Importing into Australia

 If you are looking to import anything from the United States we can assist, whether it is a 50’s Cadillac or 1903 Steam car, a jet ski, a pair of doors or just some heavy stuff you purchased on EBay, we can bring them into the country for you.

We have our containers professionally packed in Willmington, California departing from Long Beach port facility arriving at Sydney port and un-packed and quarantine inspected in a family owned operation in Rouse Hill (west of Sydney). We do not cram 3 or 4 cars into a container and 10,000 packages so as it gets the most out of everything, we pack vehicles so they have plenty of space to minimise potential damage and have them cared for every step of the way. All packages are thoroughly secured so as to minimise movement during the transit.

Shipping options

1/         Direct is quoted as being 19 to 21 day transit, direct from Long Beach to Sydney. It sometimes takes a few days longer but not often. Direct is considerably more expensive than transit but also quicker.

2/         Transit is cheaper and slower – generally 6 weeks and travels through one or more ports and potentially one or more ships in its transit to Australia. The cost factor ensures that this is the most generally used service.

Shipping Cost

We charge based on the size of the vehicle or the actual size of the parcel, please email us for a quote(click here).Our fee includes all documentation and import fees except in the case of a vehicle, The Australian Import Approval (click here) which is the owner’s responsibility. Our fee however does not include GST or Duty on your purchases and we will need a copy of your invoice for declaration. All charges are in Australian dollars, we provide you with a detailed invoice indicating all costs including the exchange rate used and GST etc. This is payable within 7 days of receipt or at time of pick up whichever is the lesser

Documentation

Everything in the container has to be declared, we provide the Customs agent with copies of all the invoices or EBay purchased page (as provided by you) for the products within the container. As mentioned our fee includes all documentation charges, (except in the case of a vehicle the Australian import approval, see below). We provide you with a simple form to assist you and streamline this process (click here to OWL Parcel form). The GST and duty (if applicable) will be calculated based on the rate of Australian Dollar v $US on the day of loading in the United States.

You should note it is a federal offence to falsely declare the value of products and it is our experience that this is false economy as if detected the products are siezed and sold on behalf of the Government and heavy fines or imprisonment are enforced.

Vehicle Import Documentation.

Vehicle Importation into Australia is regulated by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport. It is the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle to lodge this application with the office in Canberra as per the instructions on their website (click here). To down load a copy of the import approval application click here. It should be lodged and approved prior to the departure of the container. The vehicle import "approval" once issued to the owner of the vehicle must be lodged with customs at the same time as all the other documentation; we do this on your behalf so we need a copy of the approval as soon as it arrives. In the event that it is not approved and delays are experienced once the container arrives, the fees are horrific and mount up daily so please be prompt in getting this in, these fees are the responsibility of the owner of the delayed vehicle. These fees need to be paid in full prior to the release of the vehicle, so please be prompt to avoid costly delays. 

Exchange rate

We follow the dollar closely however the “official” import rate is general a few cents less than the rate indicated on the net, we use the website xe.com for indicative currency conversions (click here). As mentioned all calculations on GST duty etc are based on the rate of exchange on the day of loading. We receive official notification of the rate late in the transit process.

Crating

If you have the items you purchased crated you should ensure the material used conforms to ISPM15 standards, to prevent delays or even forced disposal of the material upon quarantine inspection. Effectively the ISPM15 standards are manmade products or products that are approved heat treated. Click this link to the Australia Government web site or email us for information.

Fumigation

Where there is an excessive amount of wood product in the container or in the case of early veteran cars where the construction is primarily of wood, fumigation is recommended. This assists the quarantine process at this end.