Customs Tariff Advice System
General enquiries If you are seeking general tariff classification information or are a private individual wishing to import goods on a one-off basis, please contact the Customs Information and Support Centre (CI&SC) by telephone on 1300 363 263 or by email to information@customs.gov.au. For details of CI&SC operating hours, click on the 'Contact Customs' link at the bottom of the page. |
Formal Tariff Advice
The Tariff Advice System is designed to allow importers to seek an advance ruling on the classification of specific goods before importation. This is to assist them in making business decisions about future imports of specific goods prior to committing to importation.
Advice is given only upon specific goods from a specific manufacturer. Once an advice is given, it must be followed if those goods are imported. It should be noted that this service is designed for intended imports of new goods to allow business decisions to be made. It is not designed to deliver real-time advice on goods that are awaiting clearance. The service standard for the provision of advice under normal circumstances is 30 days and it can take longer at times of heavy demand.
The service is provided by Customs free of charge. Where an importer employs a broker to submit a Tariff Advice Application, the broker would normally charge for this service.
Applicants should provide detailed information about the goods under consideration. Customs is unable to classify goods where insufficient information is given.
Customs may refuse to issue an advice through the Tariff Advice System in certain circumstances. These circumstances may include where the applicant already holds an advice for the goods, where the goods are the subject of legal action or where classification is already being assessed as part of an active Tariff Concession Order application.
Applying for a Tariff Advice
Brokers and others with access to the TAPIN system can electronically submit Tariff Advice (TA) applications. You must then lodge a paper copy, with supporting documents, within five days of the creation of the request in TAPIN.
If you don’t have access to the TAPIN system, you can request a TA manually by completing a Tariff Advice Application Form B102, available on the Customs and Border Protection ‘media, publications and forms’ webpage. Information on how to complete a B102 is on the back of the form, so it is important to print and view both sides.
There are also guidelines for the lodgement of Tariff Advices, also available on the media, publications and forms website, which apply to both documentary and electronic lodgements.
Where to lodge a Tariff Advice Application or make an enquiry regarding an existing application
If you are in New South Wales, Queensland or the Northern Territory, please address applications to Tariff Section, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Locked Bag 3000, Sydney International Airport, NSW 2020. You can also lodge documents at any Customs House or email them to tariffnorth@customs.gov.au. For telephone enquiries, please phone 1800 053 016.
If you are in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia or Tasmania, please address applications to Tariff Section, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, GPOBox2809, Melbourne 3001. You can also lodge documents at any Customs House or email them to tariffsouth@customs.gov.au. For telephone enquiries, please phone 1800 053 016.
.