Shipping to Australia from the USA: Rates & Customs (2026)

Shipping a one-pound package from the US to Australia starts around $39 through USPS First Class Package International Service and $44 through DHL Express Worldwide as of May 28, 2026. Most US-origin goods enter duty-free under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, but a 10 percent Goods and Services Tax applies. For shipments valued at AU$1,000 or less, the sender or marketplace typically collects GST at checkout. For higher-value shipments, GST is collected at the border.

In this article

• Which carriers offer shipping to Australia
• How much does shipping to Australia cost
• How long does shipping to Australia take
• What your customer pays at the Australian border
• When US sellers need to register for Australian GST
• What documents you need to ship to Australia
• What items are prohibited or restricted
• How to address a package to Australia
• Recent changes that affect US-to-Australia shipping
• Frequently asked questions

Which Carriers Offer Shipping to Australia from the US?

All four major international carriers serve Australia: USPS, DHL, FedEx, and UPS, each with multiple service levels from economy to overnight. Here's how they compare in 2026.

USPS. The cheapest entry point for small parcels. First Class Package International Service handles items up to 4 lb and US$400 in declared value. Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Express International handle parcels up to 66 lb to Australia (USPS sets a country-specific limit lower than the global 70 lb cap), with tracking and built-in indemnity. Once your package lands in Australia, Australia Post takes over for the final mile, so customers should expect a brief tracking gap during the handoff. Global Express Guaranteed has been suspended as of September 29, 2024 and is not currently available to Australia.

DHL Express. Strong choice for express international shipments. DHL Express Worldwide runs on DHL's own network throughout, which generally means quick customs clearance and consistent transit times.

FedEx. Three service levels matter for Australia: FedEx International Priority (day-definite express, typically 1-3 business days for US-to-Australia), FedEx International Economy (2-5 business days), and FedEx International Connect Plus, an ecommerce-focused economy service now available to Australia.

UPS. UPS Worldwide Express delivers in 1-3 business days. UPS Worldwide Expedited is the economy option at 2-5 business days. Both include customs brokerage. For very urgent shipments, Worldwide Express Plus offers early-morning delivery to eligible Australian destinations.

Compare live rates across all carriers in Shippo before buying — the right pick depends on weight, dimensions, and how fast your customer needs the package. For a broader look at how the four major international carriers stack up across destinations, see Shippo's international carrier rate comparison.

How Much Does Shipping to Australia Cost?

The rates below were pulled from Shippo on May 28, 2026, for packages shipped from San Francisco (94103) to Sydney (NSW 2000). Your actual rate will vary by origin zip code, destination postcode, package dimensions, declared value, and account-specific surcharges. Compare at the time of purchase using the Shippo rate calculator.

For heavier parcels, the cheapest service shifts. USPS First Class Package International Service caps at 4 lb, so it drops out above that weight. Here's the same San Francisco-to-Sydney lane at 5 lb and 10 lb:

The numbers move noticeably with dimensions and origin zip — a 5 lb package shipped from a New York origin will quote differently than the same package from San Francisco because of zone, fuel surcharge, and dim-weight calculations. Always rate-shop at time of purchase.

How Long Does Shipping to Australia Take?

Transit times from US origins to major Australian metros (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide) generally fall in these windows:

Shipments to Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and regional Queensland or Tasmania can take an extra day or two and may trigger remote-area surcharges of $20-$60 depending on carrier and postcode. Check the destination postcode against each carrier's remote-area list before quoting your customer.

What Does Your Customer Pay at the Australian Border?

Australia is one of the friendlier markets on duty for US sellers — most US-origin goods enter at zero. The complication is GST, and how it's collected depends entirely on shipment value.

Duty: usually zero for US-origin goods. Under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), most goods of US origin enter Australia duty-free if they meet AUSFTA rules of origin. Origin is determined by where the goods were produced or substantially transformed — not where the package ships from. A Chinese-made product shipped from a US warehouse does not qualify for AUSFTA preference and may be assessed duty if the shipment is valued over AU$1,000.

GST: 10 percent, but who pays depends on the shipment value. Australia applies a 10 percent Goods and Services Tax to most imports. Australia uses a vendor-collection model for low-value imports, which works differently than most other countries:

• Shipments valued at AU$1,000 or less ("low value imported goods"): The seller or marketplace collects GST at checkout if they meet the registration threshold. No GST is collected at the Australian border. The package clears through a Self-Assessed Clearance declaration with no import processing charges.
• Shipments valued above AU$1,000: GST is collected at the border by the Australian Border Force as part of a Full Import Declaration. The recipient (or their broker) pays GST plus any applicable import processing charges on delivery.

If your customer gets charged GST twice — once at checkout and again at the border — the customs paperwork didn't include the vendor identifier correctly. Australian customs needs to see that GST was already collected (via your ABN or ATO Reference Number) on the commercial invoice to skip border collection. Always include your Vendor ID on the customs form.

