Whether you have already achieved a lot of success within Australia or your products are likely to be more successful in other countries, expanding your business to include international operations is not always optional.
If you are at such a point with your retail or manufacturing business, there is a lot to celebrate and little to worry about.
Exporting your goods from Australia to other countries might seem daunting in theory, but with the right export documentation and procedures driving the process, it can be quite easy.
14 Export Documentation You Require to Export from Australia
While some businesses still go about the documentation manually, you can also utilise export documentation software to automate this process.
With that in mind, here is a list of some of the most important customs export documentation required to export goods from Australia to any country in the world:
1. Export Declaration
Unless the goods you are exporting are exempted, you must lodge an Export Declaration — a statement issued by the owner of the goods or their agent (the exporter or freight forwarder) to the Australian Border Force (ABF).
You must fill out all the mandatory fields and details in the Export Declaration form before you initiate the process of exporting your goods.
If you are dealing with the document for the first time, it is highly recommended that you employ an agent or export documentation specialist to help you navigate the process. As an Australian exporter, you must declare all the goods you want to export and ensure they are subject to customs control. This especially applies to goods that —
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Require an export permit (e.g. firearms, nuclear materials, biological materials)
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Are goods on which excise and duties are applicable (e.g. alcohol, tobacco, petroleum products), and are unpaid
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Valued greater than AUD 2000
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Claimed for duty drawback
Once submitted, the ABF will assess the accuracy and completeness of your export documentation process, and ensure that it fulfils the requirements for the export.
The authorities will clear your goods for export once they are found to be compliant with the necessary regulations and policies.
2. Commercial Invoice
When it comes to arranging import-export documentation, you must consider the importance of commercial invoices.
A standard commercial invoice must contain important details about the goods, such as their quantity, description, and value.
A commercial invoice helps customs calculate the duties and taxes associated with the export process and even doubles up as a transaction bill, used for compliance and smooth clearance.
3. Import Licence
When exporting from Australia, you will not only need an export permit from the authorities but also an import licence from the government authority of the destination country.
The process of getting an import licence may differ from country to country; however, it would mostly include an application, submission of the necessary proof of export documentation, and relevant fees.
Upon the approval of your application, you can get an import licence that will let you export goods from Australia to another country.
Ensure that you renew this licence regularly and even reapply if required.
4. Security Declarations
Only applicable for goods that you are looking to export using air cargo, security declarations are quite important in the process.
No Australian airline company will accept your goods or cargo until you have these security declarations.
Before we look into the process of creating security declarations required as part of your export-import documentation, you should first know what a Known Consignor is.
Known Consignors enjoy the advantage of not having their cargo checked before getting loaded onto an aeroplane.
If your business originates air cargo, you can become a Known Consignor if you manufacture or assemble the goods, or if your business owns or controls the goods.
That said, you can adopt one of these two ways when you are trying to put together the perfect security declaration:
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Secure your air cargo on your own as a Known Consignor
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Or seek help from a Regulated Air Cargo Agent (RACA) to clear the cargo on your behalf
As part of the process, you must provide evidence of your business complying with the necessary processes, and help you figure out the security measures you will undertake for the goods.
To go through this process, you must also have an Australian Company Number (ACN) or Australian Business Number (ABN).
5. Certificate of Origin
A Certificate of Origin is important when you are looking to confirm the location where the goods in the cargo are manufactured or produced. Some of the situations in which you might require a Certificate of Origin are:
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You are exporting goods to a country with which Australia has an FTA
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The buyer has issued a Documentary Letter of Credit, which requires a Certificate of Origin
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The importer needs one to proceed with customs clearance
You could be dealing with a Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin used to ensure meeting the quotas, general tariffs, government sanctions and anti-dumping rules.
A Preferential Certificate of Origin certifies that your goods are eligible for FTA benefits such as reduced tariffs based on the relevant HS code.
6. ATA Carnets
Admission Temporary Admission (ATA) Carnets are international customs documents allowing entry of goods temporarily into other countries, exempting them from import taxes and duties.
ATA Carnets are specifically used as import and export documentation for high-value goods such as cars, bikes, boats, machinery and equipment imported for special purposes.
