You’ve found the right machine. Maybe it’s a low-hours excavator at a European auction, a CNC lathe from a supplier in Asia, or a combine harvester a dealer in North America is happy to sell. The price works, the seller sends photos of a freshly washed machine, and the plan is simple: ship it, clear it, put it to work.
| Importing machinery into Australia does not need an import licence, but the machine must arrive clean of soil, seeds and plant material, used machinery is inspected on arrival, and goods classified to tariff chapters 84, 85 and 87 face mandatory BMSB treatment when shipped from target risk countries between 1 September and 30 April. You also lodge an import declaration, pay any customs duty and 10% GST, and prove the machine is asbestos-free. |
So why do so many machines that look spotless in the seller’s photos end up on a wash bay at the Australian wharf, waiting on paperwork, or back on a ship?
Because importing machinery into Australia is not one approval. It is several separate rule sets (customs, biosecurity, seasonal pest measures, asbestos, workplace safety, refrigerant gases and, for some equipment, road vehicle law), and each one can stop the machine on its own. Get one wrong and you pay for the fix while the machine sits idle. This guide walks through every one of them, in the order they bite, so you can plan the import before you commit to the purchase.
Key takeaways
Importing machinery into Australia means satisfying several government agencies at once, each checking something different. This table shows who checks what.
| Rule set | Who administers it | What it checks | When it applies to machinery |
| Customs declaration, duty and GST | Australian Border Force (ABF), with GST rules set by the ATO | Tariff classification, customs value, origin, duty and GST | Every commercial machinery import |
| Biosecurity cleanliness | DAFF | Soil, seeds, plant and animal material, live insects | Every machine; mandatory inspection for used machinery |
| BMSB seasonal measures | DAFF | Brown marmorated stink bug risk | Tariff chapters 84, 85 and 87 (and others) shipped from target risk countries in season |
| Asbestos prohibition | ABF, with permissions handled by the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency | Any asbestos content | Every machine, with older and used equipment at highest risk |
| Workplace health and safety | State and territory WHS regulators, under the model laws developed by Safe Work Australia | Safe design, guarding, information, registration of certain plant | Any machine used at a workplace |
| Refrigerant gases | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) | HFC or HCFC refrigerant in air conditioning or refrigeration | Machines with air-conditioned cabs or refrigeration units |
| Road vehicle law | Department of Infrastructure | Whether the machine is a “road vehicle” | Towed equipment on wheels and machines designed for public roads |
No. According to the Australian Border Force, there is no requirement for importers, whether companies or individuals, to hold an import licence to import goods into Australia. What can apply instead are permits and approvals tied to the goods themselves, regardless of value. For machinery, those are usually biosecurity import conditions in DAFF’s Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON), a road vehicle import approval for some towed or road-going equipment, and an equipment licence for certain refrigerant gases.
New and used machinery follow different biosecurity paths in Australia, and the definition is stricter than most buyers expect. Under DAFF’s machinery import rules, new machinery must not have been used before import, and that includes field testing. A demonstrator, an ex-trial unit or a machine run in a dealer’s yard is treated as used.
Used machinery includes any machine or part that has contacted soil, animal or plant material during use, trials or testing. Used machinery is subject to a mandatory biosecurity inspection on arrival.
| New machinery | Used machinery | ||
| Definition | Never used, not even for field testing | Has been used, trialled or tested, or contacted soil, plant or animal material | |
| Biosecurity inspection | Subject to biosecurity control and may be inspected | Mandatory inspection on arrival | |
| Cleaning burden | Usually low, but packaging and transport can still contaminate it | High — must arrive clean, often dismantled | |
| Typical surprise | A “new” machine that was demonstrated on a farm before sale | Mud packed into areas the seller never washed | |
| In practice: ask the seller in writing whether the machine has ever been operated outside a factory floor. If the answer is anything other than a clear no, plan for the used-machinery path. | |||
Used machinery clears biosecurity inspection in Australia when it arrives free of biosecurity risk material and an officer can reach every area that might hold contamination. DAFF lists that risk material as live insects, seeds, soil, mud, clay, animal faeces and plant material such as straw, leaves and bark. The importer is responsible for the machine being clean before it arrives.
