Import/export for personal use/non-commercial purposes

Do not order medicines, including dietary supplements and herbal preparations, over the Internet unless you know exactly what is in the preparation and have checked the legal requirements for importation and use in Australia.

Prohibited & controlled substances

• Substances controlled under the Customs import/export legislation
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/customs.htm>
  Substances controlled under import and export legislation are those which are of sufficient public health concern internationally to warrant restrictions to ensure legitimate use only
• Substances subject to import controls
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/apendixa.htm>
  You must obtain a permit from the TGA before you bring into Australia a medicine containing any substance in this list
• Substances subject to import and export controls
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/apendixb.htm>
  You must obtain a licence and a permit from the TGA before you bring into or take out of Australia a medicine containing any substance in this list
• Licences and permits for importing/exporting controlled substances
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/processing.htm>
  Frequently asked questions about licences and permits, including what to do if Customs have seized your goods
• Prohibited imports - penalties
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/prohibited.htm>
  Under the Customs legislation the prohibited importation of certain substances above critical quantities is a criminal offence.
• Importation of kava into Australia
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/import/kava.htm>
  Intending importers must hold both a Licence to Import and a Permit to Import a controlled substance. A separate Permit to Import is required for each shipment of a controlled substance and will not be issued unless a Licence is already held.
• Importation of khat into Australia
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/import/khat.htm>
  Intending importers must hold both a Licence to Import and a Permit to Import a controlled substance. A separate Permit to Import is required for each shipment of a controlled substance and will not be issued unless a Licence is already held.

Personal import scheme

• Personal import scheme for unapproved medicines
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/bringmed/persimp.htm>
  An introduction to the personal import scheme and answers to some commonly-asked questions
• Access to unapproved therapeutic goods - personal importation
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/personalimp.htm>
  Describes how individuals can import unapproved therapeutic goods for personal use
• Personal importation at a glance
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/impexp/piglance.htm>
  A summary about accessing unapproved therapeutic goods through the personal import scheme
• Frequently asked questions - Personal importation
  <http://www.tga.gov.au/impexp/pifaq.htm>
  Answers to frequently asked questions about the personal import scheme

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