Moving to Australia: customs & biosecurity checklist
Two agencies read one form. Answer five questions to see whether your household goods clear duty and GST-free under the Unaccompanied Personal Effects concession (B534), then check every item against the DAFF biosecurity list before you pack.
1. Do my goods clear duty and GST-free? (Unaccompanied Personal Effects (UPE) concession)
Which of these describes you?
Are the goods your own personal and household property, not for sale or business use?
Have you owned AND used the goods for 12 months or more?
Have you arrived in Australia, or will you travel there within a reasonable time of the shipment?
Does the shipment include any of these?
Documents to clear your shipment
- Form B534 — Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement, completed in English and signed by the owner (you may nominate a forwarder, broker, relative or friend to clear the goods)
- 100 points of Evidence of Identity — originals, including at least one primary document (passport, Australian citizenship certificate or full birth certificate) and one photo ID
- Detailed, itemised packing list — every box numbered, materials described ("wooden chair", "metal bed frame", "cane basket"); "misc" or "PBO" is flagged by DAFF
- Arrival Notice or Delivery Advice (sea freight) or Air Waybill (air freight)
- Proof of travel if you ship before arriving — airline ticket, employment contract or university offer
- Visa or evidence of residence status
- Values for any items under 12 months old, alcohol or tobacco — they are assessed separately
What is taxed and what is not
- Qualifying used household goods: no customs duty, no GST.
- Items owned under 12 months, new goods: about 5 % customs duty on the customs value plus 10 % GST on the taxable importation (customs value + freight + insurance + duty).
- Alcohol and tobacco in the shipment: duty, GST and/or Wine Equalisation Tax — the traveller duty-free allowances do not apply to unaccompanied goods.
- Biosecurity: document-screening fee, inspection charged by officer time, plus any treatment (fumigation, heat, gamma irradiation) or export/destruction at your cost. Fees are cost-recovered and change yearly.
2. Can I ship it? — Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry biosecurity checker
Australia inspects household shipments for anything that came from, or touched, animals, plants, food, soil or water. Search an item or filter by category. Statuses follow the official DAFF personal-effects list and the ABF concession rules linked below.
Don't ship — Prohibited or assessed separately — leave it outDeclare + clean — Declare on the B534, clean/dry it, expect inspection or treatmentDeclare — Declare on the B534 and list it clearlyNo concern — No specific biosecurity concern
No match — if it is made of wood, plant or animal material, or has been outdoors, declare it. Check BICON for anything unusual.
Don't ship
Fresh fruit, vegetables, potatoes, onions, garlicProhibited — do not pack any fresh food.
Food
Don't ship
Meat, poultry, pork, eggs, dairyProhibited in personal effects.
Food
Don't ship
Live plants, seeds, bulbsProhibited — includes garden seeds and decorative seeds.
Garden & plants
Don't ship
Soil, sand, rocks, fossils, shellsSoil is one of the highest-risk contaminants; sand/rock/shell items are declared and often refused.
Garden & plants
Don't ship
Motor vehicle, motorbike, vehicle partsNot personal effects — separate import approval, duty, GST, LCT and cleaning standard.
Vehicles & machines
Declare
Alcohol — wine, spirits, beerAllowed but taxable: duty, GST and/or WET. Declare every bottle.
Food
Declare
Tobacco, cigarettes, cigarsTaxable as unaccompanied goods — no duty-free allowance.
Food
Declare
Dried or packaged food — herbs, tea, rice, spices, snacks, protein powder, supplementsDeclare and list; check BICON. Ship as little as possible.
Food
Declare
Pet food, treats, pet medicinesMay need an import permit — check BICON before packing.
Pets & animals
Declare + clean
Pet beds, bedding, cages, leads, grooming kit, toys, rawhide chewsAnimal equipment must be declared and clean; rawhide and natural chews are often refused.
Pets & animals
Declare + clean
Fish tanks, aquarium rocks and equipmentDeclare; must be clean and dry.
Pets & animals
Declare + clean
Saddlery, horse tack, portable fencingClean of hair, soil and manure; inspection likely.
