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Importing a car from Uk to OZ
We imported a car about 5 years ago. just after the customs and import laws changed as part of the GST ( Oz version of VAT).
if you have a work visa for Oz, you can import the car on a temporary basis. You Must take the car with you when your Visa expires and you leave. If you import it on a work visa you cannot sell it in Oz. You have to pay a customs and excise tax when you bring it in to the country, (which you get refunded when you export the car out of OZ.). Another way to bring it in on a temporary basis is through a Carnet ( the AA and RAC can help you with that )
If you later become a resident you have to "register" the car in your State. Once registered you can sell it any time you want. Note that to register it you have to jump through lots of silly hoops with the RTA ( road traffic Authority) .
You need to find someone at the RTA who has done it before as 99% of the people there havn't a clue how to do it or whats involved.
You have to have a compliance plate fitted. ( ie pay a garage to inspect the car and do any remdial work). Our BMW didnt need anything doing. You have to have it weighed at a special government approved garage ( go figure....), and you need to have an Austrailan valuation. The valuation is needed so they can work out the GST and stamp duty you have to pay. The "valuation" for customs and excise in this case is market value minus expenses to bring the car over (insurance, shipping etc). Find a friendly valuation guy. Even though you didn't buy the car in Oz you then have to pay GST. ( 10% of the value).
You have to have owned your car for over 12 months ( i think thats the time period) before you import it otherwise its classed more like a business import than a private import and taxes increase.
Allow at least a week in Oz while you drive around from RTA office to garages to sort out all the silly paperwork. All the above relates to NSW. Other states will probably have different rules. The worst part of importing a car is that you have to deal with the Customs and excise who are a national government body, and your state based roads and traffic authority. Neither know what the requirements are for the other. So theres a lot of going back and forth between the two until both are happy that the other is happy.
The customs websites have lots of information. Theres too much and its conflicting in places. I found it best to read it , then phone up Customs , at least 2 or 3 times to ask the same questions to see if i got the same answers ( i didnt 5 years ago as the laws had just changed...it might be clearer now)
Good luck.
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