How much does shipping to Australia cost from the UK in 2025? (Updated)

(Shipping times can vary depending on where in Australia the delivery is going to).

Customs duties and import taxes are the responsibility of the person shipping. They must be paid separately to Australia Customs, although the local shipping agent at your destination port may handle these for you.

The good news is that returning Australian citizens and people with permanent resident visas who have been away for over 12 months do not have to pay Customs Duties and GST on Household Effects. You will need to check with your shipping company that you meet the criteria.

However, there may be other customs-related charges and fees you must pay. Antiques are free of Customs Duty, but GST at 10% applies. Australian customs regulations and duties are subject to change, so we suggest you check that you have the most up-to-date information. A FIDI Guide to Australian Customs is available here. If you don’t meet the criteria for Household Effects or your goods are deemed commercial imports, then Customs Duty and GST may apply, or some items may not get past the Australian Border Force.

These fees will often be handled for you by the shipping company’s agent in Australia and you will need to reimburse them before your shipment can be delivered. The Australian Government website provides more details here.

Everyone has to pay an inspection fee based on the volume (or type of container for full loads) imported. Still, there may also be additional charges if quarantine wants to do additional inspections, treatments or disposal, etc.

If you have done your research and taken advice on what you can and cannot import into Australia, you should be able to limit these charges but there are some you need to be aware of. Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR), Biosecurity may charge additional fees and your goods will not be released until they are paid. These fees can include:

• Additional inspection fees.
• Documentation charges.
• Treatments (including steam cleaning, fumigation & gamma irradiation).
• Destruction, transportation, re-shipment, or other disposal of goods.
• Storage and quarantine of goods.
• More details here

These customs and quarantine charges are unpredictable and are not covered in your shipping quote. You can reduce your chances of paying any by ensuring you don’t ship prohibited or restricted items and that all your goods are properly cleaned and prepared before shipping. Ask your shipping company for more advice, or you can also check out our guide on prohibited and restricted items when shipping to Australia.

Household goods and personal effects include everything from furniture and clothes to bicycles, golf clubs, and other used personal items.

Get in contact with this number for a quote – 0800 988 3711.

Or you can get a free quote on our shipping to Australia page.

Other conditions, duties, and costs may apply for new items and commercial goods.

Saloon cars, classic cars, 4x4s, bikes, motorhomes, caravans, motorbikes, jet skis and boats can all be shipped to Australia.

The two main methods for shipping cars to Australia are in a shipping container or using a RORO (Roll-On-Roll-Off) service. If you are shipping other household goods, it’s worth seeing if you can save money by shipping them in the same container. Cars, bikes, motorhomes, caravans, motorbikes, and boats can all be shipped to Australia.

Some cars or vehicles, especially motor homes and caravans, maybe too wide and tall to fit in a shipping container and will need to be shipped RORO. Customs Duty and/or GST applies to all car imports into Australia.

Customs Duty is 5% of the FOB value and 15% of the VOTI value (Customs Value + Duty + Overseas freight + Insurance). In addition, Luxury Car Tax (LCT) at 33% can apply to more expensive cars.

Motorcycles are exempt from Australian Customs Duty but subject to 10% GST. For a quote and full details of the costs of shipping and importing vehicles to Australia, please click here to visit our car shipping page or call our advisers on 020 8686 7733.

The quoted price estimates are based on a full international removals service to Australia. This service is designed for people moving overseas or shipping personal effects and is much more comprehensive than using a freight forwarder or shipping port-to-port.

• Door-to-door service (including pick up and delivery)
• Professional export standard packing materials and cartons.
• Packing, wrapping and shipping of furniture
• Use of reliable, regulated shipping lines such as Ocean Network Express (ONE), Maersk, Hapag Lloyd, and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).
• Advice & assistance with completing forms, & other paperwork.
• Customs inventory – numbering and listing of all packages.
• UK & destination Port/Terminal handling charges.
• Ocean freight to arrival vessel destination port.
• Customs Clearance, haulage of the container, and unloading.
• Some Storage may be included in the UK or in Australia.
• Delivery of household effects to the residence, unwrapping, and removal of packing materials (assumes good access and not above the first floor).