Pets & animals
Declare
Wooden furniture — tables, chairs, beds, dressers, antiquesMust be declared. Check for borer holes and frass (sawdust); must be free of bark. Treatment may be required.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Bamboo, cane, rattan, wicker, willow, water hyacinth, banana-leaf furniture and basketsSpecific import conditions — check BICON; frequently treated or refused.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Wooden carvings, statues, totem poles, bamboo wind chimes, masksHigh-risk artefacts; untreated wood is often fumigated or refused.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare
Picture frames, jewellery boxes, brushes with wooden partsDeclare as wooden items; usually clear if clean and treated/finished.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare
Wooden kitchen items — cutting boards, bowls, utensils, knife blocks, placematsDeclare and pack clean and dry.
Kitchen
Declare + clean
Logs, sawn timber, plywood, veneer, dowel, mouldings, sawdust, wood shavingsRaw timber needs treatment or a certificate; never use sawdust or shavings as filler.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare
Musical instruments — piano, guitar, violin, clarinet, drumsCommercially manufactured instruments: declare. Rawhide drums, rainmakers, pan pipes: declare and expect inspection.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Christmas tree (real or artificial), wreaths, pinecones, dried holly, moss, straw, seed podsFestive decorations with plant material are a classic interception; real trees, pinecones and dried plant material are usually refused.
Decor & ornaments
Don't ship
Dried flowers, potpourri, natural stems, bark, sphagnum mossPlant material — treat as prohibited; declare if packed.
Decor & ornaments
Declare + clean
Feathers, bones, antlers, animal hide, hair, taxidermy, coralAnimal products must be declared; many need treatment or are refused.
Decor & ornaments
Declare
Beads or necklaces of plant or animal material, hats and bags of straw or dried leafDeclare; inspect for insects.
Decor & ornaments
Declare
Carpets, rugs, mats, Thai pillowsVacuum thoroughly; pillows stuffed with plant or animal material are declared.
Decor & ornaments
Declare + clean
Clay or compressed-sand statues, sand- or seed-filled toys and weightsSand, seed or soil fillings are a biosecurity concern — often refused.
Decor & ornaments
Declare + clean
Hiking boots, gumboots, football or golf shoes, farm and outdoor clothingScrub soles and treads until no soil remains; no seeds in laces or turn-ups.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Tents, poles, pegs, groundsheets, picnic rugs, camping chairs, backpacks, eskyDismantle, remove all soil, grass and insects, dry completely.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Bicycles, scooters, kids' bikes, skateboardsClean soil from tyres, pedals and cleats.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Golf clubs, racquets, cricket and hockey gear, pool cues, punching bagsClean; sand-filled weights and bags are flagged.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Fishing rods, tackle, feather flies, kayaks, wetsuits, diving gearFreshwater equipment must be dry on arrival; feather flies are animal material.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Trampolines, swings, slides, cubby houses, sandpitsPlayground equipment must be clean; sandpits emptied and washed.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Lawnmower, whipper snipper, ride-on mower, garden tools, wheelbarrowRemove all caked soil and plant matter, empty catchers, drain fuel.
Garden & plants
Declare + clean
Outdoor tables and chairs, BBQ / grill, plant pots, fountains, garden statuesClean of soil, ash, grease and plant debris; wooden outdoor furniture must be bark-free.
Garden & plants
Don't ship
Fertiliser, potting mix, wine barrels, shedsFertiliser and soil products are prohibited; barrels and sheds are declared and inspected.
Garden & plants
Declare + clean
Vacuum cleaner and bags, brooms, dustpans, brushesEmpty and clean — a full bag is a concentrated soil and plant sample and is routinely flagged.
Household
Declare
Refrigerator, freezer, small kitchen appliances, food containersDeclare as kitchenware; must be clean, dry and free of food residue.
Kitchen
Declare
Flat-packed kitchen, kitchen cabinetsDeclare; wooden components are inspected.
Kitchen
Declare
Wooden toys, rocking horses, toys with wooden partsDeclare as wooden items; must be clean.
Household
Declare + clean
Quad bikes, ATVs, jet skis, outboard motors, generators, toolboxes, tyresMust be clean and dry; vehicles follow the separate vehicle import regime.
Vehicles & machines
Declare + clean
Boxes labelled "misc", "stuff", "PBO" or not itemisedDAFF lists unlabelled goods as a biosecurity concern — itemise every box with materials.