These goods may include valuable jewellery for personal use, but they exclude perishable goods. However, these goods can stay in the imported country for only up to 12 months.
7. Bill of Lading
Most exporters are already aware of the Bill of Lading as they deal with it in their regular operations. A Bill of Lading (BoL) is an export trade document that lists all the items being shipped and the names of the sender and shipping company.
BoL serves as a receipt for the sender and a contract between them and the carriers. BoL further specifies the terms and conditions associated with your goods’ transportation, such as the mode, route and any special instructions.
The BoL document can be used for an insurance claim in case of damage or loss.
8. Insurance Certificate
When you are moving goods from Australia to another country, whether it is of high value or volume, it is going to prove expensive.
In these cases, getting an insurance certificate is crucial to have proof of insurance coverage in case the shipment is lost or damaged. Consequently, the buyers or shippers will be compensated for the goods and stay protected against any liability.
9. Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
Depending on the nature of the goods you are exporting out of Australia, you might require a Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices as part of your export documentation.
Hence, you must ensure you clarify whether your buyer needs you to submit a Certificate of GMP. This certificate is required specifically for products, such as:
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Pharmaceutical products
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Food products
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Cosmetics and skincare
Since these products can cause bodily harm if quality is not maintained, the Certificate of GMP ensures that there is an independent review of these products and that they meet the required quality standards before they are exported out of the country.
10. Certificate of Inspection
When exporting goods to certain countries that require a certificate to ensure they meet the required quality standards, you might have to include a Certificate of Inspection as part of your export documentation. This certificate is generally issued after an inspection ensuring that the goods comply with the quality standards by a third-party agency. The Certificate of Inspection helps avoid potential disputes with customs authorities and buyers.
11. Certificate of Manufacture (CoM)
Whether you are the manufacturer of the goods you are exporting to other countries or if you are a reputed retailer of the products, you will need to attach a Certificate of Manufacture (CoM) with the other export documents.
The CoM will specify details such as the formula, ingredients and processes associated with the manufacturing of the goods.
The CoM will also mention whether the exported goods:
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Are readily available and up for sale
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Meet the standard quality standards
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Are assembled or fully succinct
While you can easily get a CoM for your goods from the Chamber of Commerce in your state, remember that it is only applicable if you are exporting finished goods.
12. Dangerous Goods Declaration
If your export contains any hazardous materials, you will also require a Declaration of Dangerous Goods as part of your shipping export documentation.
This declaration document mentions the nature of the hazardous materials in the shipment and how they can be safely handled.
Moreover, this declaration is also pivotal in ensuring that the goods in the shipment meet the safety regulations and that any potential accidents are prevented in advance.
13. Useful Accreditations and Certificates
While not a mandatory requirement, adding certificates and accreditations that attest to the quality of your shipment and export process can be highly beneficial. Having these accreditations attached to your export can ensure the quality of your practices and can even be beneficial to your buyer.
What’s more, these accreditations and certificates can truly advertise your products and boost your sales when uploaded to your automated export documentation system along with other crucial documents.
14. Permits for Prohibited Goods
Like every other country, Australia has banned the import or export of certain goods to and from Australia, unless you have special permission to do so.
You will need to meet a certain set of requirements and conditions, and you will need to submit written permission. However, certain goods will remain prohibited from import and export regardless of the circumstances.
Check out this list of prohibited goods on the Australian Border Force website to get more information about the steps you can take or not take while dealing with those products.
For instance, if you are dealing with the import or export of tobacco products, you must make yourself aware of tobacco laws and the regulations applicable to importing or exporting these products.
Concluding Remarks
Any Australian shipper who wants to establish a successful international supply chain or regularly export their products to other countries must learn about the intricacies of the process.
Depending on the goods you export and the export documentation services you choose, you may have to deal with a wide range of documentation and processes.
What’s more, having the right export documentation ready ensures you are capable of preventing and mitigating any bottlenecks and successfully carrying out the logistics processes.
Get a quote from the PACK & SEND website and seek assistance from an experienced 3PL service provider when exporting goods to other countries.