Other taxes. The Luxury Car Tax applies to imported vehicles above a threshold, and the Wine Equalisation Tax applies to imported wine. These rarely come up for ecommerce sellers but are worth knowing if you sell either category.

When US Sellers Need to Register for Australian GST

Most US small sellers do not need to register for Australian GST. The threshold is annual GST turnover (sales to Australian consumers) of AU$75,000 or more.

If you sell through Amazon, eBay, or Etsy: The marketplace collects and remits GST on your behalf for orders to Australian buyers, and supplies its own ATO Reference Number on the customs paperwork. You do not need to register separately for these sales. Each of those marketplaces publishes its ARN for sellers to include on commercial invoices when shipping via FedEx, UPS, or DHL — pull yours from your seller dashboard or tax help center.

If you sell direct (Shopify, BigCommerce, your own site): Track your AU sales. Once you cross AU$75,000 in a rolling 12-month period — or once you reasonably expect to cross it within the next 12 months — you have 21 days to register with the Australian Taxation Office. The ATO offers a simplified registration option for non-resident sellers that issues an ATO Reference Number (ARN) instead of an ABN, which is easier to obtain and meets the customs paperwork requirement.

What to do once registered: Charge 10 percent GST at checkout on Australian orders valued at AU$1,000 or less. Include your ABN or ARN on the commercial invoice as the Vendor ID. Lodge quarterly GST returns with the ATO. For B2B sales where your buyer provides a valid ABN and confirms they are GST-registered, you do not charge GST.

What Documents Do You Need to Ship to Australia?

Customs holds on Australian shipments almost always trace back to vague item descriptions or biosecurity flags. Clean paperwork is what separates a few hours at the border from a few days.

Commercial invoice (DHL, FedEx, UPS). Required for every shipment. Must include the shipper and recipient names and addresses, a detailed item description (with brand, material, and model where applicable — not "gift" or "apparel"), HS tariff code for each item, quantity in the unit specified by the tariff classification, unit price and total invoice value in US dollars, country of origin, terms of sale (DDU is standard for small parcels), and your Vendor ID (ABN or ARN) if GST was collected. List your customer's ABN if the sale is B2B.

Customs declaration (USPS). The customs form generated when you buy a USPS international label through Shippo serves the same function as a commercial invoice. The same level of detail applies: specific descriptions, accurate values, and country of origin. Australia Post does not accept generic descriptions like "gift" or "goods" — packages flagged at biosecurity inspection for vague paperwork sit until cleared, which can add five to seven days.

HS codes. Required on commercial invoices and helpful even on USPS customs forms. Search hts.usitc.gov by keyword or chapter to find your 10-digit HTS code. Australia matches the first six digits against its own tariff schedule. Inaccurate or generic codes are a leading cause of customs delays, and the Australian Border Force can audit declarations up to five years back under the Customs Act 1901, with substantial penalties for repeated misclassification.

AUSFTA origin documentation. If your goods qualify for duty-free entry under AUSFTA and the shipment value is over AU$1,000, your customer may need an origin declaration to claim preference. There is no prescribed certificate-of-origin form under AUSFTA — a statement from you on company letterhead that the goods originate in the United States is acceptable. For shipments under AU$1,000, this is not required since duty is not assessed.

Air waybill. Generated when you purchase your label through Shippo or directly with a carrier. Confirm the recipient's full address (with state abbreviation in capitals) and a working phone number before printing. The documentation requirements for other markets follow a similar pattern — for an example of how customs paperwork works for another major destination, see the UK international shipping guide.

What Items Are Prohibited or Restricted When Shipping to Australia?

Categories that commonly trip up US sellers:

• Food, dairy, meat, eggs. Most are prohibited; some categories require import permits and commercial documentation. Honey, dairy products, and animal-derived foods are particularly tightly controlled. Check the Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system before shipping anything food-related.
• Plants, seeds, soil, wood. All controlled. Seeds must be commercially packaged and labeled with the full botanical name (genus and species). Wood and bamboo products may require treatment certificates. Untreated wood packaging materials are not permitted under DAFF biosecurity rules.
• Animal products. Leather, feathers, fur, bone, wool, and similar items often require permits or treatment certificates. Items derived from CITES-listed species need additional documentation.
• Firearms, ammunition, and weapons. Includes paintball markers, soft-air guns, replica firearms, switchblades, batons, and electric shock devices. All require permits or are outright prohibited.
• Medicines and supplements. Many over-the-counter US supplements are restricted in Australia. Prescription medicines, growth hormones, and certain vitamins require import permits.
• Tobacco products. Require an import permit, and all duties and excise must be paid at the border.
• Engineered stone. Imports of engineered stone containing more than 1 percent crystalline silica have been prohibited since January 1, 2025 under amendments to the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956.
• Hazardous materials. Lithium batteries above specified watt-hour ratings, aerosols, magnetized items, and flammable liquids all require dangerous goods declarations and may not be accepted by all services.

