What Cars Can I Import Into Australia?

Importing Cars Into Australia

All imported road vehicles into Australia must have import permits. Even though several import licenses are available for various automobile models, not all cars can be imported into Australia. Therefore, it's essential that you carefully examine the list of possible vehicle import permits provided below before making any purchases or sending your car to Australia. A road vehicle must first be approved for importation into Australia by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Communications.

There are several ways to get authorisation to import a car. The Road Vehicle Regulator, the department's online platform for managing all applications and approvals in Australia, must be used to submit applications for approval to import a road vehicle. You will learn more about the cars you can import into Australia and those that you cannot, as well as any other relevant information in this post. Please keep reading.

Customs Valuation

A vehicle's customs value is determined in Australian dollars. The customs value will be calculated depending on the "price paid or due," where the price is unaffected by any other consideration if you can prove the car was bought to be brought to Australia for private use. Adjustments may well be made to the importer's payment for shipping the vehicle or motorbike to Australia to arrive at the customs value, such as deducting foreign freight and insurance.

However, the fall-back alternative procedure (described in Section 159 of the Customs Act) is employed if there is inadequate or incorrect information on the purchase. A competent motor vehicle valuer's assessment of the car or motorcycle's landed cost in Australia will often be accepted by customs as the basis for calculating the customs value.

Steps To Importing A Vehicle In Australia

Finding an import agent

The most straightforward means of purchasing a car from abroad is through an expert motorbike or automobile import agent. These businesses can manage all the challenging paperwork on your behalf because they have been finding and importing vehicles into Australia for years.

This step also involves arranging for the car's processing via Australian ports and compliance, de-registration in the home country, and delivering the vehicle to the destination port. Although you have to pay them for their labour, you are guaranteed to benefit significantly because they will overcome bureaucratic and linguistic obstacles on your behalf. Finding a parallel or grey import agency is made easier by asking around at vehicle clubs, primarily if most people use and trust them.

Vehicle type approvals

Vehicle type approvals permit the importation of an unlimited number of a specific type of vehicle. For business importing needs, this option is typically used. Road vehicle type approvals were implemented on July 1, 2021, when the Motor Vehicle Standards Act of 1989 was amended by the Road Vehicle Standards Act of 2018 (RVSA) (MVSA).

The 2019 Road Vehicle Standards Rules support the RVSA (the Rules). The Road Vehicle Standards (RVS) law is the aggregate name for the RVSA and other related pieces of legislation. The RVS law will guarantee that cars imported into Australia are secure, safe, and ecologically friendly.

Road vehicles must be registered on the Register of Approved Vehicles. This is an online database of vehicles that have been found to comply with the RVS legislation and have been given the go-ahead for distribution to the Australian market before they can be given to someone else for use on Australian roads for the first time.

Vehicle type permissions

A road vehicle must first have a vehicle type permission or a concessional RAV entrance approval to be allowed to be admitted on the RAV. A person can apply for a vehicle type approval when several of the same vehicle make and model is given. A vehicle type approval, if given, enables an unlimited number of that kind of vehicle to be sold in Australia.

A vehicle type approval identifies the appropriate national road vehicle standards for a particular road vehicle type. It also lists the supporting documentation presented to vouch for conformity.

To prove they match the eligibility requirements, applicants can choose specific vehicle models and provide the needed supporting documentation and other information. Included in this is adherence to the relevant national road car standards. A vehicle type approval holder is in charge of maintaining conformity with the RVS regulations.

Car shipping

Depending on the shipper's budget, automobile size (or truck), and the port from where it is being exported, you can ship the vehicle in various methods once it has been brought to the docks. Depending on the price of the vehicle and the method you pick to transport your vehicle, shipping and import fees will change (roll-on, roll-off, or in a container, if the ship stops at ports along the way or direct port-to-port).

For instance, you could import a small automobile from Tokyo to Sydney for around $5000, and you could spend up to about $10,000 on bigger cars from countries farther away, including the UK or the USA.

Who Can Request A Vehicle Type Approval?

A person or business can make a vehicle-type approval application. A candidate may also apply through a designated agent, representative, or employee of the firm. In this situation, the representative should have access to, and also be able to supply, the necessary papers and supporting information, as well as the power to act.

Tourists And Temporary Residents Car Importation

You may bring a car, motorcycle, caravan, and/or associated trailer to Australia as a tourist or temporary resident for up to 12 months (or longer under specific conditions) without paying duty or taxes, provided that the item is afterwards exported from Australia.

To be eligible for this discount, you must have:

• A CPD (Carnet de Passages en Douane) is allocated by a foreign organisation with whom the RAC has an agreement of reciprocity.

• The amount of duty, GST, and, if applicable, LCT that would otherwise be due in cash or bank security.

Third-party insurance is a requirement for all motor vehicles operating on Australian roads. Customs should be notified as fast as possible at the original port of arrival if your car is stolen, damaged, or destroyed while you are in Australia. Your motor vehicle, motorbike, trailer, or caravan must be exported with all fittings and accessories that were imported with it.

Personal Import Scheme

If you reside in Australia, you are not permitted to utilise this import option. The term "personal import" encompasses more than simply your own automobile importation. It is only accessible to migrants travelling to Australia with a visa (or pending visa application) that provides permanent residency, as well as Australian citizens or permanent residents returning home to Australia (permanently) after a period of living abroad.

