Importing Cars to Australia

You've finally found your perfect car, but there's one problem - it's located on the other side of the world. Just follow our car import advice and you'll be bringing your dream machine down under in no time.

Get advice from Customs Before you commit to buying a car from overseas, check with the Australian Customs Service for any specific laws or restrictions on importing your vehicle. Get a quote for shipping Get a few different quotes on shipping your car to Australia. International car freight is much cheaper than it used to be, but you should still weigh up the cost of shipping and taxes against the price of the car.

Purchase the car

Talk to your bank manager about the safest way to purchase a car from overseas. There are a few scams around, so you want to be 100% sure where your money is going.

Get an import permit

You'll need to apply for a vehicle import permit from the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, and pay $50 for it. Don't ship your car before you have import approval, or you might have to send it straight back!

Ship the car

Choose a reliable car freight service who can organise door-to-door transport with agents overseas.

There are two main types of shipping - roll-on/roll-off, where your car is driven onto the ship, or container shipping, where your car is packed up into it's own container.

Clearing customs

Once your car arrives in Australia, you'll need to pay GST (10%) and import tax (usually 10%) on it's estimated value. Cars above a certain value (currently $57,180) are liable for an additional import tax.

Quarantine and roadworthiness

Your car will be examined for any plant matter or insects. You'll have to pay for any cleaning, so it's best to ensure your car is cleaned before it's shipped.

Your car will also be inspected for roadworthiness, so be ready to pay for any repairs to bring it up to compliance.

Take the hassle out of car imports by getting a qualified international car freight company to do all the hard work for you.

Click here for quotes from service providersClick here for quotes from service providers