Importing a car into Australia isn’t “click, ship, vroom”; it starts with approval from the Department of Infrastructure via the ROVER system—no approval, no entry.
Most people use the Specialist & Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme (SEVS), the 25‑year‑old/concessional route, or a Personal Import if you’ve owned and used the car overseas for 12+ months.
Budget for shipping and insurance, port fees, customs duty (often around 5%), GST at 10%, possible Luxury Car Tax above the threshold, biosecurity cleaning, and compliance work to meet ADRs before it can be entered on the RAV and registered.
Expect inspections for asbestos, a quarantine clean if it’s grubby, and compliance done by an approved workshop where required—paperwork is the real boss here.
Timelines run from weeks to several months; rare models and compliance work add time and dollars, and “cheap overseas” can become “surprisingly not cheap” once taxes and fixes land.
If that all sounds tedious, that’s because it is; get a reputable import/compliance agent, read the official guidance, and keep every document like it’s your passport.
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