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Festive Period 2025
Cut-Off Times
Import agricultural machinery into Australia only after confirming the biosecurity requirements, because compliance failures are more likely to delay a shipment than freight itself.
Before importing agricultural machinery into Australia, confirm the applicable biosecurity conditions in BICON, as contamination or missing documentation can delay clearance after arrival
In 2024-25, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) supported the clearance of more than 154 million import cargo consignments.
This effort included over 19,400 pest and disease identifications and more than 680,000 container interventions. This guide explains what DAFF requires before machinery arrives and how to calculate the landed cost, including duty, GST and freight.
Book FCL sea freight for your agricultural machinery import through Couriers & Freight.
Get a Quote NowOnce these steps are complete, Couriers & Freight can coordinate the shipment and customs clearance for your machinery.
DAFF classifies agricultural machinery as a high biosecurity risk. Soil, seeds, insects and other Biosecurity Risk Material (BRM) can remain inside tracks, tyres, engine bays and hydraulic components after overseas use.
The department manages import conditions through the Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system, which determines whether a biosecurity import permit is required based on the machine's condition and previous use.
A business importing a used tractor from a manufacturer in China through Port Botany, NSW, for example, must obtain any required BICON permit before the machinery is shipped. Machinery that arrives without the required documentation or fails inspection may be directed for treatment, export or destruction at the importer's expense.
Once the machinery arrives, DAFF completes any required biosecurity inspection before customs clearance is finalised and the shipment is released.
New machinery and machinery that has previously operated in an agricultural environment follow different import pathways.
The cost of importing agricultural machinery into Australia extends beyond the purchase price. Importers should calculate the total landed cost before committing to a supplier. GST, freight, insurance and any applicable customs duty all affect the final amount payable when the machinery enters Australia.
The applicable duty rate depends on the machinery's tariff classification and should always be verified against the relevant Australian Border Force (ABF) tariff before shipment.
Once a business has confirmed its machinery meets DAFF biosecurity requirements and calculated the total landed cost, the remaining decision is how it will be shipped to Australia and released after arrival. At this stage, the regulatory requirements have been addressed. The importer can now focus on booking transport and coordinating border clearance.
Sea freight, specifically Full Container Load (FCL), is the preferred shipping method for tractors, harvesters and other agricultural machinery because of their size and weight. Customs clearance manages import documentation and coordinates DAFF's on-arrival biosecurity inspection before the machinery is released.
Couriers & Freight arranges FCL sea freight for agricultural machinery and manages customs clearance through the DAFF on-arrival inspection process.
Book your shipment to arrange international transport and customs clearance for your machinery.
Book FCL sea freight for your agricultural machinery import through Couriers & Freight.
Get a Quote Now
MHP
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$14
$15.50
$0
$15.50
$14.75
$0
$0
$0
$0
MHP Large Item
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$75
$62
$62
$60.10
$14.75
$0
$0
$0
$0
Residential Pickup
No Surcharge*
$6
$0
$9
--
$9
$10.60
$0
$0
$0
$38.50
Reidential pick up 30-99kgs
No Surcharge*
$63
$0
$9
$0
$9
$74.15
$20
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential pick up 100kgs+
No Surcharge*
$198
$0
$9
$0
$9
$158.87
$50
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential Delivery up to 29kgs
No Surcharge*
$6
$0
$9
--
$9.00
$10.60
$0
$0
$0
$38.50
Residential Delivery up 30-99kgs
No Surcharge*
$63
$0
$9
$0
$9
$74.15
$20
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential Delivery 100kgs+
No Surcharge*
$198
$0
$9
--
$9
$158.57
$50
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Tail Lift Pick up 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$45
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$85
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$120
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$250
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$45
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$85
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$120
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$250
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Dead weight over 32KGS carton freight
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$75
$70
$70
$70
$14.75
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.20 - 1.54
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$0
$0
$0
$5.40
$10
$15
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.55 - 1.85
No Surcharge*
$17
$20
$0
$0
$0
$11.93
$10
$15
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.86 - 2.20
No Surcharge*
$37
$40
$0
$0
$0
$11.93
$10
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Pallet Surcharge
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Hand Unload Fee Carton
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$70
$70
$70
$47
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Western Australia Regional Surcharge
No Surcharge*
%10
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
*Surcharges may apply to areas/deimensions not listed
**Prices correct of 16th September 2024
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