These groups could apply before entering Australia or within six months after entry, and only one car is permitted every five years. Before applying for import authorisation, the vehicle must have been registered in the owner's name for more than a year straight overseas. Imports of personal vehicles are subject to substantial limitations, and applications must include all supporting documentation.

Quarantine Of Vehicles Following Importation

All cars that are brought into Australia must be thoroughly cleaned before leaving the country of origin. They will also need to pass inspection when they get there to make sure they don't have any "biosecurity hazards" on board. The importer is responsible for ensuring the car is clean and free of these threats before exporting. Live inserts, soil, mud, animal or plant debris including leaves and bark, and soil are a few examples of potential biosecurity threats.

The Australian Department of Agriculture inspects all arriving cars upon arrival, and if any biosecurity hazards are found, the vehicle imported may be subjected to additional cleaning and re-inspection at your expense.

Authorities in quarantine check all cars upon arrival and may demand that they be thoroughly cleaned, often by steam washing, to prevent the introduction of illnesses, deadly weeds, and insect pests into Australia. Before shipping your car to Australia, you should have it thoroughly cleaned, inside and out, including the undercarriage.

The Australian Department of Agriculture website lists a few crucial exterior locations to look at while cleaning your car:

• Wheels, mudguards, and wheel guards

• Engine compartment: Ensure your radiator is clean and debris-free, and drain any water from any reservoirs (apart from the radiator).

• Behind the side coverings and fairings

• All around and above the gasoline tank

• The rails within the chassis

• Outside vents

• Around the window seals

Essential interior locations to examine:

• Spare tyre and also wheel wells in the boot

• Internal storage spaces, such as a console

• Between carpets and seats

• In seat folds

• Internal vents

• Door locks, internal window seals, and interior door frames

Types Of Vehicle Import Permits Available In AUS

Migrating to Australia

The government has set up an import permit specifically for your scenario if you are moving to Australia. You can only import one car every five years under the Personal Import Scheme if you have lived overseas for over a year and owned your automobile for at least a year.

Classic cars

Under the known Rolling 25 Year Rule programme, cars and trucks that were built more than 25 years ago but have not undergone significant alterations may be imported. However, you should notify the department of infrastructure of any adjustments to see if clearance will be given.

Specialty and enthusiast cars (SEVS)

Only a few vehicles are eligible for SEVS permits, which you may check on the RAWS Australia website to see if your vehicle is already permitted. SEVS permits are for enthusiast vehicles. You can request the RVCS to have the make and model of the car you wish to import into Australia included in the list if it hasn't previously been authorised. The Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme (SEVS), out of all the licences offered, is the one that applies to importing electric cars.

Essential points about SEVS you should know:

• Instead of being physically attached to the vehicle, compliance plates are now searchable online by vehicle identification number (VIN).

• Following compliance, all imports are examined by independent authorised vehicle verifiers (AVV) to ensure the repair was done correctly, and there was no structural damage or corrosion.

• Results of AVV Inspections are kept on the National Exchange of Vehicles and the Driver Information Services (NEVDIS), which is accessible to the general public via the PPSR (Personal Property Securities Register).

• It is no longer feasible to import standard diesel or gasoline people movers (Estima, Delica, El grand, etc.) that were imported as campervans under the previous SEVS.

Auto racing cars

Vehicles made expressly for racing and not for usage on public roads are allowed. For authorisation, vehicles coming into Australia for a race must supply information about the event and the driver.

Off-road automobiles

Australian Customs still requires a permit for entry into Australia for vehicles not intended for use on public roads. The car must be built for off-road usage and is never allowed to be registered in Australia for use on public roads.

New cars and any car manufactured post-1989

Any car built after 1989 that does not qualify for any other import licenses must comply with Australian standards by a RAWS licensed workshop. You must receive the import authorisation from the RAWS Workshop, which must also conduct the dialogue by Australian Standards.

Additional Car Import Permits

Several other optional car import licences are available for repairs, military use, special purpose vehicles, and exhibits.

Left-hand drive vehicles are subject to the same import permit programs as right-hand drive vehicles. Regarding the registration of cars with a left-hand drive, each state has its laws.

Penalties For Importing A Car Without Permission

Without proper import approval, importing a car is illegal. A fine of up to around $13,200 can be imposed as punishment for this offence. Without a car import permit, it is impossible to cross customs in Australia, and if you do not have one before your car arrives, you will have to pay for bond storage.

Asbestos In Pre-Owned Cars

Australian Border Force modified the used-car import regulations in 2017. All automobiles must now undergo asbestos testing before being cleared by Australia's customs. Because Australia has no tolerance policy, many nations do not meet their standards, and those that do just began to do so around the year 2000.

Due to the significant danger of asbestos contamination in classic and antique American automobiles, DAZMAC has established an offshore testing service to verify compliance and lower possible asbestos removal expenses.

Need Assistance Importing A Car Into Australia?

There are many factors to consider while importing cars to Australia, as you have seen in this article. Please get in touch with a trustworthy firm that specialises in automobile importation in Australia that will help your imports get approved seamlessly, especially if you do not have the time or patience to handle all the red tape involved.