DAFF notes that dismantling may be needed for effective cleaning, and that a machine kept clean and dismantled in transport can be released directly from biosecurity control after inspection. That is the fastest route. Where the inspection happens depends on how the machine travels: break bulk goods are inspected in the wharf precinct, and containerised goods at an approved arrangement site.
A pressure wash removes what you can see. Contamination that survives a quick wash tends to sit in places a seller’s photos never show, such as:
If a machine fails inspection, DAFF can direct it for treatment such as cleaning or fumigation, export from Australia if it arrives heavily contaminated, or destruction. Each option is at the importer’s or owner’s expense, and the machine waits while it happens. In practice, cleaning at origin by people who know Australian standards is usually cheaper and quicker than cleaning on arrival.
Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) seasonal measures apply to targeted goods manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries and shipped between 1 September and 30 April inclusive. DAFF uses the shipped-on-board date on the ocean bill of lading to decide whether a shipment falls in the season — not the date the container was gated in.
Machinery sits squarely inside the measures. DAFF’s BMSB seasonal measures list tariff chapter 84 (machinery and mechanical appliances), chapter 85 (electrical machinery and equipment) and chapter 87 (vehicles other than railway rolling stock) among the target high risk goods that require mandatory treatment. The target risk country list is set and reviewed each season, so check DAFF’s current list before you book; recent seasons have included the United States, Canada and many European countries.
How the measures apply depends heavily on how the machine is shipped:
| Shipping method | BMSB treatment rule for target high risk goods |
| Break bulk, flat rack or open top container | Must be treated offshore before arrival. Onshore treatment is not permitted; untreated cargo can be denied discharge or directed for export |
| Sealed six-sided container (FCL) | Can be treated offshore by an approved provider, or onshore at the container level |
| LCL or FAK container | Managed at the container level before deconsolidation |
| Air freight | Random inspection for target high risk goods from listed countries; treatment not required |
DAFF also treats modified containers, such as those housing built-in generators or filtration plants, as break bulk rather than sealed containers. Treatment providers in target risk countries must be registered under AusTreat and listed as approved, or the treatment certificate is not accepted.
| What this means for you: a large machine on a flat rack from a target risk country in season needs offshore treatment booked before it sails. Leave it until arrival and there is no onshore fix. |
For a broader look at how inspections work once the goods land, see our guide to the customs inspection process in Australia.
Machinery often travels on timber skids, in crates or braced with dunnage, and that timber carries its own biosecurity conditions. DAFF’s timber packaging rules require packaging made from solid timber to be treated in accordance with ISPM 15 (or an accepted offshore treatment), meet bark tolerance requirements, and be declared on the packing declaration. Untreated solid timber packaging faces mandatory treatment on arrival, or export or disposal at the importer’s expense.
Sufficiently processed plywood and reconstituted wood are unrestricted, provided they are clean and free from bark and soil.
Customs duty when importing machinery into Australia depends on the machine’s tariff classification and its country of origin. A common claim is that machinery attracts a flat 5% duty. That is not accurate. In the ABF’s current tariff schedule for chapter 84, the general rate varies by tariff line: some machinery lines are Free and others are 5%, and many lines carry lower preferential rates for free trade agreement partners.
Every machine must be classified under the Customs Tariff Act 1995, and the ABF expects importers to self-assess that classification. Penalties can apply for incorrect information. Most machinery falls in chapter 84, electrical machinery in chapter 85, and some self-propelled equipment in chapter 87. If the classification is uncertain, the ABF’s Tariff Advice system gives an advance ruling before you import. Our HS code and tariff classification guide explains how the codes are built.
