, defence and strategic goods, and goods listed in the Prohibited Exports Regulations.
When do I need an export declaration in Australia?
For goods worth more than A$2,000, goods needing an export permit whatever their value, duty drawback claims, and dutiable or excisable goods with duty unpaid. It is lodged with the ABF, often through a customs broker.
Who issues export certificates in Australia?
Under the Export Control Act 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry or a prescribed issuing body. Wine Australia issues wine documents, and authorised issuers provide FTA certificates of origin.
Is there export duty in Australia?
No. The ABF says there are no customs duties on export, though goods are under customs control once they are brought to a place for export.
Are exports from Australia GST-free?
A supply of goods is GST-free if the supplier exports them within 60 days of receiving any payment or giving an invoice, or a longer period the Commissioner allows.
How do I prove Australian origin for an FTA?
With the proof of origin the FTA allows, a certificate from an authorised body or a declaration by an authorised exporter, producer or importer, backed by records kept for verification, for Japan for at least five years.
Are dual-use goods controlled on export from Australia?
Yes. Goods on the Defence and Strategic Goods List, or containing DSGL technology, need the Defence Minister's permission to export, though mass-market encryption items can be released by the Cryptography Note.
Can I export goods that do not meet Australian standards?
Consumer goods that fail an ACL safety standard, or are banned, need the Commonwealth Minister's written approval to export. Information standards do not apply to goods intended for use outside Australia.
How does Compliant Always help with exporting from Australia?
Our team reads the rules for the routes you ship. Compliant Always shows which export documents apply to your product, keeps them with the shipment beside what the destination asks for, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Australia and what your paperwork needs to show.

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