OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[outofwhack]

Does anyone know if a Vehicle Import Authority (VIA) must be issued by customs before importing an ATV into Australia.

The regulations talk of a 'road vehicle' requiring a VIA.
Is a Yamaha 250 Timberwolf a road vehicle?
I suffered an increase in shipping costs of $3000 due to the shippers delaying my container delivery in order to apply for a VIA for the Yamaha I had inside.

I want to know if it was really required or not.

OOW

[old55]

one of our mates brought an ATV in and he got one, and said he was glad he did because it might have gotten messy.

Last edited by old55 on Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:04 pm; edited 2 times in total

[Midwest Tone]

If it is second hand you will need AQIS import permit. But customs paperwork is not lodged until a week or 2 before the ship arrives. Normally a shipment can't leave without AQIS permit. New equipment doesn't require an AQIS permit as a rule (depending on what it is)

Quad bikes are easy to list as an agricultural machine

I'll ask a couple of Customs agents tomorrow.

TH
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[cuzo]

Yes get the licence I got mine a few years ago it only cost $75.00 then, not sure know but saved me alot of pain.

The way I understood it back then was if it had an engine number or a chassis number, it was clasified as a vihicle. Wether it was registrable or not.
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[Midwest Tone]

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/general/EligibilityCriteria_2.aspx#nined

Some light reading.

I did notice no mention of tractors etc needing an VIA. A quad is really only a small tractor

TH
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[outofwhack]

I had a good read of that link.

Hmm agricultural vehicle - that it certainly is. I wonder if thats exempt from requiring a VIA.

I didnt get a solid response from customs when I called them months back.

If it didnt need one I will try take the shippers to task for running up the bill by $3000 extra for delays while they got a VIA.

Why they couldnt have split my shipment I dont know because that would have meant I would just be paying for quarantine of the QUAD rather than quarantine of the 40foot container. I feel I have paid over an over again for that darn quad.

OOW

[Prokiwi]

yes you do need one , and if you dont get it before the container arrives you are responsible for holding up the landing and processing of the whole container and will pay the appropiate costs.

All motor vehicles are included generally , new or used. Quads are unfortunately included as are buggies etc etc .
You need proof of ownership , vin and chassis numbers and some detail to show cwhat exactly it is. ( i do a screen dump of the model on a manufacturers website for this)

Thats why importing is not always easier or cheaper ...unless you know what you are doing.
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[quadmad]

I been wanting to do this for along time, so apart from the cost of the quad. what would you expect to pay for shipping etc as a bullpark.

I know what an import aproval is but what is a via

[rmhrc630]

I am looking at an ols school FL400 ATV import.

It will be classified as an offorad vehicle so yes a VIA is needed, but not difficult if you read the rules.

Has anyone on here shipped from the US to Melbourne?

What was the ballpark shipping cost?

I know GST etc applies

[cuzo]

Last time I was ball parked at $ 1000.00 USD, Not so sure about the GST I never paid it and it was never asked as it is for private use not resale, who are you going to give the GST to the yanks.

But i did have to pay import duties, quaritene etc that had GST .

Best thing you can do is get a shipping company here to handle it all for you as it comes off the docks. and then wait for the call to come pic it up at there holding depo, so much simpler for an extra few hundred bucks.
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[surfin]

You are probably lucky they didn't make you export the quad back to where it came from, or have it destroyed.

Pays to do your homework thats for sure.

Import costs are basically shipping costs (based on a cubic metre basis), GST, Import Approval, Freight Forwarder charges (which will cover wharf charges also usually), Insurance, Quarantine charges (only for 2nd hand stuff, costs of which can get out of control if its not clean).

So thats about it.

For the import virgins, I will help anyone import an ATV for a very small fee. I do it as part of my business so I know whats going on
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[Midwest Tone]

You don't need a VIA for a quad. What you do need however is a letter from customs saying it is exempt before you started. You need to prove that it fullfils the MVSA guidelines.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/index.aspx

You have made a mistake, albiet innocent, but one that is going to have a financial sting to the lesson.

Interesting point came up when I raised this with customs broker. He had a shipment of new polaris bikes in a few years back and customs decided to test the brake pads for asbestos...........ha ha they all returned traces of asbestos from the chinese manufacturer and all brake pads had to be removed and destroyed. Cost a pretty penny.

Importing is not for the faint hearted. I import ag equipment and it's all good and cheap until you get to the port in Aust. What I bring in is not available in Aust either.

For example. It might cost A$4000 for freight and handling on the export end but to unload and get a 40ft container through customs and AQIS can cost over A$10,000, including GST on the value of the contents, shipping and insurance. Cleaning costs start at $110/hr and to move a container with a forklift costs $500/move.

The best options for importing a quad is to get the letter of exeption and make sure your customs broker/ importer has all the paperwork.

It was pointed out to me today, and forgive me for not mentioning this previously, that you need an AQIS permit to import Ag. gear and using this option to import a quad is far from the cheapest option unless you already have the system in place.

I must admit that the lure of a warranty and the issue with getting service for grey import machines means I'll buy a bike locally as a preference

Tony
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[surfin]

Midwest Tone wrote:

The best options for importing a quad is to get the letter of exeption and make sure your customs broker/ importer has all the paperwork. Tony

OR just do the standard Import Approval form from DOTARS, pay the $50 and they will approve it for you, so long as its not a road registerable item.

Do this before it leaves the US and you will be stress free
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[Midwest Tone]

Yeah. I agree. Getting a VIA would be as easy as a letter of exemption......possibly quicker.

Both these departments run on paperwork. Sort the paperwork before the shipment and you should be laughing.

Tony
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[outofwhack]

Many thanks for your research. You're right about the financial sting
that darn quad cost $1500 to buy and $4000 to get through the Australian waterfront. I curse the shipping handlers for adding $4000 to my bill for this paperwork error which caused my container to sit in their yard for 5 days then not deliver it to me unless I pay immediately. Total bill $10k and original quote was $6k C.o.d.
I wish Peter reith had succeeded in breaking the waterfront unions that protect these rackets and extortive practices.

[Midwest Tone]

It's the beauracrats you need to be sledging for a lot of the added costs, not just the wharf.

Tony
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[dolsonlelan]

I will start off by apologizing if this isn't the right location for this post. I tried to search for similar topics, but couldn't find anything for my specific questions and then I found this. I was about to ship a vehicle last week but wondered if it's possible to ship now that there is a pandemic going on?