Australia has free trade agreements with partners including China, Japan, Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, India and the ASEAN countries, plus regional agreements such as CPTPP and RCEP. To claim a preferential rate, the machine must meet that agreement’s rules of origin and you must hold the origin evidence the agreement requires. Not every machinery-supplying country has an agreement with Australia, so check the ABF’s free trade agreement list for your origin country before you price the import.
A Tariff Concession Order is a revenue concession that exists where there are no known Australian manufacturers of substitutable goods. The ABF is clear on the conditions: your machine must be classifiable to the tariff classification the TCO is keyed to, and must precisely meet the TCO’s description. Penalties may apply if it does not. Specialised industrial machinery is a common TCO candidate, so it is worth having your broker check the ABF Tariff Concession System before you assume duty is payable.
Australia has also removed hundreds of so-called nuisance tariffs in recent reform rounds, reducing their duty rates to Free. A rate you saw quoted a few years ago may no longer apply, which is another reason to check the current tariff for your specific line.
GST on imported machinery is 10% of the value of the taxable importation. The Australian Taxation Office defines that value as the customs value of the goods, plus any customs duty, plus the cost of transporting the goods to their place of consignment in Australia, plus the insurance for that transport.
Two points soften the cash-flow impact for businesses. GST-registered importers can usually claim a GST credit for machinery imported for a creditable purpose. Eligible importers can also use the deferred GST scheme to pay GST on their activity statement instead of at the border.
| Charge | How it is calculated | What moves it |
| Customs duty | Rate for the tariff line applied to the customs value | Classification, origin, FTA eligibility, TCO eligibility |
| GST | 10% of the value of the taxable importation | Customs value, duty, international freight and insurance |
| Import processing charge | A fixed charge per import declaration, set by the ABF | Declaration type and how the goods arrive |
| Dumping or countervailing duty | Applies only to goods under an anti-dumping measure | Product, origin and exporter |
According to the ABF, duty, GST and other charges including the import processing charge apply to goods valued over AUD 1,000, which covers almost every machinery import. For a full walk-through of the calculation, read understanding duty calculation.
Asbestos and goods containing asbestos are prohibited imports in Australia, unless a permission has been granted or a lawful exception applies. All types of asbestos have been banned for use in Australia since 2003, and the ABF enforces the import prohibition on whether asbestos is present at all — not on how much, and not on the perceived risk to the end user.
That matters for machinery because some countries still allow low levels of certain asbestos types, and a part labelled “asbestos free” overseas can still fail Australian rules. Components that have historically used asbestos — gaskets, brake and clutch linings, seals and heat insulation — deserve particular attention on older and used machines.
The ABF expects importers to:
A declaration of no asbestos content, whether from you, the manufacturer or a supplier, is not considered evidence on its own. The ABF says a declaration won’t be needed if you’ve done an adequate supply chain risk assessment, collected evidence and briefed your customs broker before the goods arrive.
Machinery used at an Australian workplace is “plant” under work health and safety law, and importers carry legal duties. Safe Work Australia explains that if you design, manufacture, import or supply plant, you must ensure it is without risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, and obtain and pass on information about its proper use and risks. WHS laws are enforced by each state and territory regulator.
Some plant designs and some individual items of plant must be registered with the state or territory regulator before use. Safe Work Australia lists examples such as tower cranes, certain mobile cranes, boom-type elevating work platforms, some hoists and concrete placing booms, with the full list in Schedule 5 of the model WHS Regulations. Importers and suppliers must not supply plant that requires design registration if the design is not registered.
If the machine was built for another market, allow time to bring it into line before it goes to site. Your state regulator decides what applies in your jurisdiction.
Machinery with an air-conditioned cab or a refrigeration unit may need an equipment licence (EQPL) before it is imported. DCCEEW explains that an EQPL may be required for any equipment containing synthetic greenhouse gases such as HFCs, even when the air conditioning is built into another object — and it names earthmoving equipment specifically.
