Customs clearance in Australia – a brief overview
Customs clearance is a complex process. Clearing your imported and exported goods through Australian Customs and quarantine involves many regulations and different government departments. It often requires extensive documentation such as permits and certificates, ensuring that all customs and quarantine rules are met.
- The primary customs authority in the country is the Australian Border Force (ABF) who are responsible for border protection. They regulate imports and exports at ocean ports and airports. The ABF have a broad range of powers under customs legislation, including searching and seizing your goods.
- The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) clear and treat goods that pose a threat to Australian biosecurity. Failure to provide proper biosecurity documentation may lead to additional charges and even the seizure of your goods.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) deal with Australia’s free trade agreements.
- The Anti-Dumping Commission investigates complaints that goods have been ‘dumped’ into Australian territories.
Why do you need a customs broker?
As you can imagine, dealing with these departments in Australia plus their counterparts overseas is a time-consuming and often confusing task. Any errors could lead to delays, fines, and other complications if you get the process wrong which could have serious ramifications for your business.
A licensed Customs Broker will deal with the officials from all these departments when handling your international shipments on your behalf. Good customs agents, such as our team at Dyson Logistics, will ensure you won’t be overcharged or delayed.
Our Australian Trusted Trader accreditation through Australian Border Force also ensures our clients receive preferential treatment with more simplified and cost-effective trade arrangements.
Our highly-qualified global network of agents can also arrange customs clearance at any of the major ports around the world.
Our customs brokerage services include:
- Customs consultancy and audits
- Customs duty management and minimisation strategies
- Quarantine advise and compliance
- Lodgement of import declaration prior to arrival and thorough pre-lodgement checks of shipment documentation
- Duty Drawbacks
- Duty Refunds
- Lodgement of Tariff advice
- Free Trade Agreement (FTA) advice
- Continual monitoring of Tariff Concessions
- Tariff Consultancy
- Compliance audits and advice
- e-retention of all documentation and historical data
The Dyson difference
Our team of highly professional, fully accredited customs brokerage partners ensure your shipments are processed accurately and are compliant with all Australian Border Protection regulatory requirements. We keep up to date with all custom clearance regulations and ensure our clients are too.
To find out more, contact us today on (02) 8339 1844 or via the contacts page.