Do I have to pay duty and GST on my household goods too?

Personal and household goods that you owned and used before migrating can often be brought in without duty or GST under ABF's concession principle. As a general guide, owned and used for 12 months or more is cited as the benchmark, but alcohol, tobacco, motor vehicles and the like are exceptions, and it varies by visa and item, so don't assume it applies automatically — check with ABF or a licensed customs broker.

What is the B534 statement, and do I have to lodge it?

B534 is ABF's Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement , the key document for applying for customs clearance and a concession on unaccompanied cargo. If you send your household goods as unaccompanied cargo, this statement is generally required, and removalists or customs brokers often handle it on your behalf. Check the latest form and requirements on the official ABF site.

Can I bring my used furniture or camping gear?

Most items are fine, but used timber furniture, camping gear, bicycles and shoes are inspected by DAFF for biosecurity because of the risk of soil, seeds and insects. Thoroughly cleaning off soil and organic matter before shipping can reduce fumigation/treatment costs and delays, and you can check item-specific conditions on BICON. If the risk is high, goods may be treated, re-exported or destroyed.

Do I have to use a customs broker?

It's not mandatory, but if the paperwork is complex or the goods are of high value, it's convenient to engage a licensed customs broker . Many international removalists handle this in conjunction with a customs broker at the destination. AUWith does not recommend any particular provider; you can find licensed brokers on ABF's customs broker information page.

Which is better — sea or air freight?

If you have a lot of goods and time to spare, sea freight (FCL/LCL) with its lower unit cost is advantageous, while for small quantities or valuables you need quickly, fast air freight is better. Freight rates vary greatly by volume, distance, provider and timing, so compare quotes from several providers. Either way, the customs and biosecurity procedures after arrival apply the same.

Do I still get the concession on a temporary visa like a working holiday or student visa?

UPE concession eligibility may differ depending on your visa status (temporary vs permanent) . Temporary visa holders can still bring in personal effects, but the scope of the concession may differ, so don't assume your situation qualifies — check the official ABF guidance or a licensed customs broker.

What happens if I don't declare biosecurity items?

If you fail to declare risk items such as soil-covered shoes, food, seeds or timber, you may face an infringement (fine), destruction of goods, and in serious cases an impact on your visa . Australia's biosecurity is very strict, so it is safest to always declare anything you're unsure about bringing in .

Shipping household goods to Australia — unaccompanied cargo customs and biosecurity guide - Western Australia

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Shipping household goods to Australia — sea/air freight and personal-effects customs and biosecurity

How to send your household goods to Australia as unaccompanied personal effects when you migrate permanently or long-term — ABF customs clearance and concessions, the B534 statement, DAFF biosecurity, and sea and air freight, all set out based on official sources.

What are unaccompanied personal effects (UPE)?

When you migrate to Australia permanently or long-term and send household items such as furniture, appliances, clothes, books and kitchenware separately by ship or cargo plane rather than as airline baggage, this is called unaccompanied cargo. The Australian Border Force (ABF) calls this unaccompanied personal effects (UPE). Unlike accompanied baggage that a traveller carries in themselves, unaccompanied cargo arrives before or after you as freight and goes through a separate customs and biosecurity process. This guide covers only the international move of an entire household from overseas to Australia. A domestic move from one state to another within Australia (transferring your driver licence, vehicle registration, etc.) is an entirely different matter, so refer to the 'moving interstate' guide. The duty-free limits (e.g. traveller concessions) and arrival declaration for baggage you carry in yourself at the airport are covered in the 'arrival customs and quarantine' guide; the import GST on parcels bought online from overseas is covered in the 'overseas online shopping and customs' guide; and bringing pets is covered in the 'bringing your pet' guide — each separately.