Equipment containing or designed to use HCFC refrigerant is banned from import except in limited circumstances. Some exemptions exist, such as equipment for personal use owned overseas for more than 12 months, or a low-volume exemption for synthetic greenhouse gas equipment. Check the gas type and quantity on the compliance plate or manufacturer label before the machine ships.
Some machinery is legally a road vehicle in Australia, and road vehicles need an import approval before they arrive. Under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, a road vehicle includes a trailer or other vehicle — including equipment or machinery equipped with wheels — designed to be towed on a public road by a motor vehicle. Trailer-mounted equipment such as towable generators, compressors and similar machines can fall into that definition.
The Department of Infrastructure lists classes that are not road vehicles, including agricultural machines and tracked vehicles such as bulldozers and excavators. Wheeled earthmoving machines like loaders, graders and backhoes may also be assessed as not road vehicles. If you want written confirmation, you can apply through the ROVER system for an advisory notice that a thing is not a road vehicle. Without an approval or an advisory notice, a machine the ABF considers may be a road vehicle can be held, with storage and other charges, until it is assessed.
For machines that genuinely are road vehicles, such as trucks and prime movers, see our guide to importing a motor vehicle to Australia.
The right shipping method when importing machinery into Australia depends on the machine’s size, weight, whether it can drive, and how much dismantling it can take. Each method also changes how biosecurity and BMSB rules apply.
| Method | Best suited to | Biosecurity and BMSB notes |
| FCL container (20ft or 40ft) | Smaller machines, dismantled equipment, CNC and workshop machinery, parts | Can be treated onshore at container level for BMSB; inspection at an approved arrangement site |
| Flat rack or open top container | Over-height or over-width machines that can’t fit a closed box | Counts as break bulk: offshore BMSB treatment only |
| RoRo (roll-on roll-off) | Self-propelled machines such as tractors, loaders, excavators and harvesters | RoRo vessels from target risk countries face heightened BMSB surveillance; used machines are inspected under DAFF’s arrangements for the cargo type |
| Break bulk | Very large or heavy units lifted aboard | Offshore BMSB treatment only; inspection at the wharf |
| Air freight | Urgent parts and small, high-value components | Random BMSB inspection only for target high risk goods from listed countries |
For self-propelled equipment, read our explainer on RoRo shipping to Australia. For oversized and heavy-lift moves, see our project cargo shipping guide. Omega Cargo arranges containerised, flat rack, open top, RoRo and break bulk moves through our sea freight service.
The cost of importing machinery into Australia is set shipment by shipment, not by a standard rate. These are the drivers that move it most:
| Cost driver | Why it changes the price |
| Shipping method and dimensions | A machine that fits a standard container usually costs far less to move than one needing a flat rack, RoRo deck or crane lift |
| Dismantling and preparation | Removing buckets, cabs or attachments can save freight space and simplify cleaning, but adds labour at origin |
| Cleaning standard at origin | Thorough cleaning offshore costs money up front; inadequate cleaning costs more on arrival |
| BMSB treatment | Required for target high risk goods from target risk countries in season, and must be offshore for break bulk |
| Tariff line, origin and concessions | Decide whether duty is Free, 5%, a preferential rate, or removed by a TCO |
| Customs value and GST base | GST is calculated on the value plus duty, freight and insurance |
| Biosecurity inspection and any re-cleaning | Used machinery is always inspected; contamination adds cleaning, treatment and waiting |
| Port, wharf and storage charges | Driven by the port, terminal, cargo type and how long the machine waits |
| Inland transport | Over-dimensional loads may need permits, escorts and specialised trailers |
| Compliance and insurance | Asbestos testing, WHS modifications, refrigerant licensing, registration and marine cover for the machine’s value |
Your Incoterm decides which of these you pay directly and which the seller covers, so agree it before you sign. Our guide to what Incoterms are explains the options, and freight insurance explained covers cover for high-value equipment.