Your shipping costs will be based on the volume (cubic feet) you ship. It is essential, therefore, to get an accurate quote based on what you want to send.

The best way to do this is through an estimator visiting your house, although now some shipping companies like PSS offer video surveys via a mobile app or online calculators where you list what you wish to send. Check everything you need to ship. Don’t forget hidden cupboards, attics, sheds, garages, and anything stored at another site – it all adds up!

Adding Additional Items:

If you take additional items, it will likely increase the amount you need to pay. Correspondingly, if you reduce your volume, your shipping estimate will likely decrease. Extra-large items or large quantities of small/fragile items will require more time and materials for packing and may increase the volume shipped.

Being flexible or planning your move date can help you get a lower price on your shipping/move costs. During peak season, costs are likely to be higher, and in quieter periods, shipping companies may offer discounts and promotions to help fill containers.

Quantity discounts are also available, so it could well be cheaper for you to ship more of your belongings rather than buy everything new in Australia where they may be expensive to replace. Therefore, it can be a false economy not to ship items such as white goods, tools, and furniture.

Your shipping quotation is an estimate, and your final invoice may differ for several reasons. This is the case with all shipping companies; much can change between receiving your quote and your actual moving or shipping day. Final shipping costs can change due to the following:

• Exchange rate fluctuations.
• Additional items were added that were not included in the original quotation.
• Port/shipping fees and other charges increase between receiving your estimate and your departure.
• Varying costs and charges for different ports and shipping lines.
• Seasonal variations (time of year).

There are a number of additional charges and fees that are the responsibility of the shipper rather than the removals company, which are not included in standard quotes. Some fees and charges will need to be paid separately at your destination.

• Customs fees, duties, quarantine fees, and other charges payable to Government bodies (see below).
• Wooden crates and antique wrapping for delicate items if required.
• Additional charges for difficult access, e.g. above the first floor or if a shuttle service is needed to transport belongings from your house to the container.
• Additional storage time in the UK or at the destination before delivery.
• Shipping protection cover/ maritime insurance.
• Parking permits, charges, or associated fees for suspension /dispensation to facilitate removal in the UK or delivery at the destination.

Whilst many people are surprised, considering the distance, at the low cost of moving to Australia compared to moving house within the UK, other people ask:

“Why is it so expensive to ship to Australia?”

Hopefully, this article explains the costs and expenses of shipping to Australia more clearly. You may be able to find some cheap shipping quotes but beware – quotes that look a lot cheaper often don’t provide a quality full service. Most reputable shipping and international removal companies will have fairly similar costs and estimates. The lowest priced shipping quotes may look attractive but often have hidden costs or shortcuts that could put your belongings at risk.

Reasons For Cheap Shipping Quotes For Australia Can Include:

• Incorrect calculation of volume on the original quotation
• Your cheap quote is not for a full removals service, including packing, customs clearance, delivery, etc.
• The shipping company is using unaccredited shipping lines, which may be cheaper but there is a higher risk of something going wrong.
• Unacceptable lower-grade packing materials or not professionally packed.
• Port-to-port rather than door-to-door delivery.
• Some charges & fees are added on as extra, so the headline quote looks cheap.
• The removal/shipping company is not BAR or FIDI regulated.
• The quote is cheaper as it does not include customs clearance and handling.
• Unregulated or unreliable agents are used at the destination.

The following are some of the leading container shipping ports in Australia. The delivery cost may increase if your final destination is more than 30 miles from the port. Depending on ports, Darwin & Hobart will be more expensive than other major cities.

New South Wales

• Port Botany, Sydney (AUBTB)

Victoria

• Melbourne (AUMEL)

Queensland

• Brisbane (AUBNE)
• Cairns (AUCNE)

Northern Territory

• Darwin (AUDRW)

Western Australia

• Fremantle (Perth) (AUFRE)

South Australia

• Port Adelaide (AUADL)

Tasmania

• Burnie (AUBWT)
• Hobart (AUHBA)

You may wish to check out our shipping cost guides to other countries such as Canada, Cyprus, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, UAE/Dubai, and USA.