The Australian Border Force prohibited goods page and the BICON database are the two primary sources to check before shipping anything outside basic apparel, books, or home goods.

How to Address a Package to Australia

Australia Post requires a specific address format for sorting. Missing a state abbreviation or using lowercase is the most common reason for in-country delivery delays.

The standard format is:

• Line 1: Recipient name (or business name)
• Line 2: Street number and street name, or PO Box / Locked Bag number
• Line 3: Suburb, state abbreviation, postcode — all in CAPITAL LETTERS
• Line 4: AUSTRALIA (in capitals, for international mail)

Example:

JANE SMITH
123 GEORGE ST
SYDNEY NSW 2000
AUSTRALIA

State abbreviations are mandatory: NSW (New South Wales), VIC (Victoria), QLD (Queensland), WA (Western Australia), SA (South Australia), TAS (Tasmania), ACT (Australian Capital Territory), NT (Northern Territory). Postcodes are always four digits.

For USPS shipments, Australia Post handles the final mile once the package arrives in-country. Australia Post issues its own tracking number when it takes possession, so there's typically a brief tracking gap between the last US-side scan and the first Australia Post scan. This is normal and not a sign the package is lost.

Recent Changes That Affect US-to-Australia Shipping

USPS international rates increased in January 2026. Effective January 18, 2026, USPS raised international service prices, with most international services going up around 5.9 percent on average per the January 2026 IMM revision. Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International, and First Class Package International Service all reflect the new rates. The April 26, 2026 USPS rate adjustment is domestic only and does not change international pricing.

FedEx, UPS, and DHL general rate increases. Each implemented an average 5.9 percent general rate increase on international services in early 2026. Surcharges for additional handling, oversize parcels, and fuel adjust independently and can change month to month, so the live rate on the day you ship is what matters more than the published list price.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shipping to Australia

How much does it cost to ship a package to Australia from the US? As of May 28, 2026, shipping a 1 lb package from San Francisco to Sydney starts at $39.16 through USPS First Class Package International Service (about 15 days) and $44.42 through DHL Express Worldwide (about 3 days). At 5 lb, the entry point is around $70 through DHL or UPS Worldwide Expedited. Always compare live rates at time of purchase, since fuel, dim weight, and origin zip can shift the answer.

What's the cheapest way to ship to Australia? For small parcels up to 4 lb, USPS First Class Package International Service is usually the cheapest base rate but the slowest, often taking two to three weeks. For 1-4 lb packages where speed matters, UPS Worldwide Expedited and DHL Express Worldwide are competitive at around two to three times the price with five to seven days off the transit time. Above 4 lb, USPS First Class Package International Service no longer applies and the comparison shifts to DHL, FedEx Economy, and UPS Expedited.

Do US sellers need to charge GST on Australian orders? Only if you cross AU$75,000 in annual GST turnover from Australian sales. Below that threshold, GST registration is optional. If you sell on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy, the marketplace collects and remits GST on your behalf and supplies its own ATO Reference Number for the customs paperwork. If you sell direct and exceed AU$75,000, you must register with the ATO within 21 days and collect 10 percent GST at checkout on orders valued at AU$1,000 or less.

Are US goods duty-free in Australia? Most US-origin goods enter Australia duty-free under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), provided they meet AUSFTA rules of origin. GST of 10 percent still applies. Goods made outside the US and shipped from a US warehouse do not qualify for AUSFTA preference and may be assessed duty if the shipment is valued over AU$1,000.

How long does shipping to Australia take? USPS Priority Mail Express International, FedEx International Priority, UPS Worldwide Express, and DHL Express Worldwide all deliver in one to four business days to major Australian metros. USPS Priority Mail International takes about six to 10 business days. USPS First Class Package International Service takes 11-20 business days. Western Australia, Northern Territory, and regional postcodes can add a day or two.

What can't I ship to Australia? Food, dairy, meat, eggs, plants, seeds, soil, untreated wood, leather and animal products, firearms and weapons, many medicines and supplements, tobacco, engineered stone with high silica content, and hazardous materials are all prohibited or heavily restricted. Australia enforces some of the strictest biosecurity rules in the world. Check the Australian Border Force prohibited goods list and the BICON database before shipping anything outside basic apparel, books, or home goods.

Why is my customer being charged GST at the border when I already collected it? Your customs paperwork did not show the Vendor ID correctly. Australian customs needs to see your ABN or ATO Reference Number on the commercial invoice to confirm GST was collected at checkout. Without it, the border treats the shipment as GST-uncollected and assesses tax on delivery — leaving your customer paying twice. Always include your Vendor ID, or the marketplace's ARN if you sell through Amazon, eBay, or Etsy.

Start Shipping to Australia with Shippo

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