The difference between accompanied baggage and unaccompanied cargo

Accompanied baggage is the baggage that comes in with you when you enter the country, subject to traveller concession limits and Incoming Passenger Card declaration. Unaccompanied personal effects (UPE) are household goods that travel separately from you and undergo ABF customs clearance and DAFF biosecurity as freight at the arrival port or airport. The two routes differ in both concession rules and paperwork. Note that pets are not household goods but are subject to separate import permits and quarantine, so be sure to check the 'bringing your pet' guide separately.

Customs clearance and concessions — the B534 statement and customs brokers

When your unaccompanied cargo arrives in Australia, the Australian Border Force (ABF) assesses whether duty and goods and services tax (GST) apply. The key point is the concession principle for personal and household goods that the migrant already owned and used before moving. ABF generally advises that personal effects you have owned and used for 12 months or more can be brought in without duty or GST, but alcohol, tobacco, motor vehicles and the like are exceptions, and the assessment may differ depending on visa status and the type of goods. Be sure to confirm whether your situation qualifies for the concession with the official ABF guidance or a licensed customs broker. AUWith provides factual information only and does not replace individual duty or tax decisions.

The B534 statement and customs brokers

The key document for clearing unaccompanied cargo is the ABF B534 — Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement. On this form you enter the migrant's details, visa, list of goods, length of ownership and so on to apply for the customs concession. If the paperwork and customs process are complex or the goods are of high value, you can engage a licensed customs broker to handle it, and many international removalists process this in conjunction with a customs broker at the destination. However, AUWith does not recommend any particular removalist, customs broker or fumigation provider — find licensed brokers on ABF's customs broker information page.

Biosecurity — used goods, timber and soil

Australia operates one of the strictest biosecurity borders in the world. Used timber furniture, camping and outdoor gear, bicycles, shoes and fishing equipment in your household goods may have soil, seeds, plant residue, insects or animal material attached, making them subject to inspection by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). Depending on the inspection result, cleaning, fumigation or treatment may be required, and if the risk is high the goods may be re-exported or destroyed. The most accurate way to find out which items can be brought in and under what conditions is to check by item in DAFF's import conditions database, BICON.

Timber furniture and wooden crafts — inspected for insect holes and bark, fumigated if required
Camping/outdoor gear, bicycles and shoes — remove soil, grass seeds and plant residue (clean thoroughly)

Four shipping methods

Choose your shipping method based on budget, volume and urgency. Below are four typical options. Whichever method you choose, the ABF customs and DAFF biosecurity procedures after arrival apply the same.

Full container load, sea (FCL)

Using an entire 20ft or 40ft container to yourself. Suitable for family migrations with a lot of goods and lower in unit cost, but it usually takes several weeks to arrive.

Less than container load, sea (LCL)

A small-volume option where you share a container with other cargo. Suited to anything from a few boxes to a medium volume and cheaper than FCL, but consolidation and sorting can take more time.

Air freight

The fastest, but the cost is high on a weight basis. Suited to small quantities or valuables needed urgently, and inefficient for an entire household with large volume and weight.

Courier/unaccompanied small boxes

Sending by the box without a removalist. Even small quantities go through the same customs and biosecurity if classified as UPE, and personal shipments can also be subject to a B534 statement.

Shipping preparation checklist

Preparing well before shipping can reduce customs and biosecurity delays and extra costs.

Prepare a detailed inventory (packing list) — list items, quantities, approximate value and length of ownership
Thoroughly clean soil and organic matter off used timber, outdoor gear, bicycles and shoes before shipping
Look up on BICON in advance any items whose entry is unclear (food, seeds, timber, animal-related)

Common mistakes and precautions

The following are problems that commonly occur when shipping household goods.

Failing to declare biosecurity items — not declaring soil-covered shoes, food or seeds can lead to fines, destruction of goods and visa risk. When in doubt, always declare.
Misunderstanding the concession as automatic — treating the '12 months of ownership' principle as all-encompassing and assuming even a new car, alcohol and tobacco are exempt. Check the exceptions with ABF.
Inadequate cleaning — if soil remains on camping gear, bicycles or garden tools, fumigation or re-export greatly increases cost and time.

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