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Destination
costs & procedures
Motor
vehicle tax rates for 2007
| VEHICLES UP TO
30 YEARS OLD: |
10%
DUTY + 10% GST |
| 4WD
‘OFF
ROAD’
VEHICLES & COMMERCIAL VEHICLES: |
5% DUTY + 10% GST |
| VEHICLES OVER
30 YEARS OLD & MOTORCYCLES: |
0%
DUTY + 10% GST |
(Duty
is levied on the Customs Value (CV) & GST is levied on
the CV + Shipping Costs + Duty)
(Luxury
Car Tax (LCT) is additional on high value vehicles only)
NORMAL CUSTOMS VALUE (Only used in a very few cases) = Mainly used for
vehicles purchased in the UK before 02/03/98 and based on the original
UK Purchase Price (less a 76% depreciation allowance if owned over 6
years) in Australian dollars at the exchange rate on the date the ship
leaves the UK,
or,
ALTERNATIVE FALL BACK CUSTOMS VALUE (Used in almost all cases) =
‘As Landed’ valuation carried out at the Australian
arrival port less all costs of shipping the vehicle to Australia. The
resulting figure can be as low as half of the eventual
‘Australian Market Value’ because the ‘as
landed’ value is that of the vehicle before importation,
before taxes, before roadworthy and registration etc.
Personal Import Approval = Please read carefully the rules regarding
Personal Import Approval and 12 months UK Use & Ownership
unless exempt if the vehicle is older than 1989. All vehicles require
an import approval and this should be obtained prior to shipment from
the UK – allow 4-6 weeks. A car cannot be collected from the
Australian port without an Import Approval.
Approximate
charges payable on arrival in Australia
Please note that many but not all charges are subject to Gst which in
Australia is currently 10%
- Port Charges and fees (A$300–$400)
– payable to the local Shipping Line Office or
the Clearance Agent
- Haulage and Container Unpacking
Charges (A$600–$700) – payable to the
local Shipping Line Office and/or the Unpacking warehouse/Clearance
Agent
- Australian ‘As
Landed’ Valuation (if necessary)
($300–$500) – payable to your Car Valuer
- Customs Fees ($100–$200) –
payable to the Australian Customs
Service/Clearance Agent
- Customs Clearance (if carried out
by an Agent) ($300–$400) – payable to
the Clearance Agent
- Quarantine Inspection and fees ($300–$400) –
payable to the AQIS/Clearance Agent
- Cleaning Fees (if ordered by the
AQIS officer) ($200–$300) – payable to
the Cleaning Contractor/AQIS
- Speedometer change from mph to kph
only (if necessary), child safety
restraint points (if necessary), wing mirror glass (if necessary),
engineers report (if necessary) – ($700–$900) –
payable to
the Garage/Workshop/Engineer – each State in Australia has
it’s own particular requirements
- Transportation Fees ($200–$300 – payable to the trucking company
- Roadworthy Test ($200–$300)
– payable to the Registration
Office
- Annual Registration ($500–$600 per
year) – payable to the Registration
Office
- Stamp Duty (2% to 5% where
applicable) – payable at the Registration
Office
- Driving Insurance (if upgraded to
fully comprehensive) ($Variable) –
payable to a local Insurance Broker.
Important
internet pages for further information
Procedure
in Australia
Ensure that all Import requirements have been met including, where
required, 12 complete months of Use and Ownership of the Car prior to
shipment. Ensure that all Documentation and Paperwork is available and
in order. Obtain quotes and make a provisional shipping booking.
Forward a completed Application Form to the DoTaRS in Canberra before
shipment along with the A$50 Fee and supporting copy Documentation
(Purchase Receipt / Invoice, UK Registration Document / Log Book, Pages
of certified ID Passport, Driving Licence and any other supporting
paperwork). Obtain the four part personal import approval from Canberra
and ship the vehicle to Australia.
Prior to the Vessels arrival ensure that you have received the Original
Bill of Lading from the UK shipping company. It may be to your
advantage to contact the local Clearance Agent for up to date advice
and assistance in preparing the clearance of your Motor Vehicle and
engage their services. It should be pointed out that although a rough
guide to the arrival procedures is listed below, in practice, it is
almost impossible to handle all these formalities without the
assistance of a Customs Clearance agent. The required procedures are
time consuming and complicated and even with the assistance of an Agent
it can take from several days to several weeks before a vehicle can
eventually be registered for use on the road.
Present the Original Bill of Lading to the local Shipping
Line’s office and pay Port Handling and Unpacking charges.
Obtain a receipt and a Delivery Order. The Shipping Company can confirm
the ships arrival date and the car collection point at the port area.
If the vehicle arrived before you it could already be under the control
of the Port Authority or Australian Customs Service. If required,
arrange an Australian Landed Valuation. A signed Statement is required
that the Vehicle is a one off Personal Import to ensure exemption from
the Air Conditioning Regulations that came into force in April 2004.
This alleviates the necessity to degas the HFC air conditioning system
of an imported Vehicle. CFC air conditioning systems must be degassed
and decommissioned prior to shipment.
For the Clearance of a motor vehicle then present to the Motor Vehicle
Section of the Australian Customs Service: passport, original bill of
lading, shipping line delivery order, UK purchase receipt or invoice,
UK registration document or certificate of export, travel documents
showing date of departure to Australia, shipping details showing date
of handover for shipment in the UK, vessel, sailing, arrival dates,
freight and other shipment costs, driving licence, personal import
authorisation certificate from DoTaRS Canberra, any supporting
paperwork and documentation, a detailed list of any other goods or
personal effects packed inside the vehicle and, if necessary, the
Australian landed valuation report.
Once an assessment has been made for Duty/Gst (plus where applicable
LCT) then make payment to the Australian Customs Service by way of Bank
Cheque or Cash. Obtain a receipt.
Collect from the Quarantine Department (AQIS) a directive as to whether
or not the vehicle requires steam cleaning. If required, lodge all
relevant papers at the steam cleaning company. Quarantine rules are
understandably very strict in Australia. Many cars will need to be
cleaned by the Quarantine Department (AQIS) upon arrival. If steam
cleaning is not required or has been completed then, to obtain release,
approach the Clerk at the respective unpacking container base and
present the Customs Release, Quarantine Permit and Delivery Order.
Obtain a temporary driving permit from the local Licensing Office to
enable the vehicle to be driven from the container base to your
residence. Ensure that the vehicle meets with the State Safety
requirements for cars – normally only kph speedometer
conversion and wing mirror glass.
Make an appointment with the State Motor Vehicle Registration
Department for a Vehicle Examination (similar to a strict UK MOT Test),
pay the fee and have the vehicle examined at the Test Centre. Obtain a
Roadworthy Certificate. Present all paperwork at the Registration
Counter, pay the annual Registration Fee and affix the Registration
Label provided to the windscreen, and the supplied Australian Number
Plates to the Vehicle. Pay any State ‘Stamp Duty’.
Forward Part Three of the Personal Import Approval with the fee to the
address shown on the form and, when received, affix the Personal Import
Plate to the Car (instructions are given as to where under the bonnet
this should be placed).
An immigrants UK Driving Licence is normally valid for up to 3 months
where after a written test and a medical examination should be taken so
as to obtain an Australian Licence. An International Driving Permit
from the AA in the UK is valid for 12 months. Included in the State
Registration Fee is Third Party Insurance which is the minimum
requirement in Australia. We would strongly advise that a local
Insurance Broker be contacted to upgrade this to Fully Comprehensive
cover. Any UK ‘No Claims Bonus’ entitlement is
valid in Australia for a reduction in the cost of Driving Insurance.
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