How long a machinery import takes depends less on the voyage than on how well the machine is prepared before it sails. The main factors are:
| This is a hypothetical example to show how the rules combine. It is not a real customer shipment. |
An earthmoving contractor in Perth buys a used 20-tonne tracked excavator at an auction in Germany. It is too wide for a standard container, so it will ship on a flat rack to Fremantle, with the shipped-on-board date falling in October.
| Question | What applies in this example |
| New or used? | Used, so a mandatory biosecurity inspection applies on arrival |
| BMSB? | Germany has been on the target risk list, chapter 84 is target high risk, and a flat rack is break bulk, so offshore treatment by an approved provider before loading |
| Cleaning | Remove the bucket and access panels, then clean the tracks, rollers, radiator and cab thoroughly, and photograph the result |
| Duty | Classified to the relevant chapter 84 line; Australia’s FTA list does not show a European Union agreement, so no preferential rate is assumed, but a TCO check is worthwhile |
| GST | 10% of customs value plus duty, freight and insurance, claimable as a credit if the business is GST-registered |
| Asbestos | Request maintenance and parts records, and test suspect gaskets and linings if the machine is older |
| Air-conditioned cab | Confirm the refrigerant type and check whether an EQPL is required |
| Road vehicle? | Tracked excavators are a class that is not a road vehicle, so no import approval is needed |
| Delivery | Over-dimensional transport from the Fremantle wharf to site |
The lesson: almost every decision that determines whether this machine clears smoothly is made in Germany, weeks before it reaches Fremantle.
Machinery brought into Australia for a limited time, such as for testing and evaluation, an exhibition or as specialised equipment for a project, may be imported under security instead of paying duty and taxes outright. The ABF can grant temporary import under security under sections 162 or 162A of the Customs Act 1901, with the security equal to the duty and taxes that would otherwise be payable.
The conditions are strict. Approval is generally for a maximum of 12 months, the goods must be exported before the security expires, and they can’t be sold, hired out or used for any other purpose. Goods intended for sale are ineligible. An ATA carnet is another option for eligible goods such as professional equipment and exhibition items.
For the documentation side of these problems, see the document errors that cause customs delays.
These are the documents most machinery imports into Australia rely on. Not every shipment needs all of them.
| Document | Why it is needed |
| Commercial invoice | Customs value, description and currency for the import declaration |
| Packing list | Weights, dimensions and contents, including any dismantled parts |
| Bill of lading or air waybill | Proof of shipment; the shipped-on-board date decides BMSB season |
| Packing declaration | Required for FCL and LCL containers, covering timber packaging and cleanliness |
| BMSB treatment certificate | For target high risk goods from target risk countries in season |
| Cleaning records and photos | Supports a smooth biosecurity inspection of used machinery |
| Asbestos evidence | Manufacturer records, supply chain evidence or accredited test reports |
| Certificate or declaration of origin | To claim a free trade agreement preferential rate |
| Road vehicle import approval or advisory notice | For machines that are, or may be, road vehicles |
| EQPL | For equipment containing regulated refrigerant gases, unless exempt |
| Technical specifications and manuals | Classification, TCO matching and WHS information |
You can lodge your own import declaration, but the ABF itself recommends using a licensed customs broker, and machinery is where that advice pays off. The risks sit at the joins between agencies: a classification that unlocks a TCO, a BMSB rule that must be met before the vessel sails, an asbestos question that needs evidence ready before arrival.
Omega Cargo’s licensed customs brokers handle customs and quarantine clearance into Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and through regional ports. If your machine is landing in Western Australia, see our page on customs clearance in Fremantle. Once cleared, we can move the machine onward with interstate transport or hold components in warehousing.
