Sending to Australia: at a glance
- Duty-free limit
- AUD 1,000 per consignment for customs duty. Alcohol and tobacco are excluded and pay excise-equivalent duty.
- Tax above the limit
- 10% GST on low-value goods is collected at the point of sale by overseas suppliers, marketplaces or forwarders with AUD 75,000 or more of Australian sales; consignments over AUD 1,000 pay GST, duty and clearance charges to ABF before release.
- Used personal items
- Customs Tariff Schedule 4 Item 15 (personal effects) and Item 17 (goods exported and returned unaltered); see ABF guidelines to Schedule 4
- Put in the parcel
- Customs declaration or commercial/pro-forma invoice with a description and value of each item.
- A clear description of any food, plant or wooden items so the Department of Agriculture can assess them.
These are the usual rules. Customs and courier rules can change at any time, so confirm with Australian Border Force (ABF) before sending.
Australian Border Force (ABF)What can you usually send?
MedicinesUsually limited
- Medicines: For travellers, ABF advice (quoted by SBS) is a doctor's prescription or letter in English, original packaging and no more than a three-month supply, declared on arrival; ask before sending medicines by post.
Vapes and e-cigarettesUsually limited
- E-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products: Restricted; check the official nicotine vaping guidance.
Food, plants and animal productsUsually not allowed
- Goods posing significant biosecurity risk: Some food, plant and animal products are not permitted entry into Australia, including as gifts from family and friends.
- Food, plant material (including seeds, cacti, succulents) and animal products: Allowed only if import conditions are met; biosecurity officers and detector dogs screen mail.
Your own used itemsUsual rules
- Item 17 (2012 text of the guidelines): goods were entered for home consumption with import credits when first imported, were exported and returned unaltered, and have not been repaired, renovated or altered.
- Excluded where duties were unpaid, drawback was paid and not repaid, or import credits were reinstated.
- Check the current ABF guidelines for the full Item 15 conditions.
Anything not listed here (clothes, bags, toys, your own used things) usually follows the standard parcel rules and the duty-free limit above.
Send it yourself
- Ask the office holding it whether they post items, or who may collect it for you (a written authorisation and a copy of your ID).
- Someone collects it and packs it securely.
- Book a courier with a clear description and value; outside the EU it needs electronic customs data.
- The receiver pays any import duty or tax on arrival.
Offices usually work Greek office hours, and staff may answer in Greek. A service we recommend can make the calls and handle the pickup for you.
Rather not do it yourself? Couriers we recommend
Ask whether they can collect it from the office that has it, pack it and send it, and help with the customs paperwork. Ask for the price first.
Family-run Athens courier since 1988. Sends parcels within Greece and abroad, helps with customs clearance, and can store extra bags for travellers and deliver them later. Ask for a price on their website.
We recommend services we think are useful; some may pay us a fee if you book. Prices and terms are set by the service, so check them before you book.
More details
How to do it
Australia is strict on biosecurity and tax. Every parcel is screened.
- Clean anything that touched soil or sand — shoes, hiking gear, beach bags. Dirty items can be held, treated or destroyed.
- Do not send food, seeds, plants or medicines without checking the rules below.
- Use a courier with an invoice listing each item, its value and “used personal effects”. Low-value consignments usually clear without duty; see the limits below.
Good to know
- Used outdoor gear and footwear can be inspected or treated by biosecurity officers (general MPI/Agriculture practice for risk goods); declare everything.
- The AUD 900 allowance applies to goods carried by travellers; parcels do not get it.
- Carriers and brokers charge processing and clearance fees on top of duty and GST.