In short: used household goods you have owned and used for over a year normally enter Australia free of duty and the 10% GST, with the B534 unaccompanied personal effects form lodged by your mover. New items may attract duty and GST.
Biosecurity is strict: clean anything used outdoors and pack no food, seeds, soil, untreated wood or plant material. We match you with one FIDI-certified mover free; we are not a removal company.
Used household goods from England usually enter Australia duty-free. We explain the customs and biosecurity rules, and match households across the United Kingdom with one removalist who lodges the paperwork.
Two separate checks stand between your container and your new home in Australia. Customs decides whether you owe any tax on what you've shipped. Biosecurity decides whether anything you've packed could harm Australia's environment or farming. Get your head around both and your move runs far more smoothly.
The customs side is usually kind to people moving home. Belongings you've owned and used for over a year normally come in as unaccompanied personal effects, free of duty and the 10% GST. The biosecurity side is the one that catches people out, because Australia is far stricter than most countries about soil, food, plants and untreated wood.
This guide explains what you pay, what you sign, what you can and can't bring, and how to breeze through inspection. It's general guidance, so always check your own situation against the official sources further down before you ship.
And a word on us: we're a free matching service, not a remover. We connect you with one FIDI-certified mover who handles the customs and biosecurity paperwork for you and tells you what to clean and declare. No fee, no obligation.
Free matching. One FIDI partner. No catch. No fee.
It begins with paperwork. Before your shipment lands, you sign the B534 statement and hand over your passport, visa and a packing inventory. Your mover lodges these with the Australian Border Force, so the authorities know who you are, what's coming, and that it's your used personal property rather than commercial cargo.
When the container arrives, customs assess it. Provided your goods are owned and used personal effects, they generally clear free of duty and the 10% GST. Then biosecurity takes over. DAFF officers check the shipment for soil, food, plant material and untreated timber, and they can open, inspect, clean or treat items that look risky.
Once both are satisfied, your shipment is released and delivered. A shared container takes a little longer here, since it's unpacked and split at a depot before each person's goods carry on. Your mover keeps an eye on the whole process and tells you the moment your things are cleared and on their way.
These are the usual suspects. Sort them before you pack and inspection becomes a formality.
No fresh food, seeds or dried plants. Even sealed snacks can be a problem, so leave them out.
No live plants or anything carrying soil. Wash plant pots, boots and garden tools until they're spotless.
Untreated wood, cane, bamboo and wicker may be inspected or treated. Flag any such pieces upfront.
Bikes, mowers, camping kit and sports gear must be clean and dry, with no mud, grass or sand.
Tax is simpler than people fear. The headline is that genuine used belongings move tax-free, while a few categories don't. Here's how it breaks down.
Owned and used 12 months+
Free of duty and 10% GST
The bulk of a normal move.
Bought under 12 months ago
Duty and GST may apply
List these separately.
Always controlled
Taxed and restricted
Not part of tax-free effects.
Weapons, some medicines
Banned or need a permit
Check before you pack.
Biosecurity is where a move can stall, but it rarely does if you prepare. The whole game is cleanliness and honesty: no soil, no living things, no food, and a declaration that matches what's in the boxes. Items that arrive clean and declared sail through, while anything dirty or undeclared can be held, cleaned or treated at your expense, which costs both time and money. Clean as you pack, not at the port.
Once you're through customs and into Australian life, you'll be spending Australian dollars, code AUD, so it's worth planning the exchange early. The airport is the worst place to swap money. Put a specialist like Wise or XE up against your bank, and look at an AUD account you can open from the UK. The GBP to AUD rate changes daily, so check XE.com close to when you transfer. For clarity, we match removals and we don't exchange currency.
This guide is maintained by Darren Benjamin, who has run International Removals Companies since it launched in 2010 and has over 20 years in the logistics industry. Since 2013 he has also been Secretary and Manager of a UK removal company, a role verifiable on Companies House. In practice that means matching people moving abroad with the right certified mover, and knowing the customs and shipping detail behind an international move to or from Australia.
Our partner movers hold the industry's recognised credentials, including FIDI FAIM Certified (audited by Ernst and Young), BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC membership. You can read more about who we are and how we vet partners on our about us page.
Usually not on used household goods. Items you've owned and used for more than a year normally clear as unaccompanied personal effects, free of customs duty and the 10% GST, when they move as part of your relocation. Brand-new things bought just before you leave can be taxed, so keep those separate on your inventory.
It's the Unaccompanied Personal Effects statement that the owner of the goods signs to declare what's being imported. Your mover lodges it with the Australian Border Force on your behalf. It's the document that lets your used belongings clear free of duty and GST, so it has to be completed accurately and signed by you.
Unaccompanied personal effects, or UPE, are your belongings shipped separately from you, rather than carried in your luggage. Because they arrive without you, Australia handles them under a specific process using the B534 statement. Most household removals are UPE shipments, which is why the term comes up so often when you move.
Biosecurity bans or restricts anything that could carry pests or disease: fresh food, seeds, plants, soil, and untreated wood. Other items, like certain weapons and medicines, are controlled or prohibited. When in doubt, declare it. An honest declaration might just mean an inspection, while a hidden banned item risks fines and the whole shipment being held.
Australia is an island with unique wildlife and a big farming industry, neither of which has natural defences against many overseas pests and diseases. One contaminated item can do real damage, so the rules are tough and the checks thorough. It feels heavy-handed, but it's what keeps the country free of problems other places live with.
Yes, and it's the single best thing you can do. Vacuum and wipe down anything that's been outside: garden tools, bikes, boots, camping gear, the lawnmower, plant pots and outdoor furniture. The target is no soil, seeds, insects or plant bits. Clean goods sail through inspection, while dirty ones get held for cleaning at your cost.
Officers check your shipment against your declaration and look for anything of biosecurity concern. Most loads pass with a routine inspection. If something risky turns up, it may be cleaned, treated, held or, in rare cases, destroyed, and you pay for the work. Declaring honestly and packing clean is what keeps this quick and cheap.
Often a few days to a couple of weeks after your shipment lands, depending on the port, how busy it is, and whether anything needs a closer look. A shared container can take a little longer, as it's unpacked at a depot. Your mover tracks it and tells you when it's cleared and ready for delivery.
We operate a free matching service, not a removal firm. Tell us about your move to Australia, and we connect you with one vetted FIDI-certified mover who handles the B534, customs and biosecurity for you. They guide you on what to clean and declare. It's free to you, with no obligation.
Customs and biosecurity forms are exactly the sort of thing a good mover takes off your hands, which is why we only match you with FIDI FAIM-accredited firms. FIDI FAIM is the international moving industry's quality standard, earned through an independent Ernst and Young audit of more than 200 criteria, renewed every three years, with documentation and compliance front and centre. They've lodged the B534 hundreds of times.
International Removals Companies has matched movers since November 2010, free of charge. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Let a FIDI-certified partner handle the customs and biosecurity side for you. Send your UK collection postcode, your Australian delivery address and your rough dates, and we'll match you with one mover who manages the B534, the clearance and the inspection.
Match My Move to AustraliaFree matching. One FIDI-certified mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, since November 2010.
We connect removals enquiries for Australia with one vetted FIDI-certified partner mover, and explain customs and biosecurity in plain English. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
This is general guidance. Customs and biosecurity rules are set by the ABF and DAFF and confirmed by your partner mover before booking.