From German engineering to Italian performance, Europe is home to many well known performance and luxury brands. If you are looking to import a car from Europe to Australia, Personal Import can help you navigate the process, from checking vehicle eligibility and assisting with import approvals to arranging shipping, customs clearance and compliance.
Europe is home to many well known performance and luxury brands, and some models are not sold new in Australia or come with specifications and options that are not available locally. Brands such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Ferrari are among those that enthusiasts may want to import.
If you’ve found a vehicle you want to import, Personal Import can help you understand its eligibility, navigate Australian import requirements and arrange the shipping process. We’ll help you identify the necessary steps before you commit to your purchase.
Importing a car from Europe into Australia generally requires an import approval, and the right approval depends on the vehicle and your circumstances. Three common options are shown below, though other approval types may apply. The applicable approval pathway and vehicle requirements can also affect whether a left-hand-drive vehicle needs to be converted to right-hand drive.
Most of mainland Europe drives on the right, so vehicles sold there are generally left hand drive. Left hand drive vehicles that are not old enough to be registered as left hand drive generally need to be converted to right hand drive before they can be registered, and the rules differ between states and territories. We can help you confirm whether your vehicle is likely to need conversion before you purchase.
Luxury Car Tax (LCT) may apply to vehicles valued above the threshold set by the Australian Taxation Office, in addition to customs duty and GST. This can significantly affect the total landed cost, so it is worth factoring in early. Contact our team to discuss the likely costs before you commit to a purchase.
Once the required vehicle import approval has been granted, we can coordinate freight forwarding in Europe and arrange shipping to Australia. Depending on the vehicle and shipping requirements, options may include roll-on/roll-off transport or container shipping, with marine insurance arrangements available.
As experienced vehicle import specialists, Personal Import coordinates vehicle import approvals, shipping, customs clearance arrangements, biosecurity requirements and applicable compliance work. We can also assist with the registration process in your state or territory, subject to local registration requirements. Our volume of shipping also means we receive preferential rates for car imports. Used vehicles must meet Australian biosecurity cleanliness requirements. Inspections or additional cleaning may be required before a vehicle can be released.
Importing a car from Europe involves genuine complexity, from confirming eligibility to understanding conversion requirements, customs, compliance and Luxury Car Tax. Our team supports every stage of the process, so you can focus on the vehicle itself, not the paperwork.
Let Personal Import handle the entire process for you, from shipping to compliance. Contact us today for a seamless car import experience!
Not always. Whether a left hand drive vehicle can be registered depends on its age, how it was imported and the rules of your state or territory, so check this before you buy. Newer vehicles, for example those imported through the SEVs pathway, generally need to be converted to right hand drive.
It depends on the value of the vehicle. Vehicles above the LCT threshold attract the tax, which is in addition to customs duty and GST. Contact our team to discuss the likely costs before you purchase.
Shipping times vary depending on the departure port, shipping method and available vessel schedules. The overall import process can also involve approval, customs clearance, biosecurity checks and compliance requirements. Contact our team to discuss the arrangements for your vehicle.