Packing
Don't ship
Second-hand fruit, egg, meat or fertiliser cartons; straw or sawdust as fillerDo not reuse boxes that held plant or animal material; use new boxes and paper.
Packing
No concern
Metal and plastic furniture, mattresses, sofas, electronics, books, clothes, linenNo specific biosecurity concern — describe them clearly on the packing list and keep them clean.
Household
How to pack so you clear quarantine first time
- Clean every item that touched the outdoors, food, animals or soil until no trace remains — then let it dry.
- Open and inspect all wood: no bark, no borer holes, no sawdust (frass).
- Number every box and write materials on the packing list ("wooden chair ×4", "metal bed frame") — DAFF targets inspection from the list.
- Note the box numbers of declared risk items on the B534 — it cuts inspection time and cost.
- Use new cartons; never straw, sawdust, wood shavings or reused food boxes.
- When in doubt, declare. You are never penalised for declaring a permitted or even a prohibited item — only for not declaring.
Penalties and costs
- Undeclared biosecurity goods: infringement notices from 2 penalty units for low-risk goods to 12 units for high-risk goods such as meat, seeds, soil or wood.
- Deliberately concealed goods: up to 20 penalty units — about A$7,280 at the A$364 penalty-unit rate from 1 July 2026.
- Serious breaches can be prosecuted under the Biosecurity Act 2015; temporary visa holders can have their visa cancelled.
- Items that cannot be cleaned or treated are exported or destroyed at your expense.
Penalty units are indexed and fees are cost-recovered — confirm current amounts on the DAFF and ABF pages below before you ship.
FAQ
Do my goods have to be 12 months old to come in duty-free?
Yes — the concession applies to goods you have owned and used for 12 months or more. Newer items are assessed (about 5 % duty plus 10 % GST). Permanent residents are exempt from the 12-month rule for personal clothing, footwear and grooming items, except fur apparel and perfume concentrates.
Can I ship my wine collection with the household?
You can, but it is taxed. The duty-free allowances for alcohol and tobacco apply only to accompanied baggage; alcohol and tobacco arriving as unaccompanied effects attract duty, GST and/or Wine Equalisation Tax.
What happens if I don't declare a wooden carving or some food?
Undeclared biosecurity risk items on the B534 can lead to an infringement notice or prosecution, on top of inspection and treatment fees or destruction. Declaring costs nothing — list anything of wood, plant or animal origin.
Who can fill in the B534?
The owner completes and signs it, in English. You can nominate a freight forwarder, customs broker, removalist, friend or relative to clear the goods; they present the B534, packing list and shipping documents with their own 100 points of identity.
Can I import my car on the B534?
No. Motor vehicles and parts are not unaccompanied personal effects. They need a vehicle import approval before shipping and are assessed for duty, GST and, where relevant, Luxury Car Tax.
Will Flyto handle the B534 and biosecurity paperwork?
Yes. Our Platinum door-to-door service to Australia includes preparing and lodging the B534 with the correct 12-month declarations, a biosecurity-ready itemised packing list, pre-screening of your inventory against BICON and coordination with our Australian customs broker.
Read next
- Australian Customs & the B534 Unaccompanied Personal Effects Concession (2026)
- Australia's Biosecurity & Quarantine Rules for Your Move (2026)
- Moving to & from Australia (2026): The Complete Relocation Guide
- Moving volume calculator — how many m³ is your move?
- Moving inventory list template (PDF, Word, Excel)
Official sources
- Australian Border Force — Unaccompanied Personal Effects (UPE)
- Australian Border Force — Form B534 Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement (PDF)
- Australian Border Force — GST and other taxes on imports
- DAFF — Moving to Australia or importing personal effects/household goods
- DAFF — Preparing your personal effects for shipment to Australia (item list)
- DAFF — Importing wooden and bamboo articles for personal use
- DAFF — Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON)
This checker summarises public rules as at the review date for planning purposes. Customs and biosecurity decisions are made by the ABF and DAFF officers on arrival; your Flyto coordinator confirms the current conditions for your visa and shipment.
Moving to Australia? Get a fixed door-to-door price
Platinum service includes the B534, a biosecurity-ready packing list and our Australian customs broker. Price in about a minute.
Get instant priceBook a free video survey