Requirements for Car Shipping From the US to Australia

There are several different permits to consider when shipping your vehicle to Australia. A new law,”the rolling 25 year rule” allows vehicles that are 25 years or older to be imported simply by meeting basic safety requirements. Another aspect of this ruling allows vehicles that have been purchased and used overseas for at least one year to be available for import as well.

The Personal Import Option allows vehicles that have been owned for at least 12 months to be available for import as well. Applicants may only import one vehicle every 5 years under this this option.

For the full list of all categories, visit Import Options – https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/import_options/index.aspx

To apply for the vehicle, import approval, you need to register online with the department of infrastructure here – https://vis.infrastructure.gov.au/_layouts/VISBranding/VISLogin.aspx

1. Requirements:
   1. Original Title
   2. Copy of Bill of Sale
   3. Passport or EIN

1. Copy of Bill of Sale
2. Copy of Registration Certificate or Vehicle Title

Temporary Imports — You can usually use a vehicle with foreign number plates without registering or taxing it in the Australia if all of the following apply:

• Importers bringing goods to Australia as a temporary importation must:
  • export the goods within the time limit approved
  • not sell, loan, mortgage, hire, give away, dispose of or alter in anyway without permission from the Australian Government
• For more information on Temporary Imports, please visit the Australian Government website.

General guidelines on Australian Duty & Taxes

Cost and Transit times vary greatly depending on where your vehicle is in the USA and what Australian port it needs to ship to.

• Transit times can vary depending on multiple factors, but generally the entire process takes between 30-50 days
• Please note you’ll need to factor in additional days for customs clearance and vessel loading/unloading.

To determine your cost, please get in touch with us and submit a free quote request, at no obligation to you.

You’ll have to get vehicle approval to show that your imported vehicle meets regional environmental and safety regulations. The Australian Border Force (ABF) is very strict on the potential of importing foreign vehicles and parts containing asbestos. Before release from customs control, Biosecurity Officers from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment inspect road vehicles for cleanliness on arrival in Australia. You are responsible for all inspection charges.

Trans Global has worked very hard over the past two years to build a complete offshore pre-cleaning and an asbestos pre-testing/removal program with the ABF. Now the only approved offshore cleaning facility by the Australian government in the U.S.A, our West Coast facility enables us to offer “Guaranteed Pre-Cleaning” meeting the Australian Bio-security requirements for vehicles and motorcycles.

All vehicles brought into the Australia permanently must be registered.

• Apply to register the vehicle in the relevant State or Territory
• Government agencies: State Road and Transport Authorities

• USA Departure Ports — Trans Global has service from all U.S. Ports, including: New York, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Galveston, Los Angeles, and more.
• Australian Arrival Ports — Below are the most popular Australian entry ports.
  • Brisbane
  • Sydney
  • Adelaide
  • Melbourne
  • Fremantle

1. Roll On Roll Off (RORO) — These vessels are basically large parking garages on the water. Your vehicle is driven into the belly of the ship via a large ramp and secured to the deck, protected from the outside elements.

PROS:

• RORO offers very competitive rates
• RORO sometimes has a quicker transit time than container

CONS:

• Vehicles must be in good running condition. This is not always the case with classic cars which is why we suggest classic cars ship in containers.
• You are not allowed to store any items in the vehicles. Anything found in the vehicles is disposed of by the receiving terminal.
• Limited Port Calls which means there is only RORO Service to certain ports.

2. Shared Container Shipping — Your vehicle is shipped with other vehicles in a shared container. All fees are shared between customers using the container, such as terminal handling charges, loading / unloading charges, and trucking of the container to and from the terminals.

PROS:

• Poor running or non-running vehicles must be shipped in containers
• You can store items in the vehicle
• Container vessels call many more Australian ports than RORO

CONS:

• Transit time can be a bit longer than RORO since the container can only depart once it has a full load

3. Dedicated Container Shipping — This is similar to the Shared Container method except that your vehicle is the only one in the container. This is typically used if the customer needs the vehicle in a hurry or if it’s shipping to a location that we do not offer container consolidations to.

PROS:

• One of the quickest services other than air freight
• You can store items in the vehicle
• Container vessels call many more Australian ports than RORO

CONS:

• More expensive than RORO and Shared Container Shipping

4. Air Freight — One of the most expensive and least used shipping methods. Typically used for high-end collector vehicles or time sensitive shipments

PROS:

• The quickest service available

CONS

• The most expensive service available

Prior to shipping your vehicle to Australia, it’s important that you perform the following steps to avoid additional fees or being turned away by the terminals.

• Clean your vehicle inside and out, including its undercarriage
  • Vehicle must be clean of foreign soil, invasive plants, and animals
• Make sure there is less than a quarter tank of fuel
• Remove all Non-Factory installed items (applies for RORO shipments only)
• Remove license plates
• Disengage any after-market alarm system prior to shipment

Prior to shipping your vehicle to Australia, it’s important that you perform the following steps to avoid additional fees or being turned away by the terminals.

• Inland Transport within the USA and Australia – Trans Global arranges road transport anywhere in the USA to the terminal and also to any city within the Australia.
• Marine Insurance – Per the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA) liability is limited to per shipment. Marine Insurance is strongly recommended by Trans Global to ensure your vehicle is covered for any damages or loss. All shipping quotes given by Trans Global will list the cost of this optional service.
• 3rd party vehicle purchase inspections – For those looking to purchase a vehicle online from the USA and want piece of mind knowing the vehicle is as advertised.
• Escrow Service – For those customers that don’t feel comfortable sending funds directly to a USA online seller or when a seller isn’t comfortable providing their banking details to someone overseas, we offer this service to act as a liaison between the buyer and the seller.