Import duty on machinery in Australia depends on the tariff line and origin. In the ABF’s chapter 84 tariff, general rates vary between Free and 5% by line, and free trade agreement partners often have lower or zero preferential rates. A Tariff Concession Order can also remove duty where no substitutable Australian-made goods exist. Confirm the exact line before you price the import.
You don’t need an import licence to import machinery into Australia, according to the Australian Border Force. You may still need specific permissions for the goods: biosecurity conditions in DAFF’s BICON system, a road vehicle import approval for some towed or road-going equipment, or an equipment licence for certain refrigerant gases. Check each before the machine ships.
Used machinery must arrive in Australia clean and free of soil, seeds, plant and animal material and live insects, and it is subject to a mandatory biosecurity inspection on arrival. Dismantling may be needed for effective cleaning. You also need an import declaration, duty and GST, asbestos evidence and, during BMSB season, any treatment required for target high risk goods.
New machinery is under biosecurity control on arrival like all imported goods, but the mandatory on-arrival inspection applies to used machinery. The catch is DAFF’s definition: machinery that has been used, including for field testing or trials, is treated as used. A demonstrator or ex-trial unit should be prepared and cleaned as used machinery.
The cost of importing machinery into Australia is shipment-specific. It depends on the machine’s size and shipping method, cleaning and dismantling at origin, any BMSB treatment, the tariff line and origin for duty, GST on the duty-inclusive value, port and storage charges, inspection outcomes and inland transport. Shipping method and cleaning quality usually make the biggest difference.
How long a machinery import takes depends on the route and vessel service, whether offshore BMSB treatment must be booked, how well the machine is cleaned and dismantled before shipping, whether documents and approvals are ready on arrival, the biosecurity inspection outcome, and inland transport permits. Preparation at origin has more influence on timing than the voyage itself.
If machinery fails biosecurity inspection in Australia, DAFF can direct it for treatment such as cleaning or fumigation, export it if it arrives heavily contaminated, or order its destruction. Each option is at the importer’s or owner’s expense, and the machine stays under biosecurity control until the direction is resolved. Thorough cleaning at origin is the best protection.
Yes. DAFF lists tariff chapters 84, 85 and 87, which cover most machinery, electrical equipment and vehicles, as BMSB target high risk goods. When these goods are manufactured in or shipped from a target risk country between 1 September and 30 April, treatment is mandatory. Break bulk, flat rack and open top cargo must be treated offshore before arrival.
Yes, but machinery with an air-conditioned cab may need an equipment licence (EQPL) from DCCEEW if the system contains synthetic greenhouse gases such as HFCs. Equipment designed to use HCFC refrigerant is banned except in limited circumstances. Some exemptions apply, so check the refrigerant type and quantity on the compliance plate before shipping.
The 25-year rule people refer to is a pathway for importing older road vehicles under Australia’s road vehicle import rules. Machinery that is not a road vehicle, such as tracked excavators and agricultural machines, does not need a road vehicle import approval at all. Towed equipment on wheels designed for public roads can be a road vehicle, so check its status first.
You can legally reduce or remove duty on imported machinery in several ways: a preferential rate under a free trade agreement if the machine meets the rules of origin, a Tariff Concession Order where no substitutable Australian goods exist, or temporary import under security if the machine will be exported again. Each has strict conditions, and penalties apply for incorrect claims.
You don’t legally need a customs broker to import machinery into Australia, but the ABF recommends using one for import entries and clearance. Machinery involves classification, valuation, BMSB, biosecurity inspection, asbestos assurance and sometimes concessions, and a licensed customs broker coordinates all of these so problems are solved before the machine arrives.
Importing machinery into Australia goes smoothly when the hard decisions are made before the machine leaves its origin port. If you’re planning a machinery import, tell us about the machine and we’ll work through the freight, biosecurity, BMSB and customs requirements with you before you commit.
To get an accurate, shipment-specific answer, have these details ready:
| Request a freight and customs quote for your machinery import, or contact our team to talk it through first. |
