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Prohibited & restricted goods lookup

A quick reference built from the ABF prohibited imports rules. This is a summary — always confirm on the official ABF list and in BICON before you buy. Full detail in the prohibited goods guide.

26 of 26 categories shown

  • Illegal drugs & narcotics

    Prohibited

    Includes drug paraphernalia. Criminal prosecution.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Anabolic steroids & growth hormones

    Prohibited

    Permission rarely granted for individuals.

    Regulator: Office of Drug Control

  • Counterfeit currency & pirated media

    Prohibited

    Seized and destroyed.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Flick knives, butterfly knives & concealed blades

    Prohibited

    Also daggers, nunchakus, throwing blades, tasers, pepper spray, knuckle-dusters, extendable batons.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Firearms & ammunition

    Prohibited

    Very strictly licensed — federal firearm import permits required.

    Regulator: ABF / DFAT

  • Laser pointers above 1 mW

    Prohibited

    Handheld lasers over 1 mW cannot be imported.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Signal jammers

    Prohibited

    Devices that block radio/phone signals.

    Regulator: ABF / ACMA

  • Asbestos & asbestos-containing goods

    Prohibited

    All six types, including vehicle brake pads and gaskets. Overseas "asbestos-free" certification is NOT accepted at face value. Zero tolerance; penalties up to $180,000+ per offence.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Fresh fruit & vegetables

    Prohibited

    Biosecurity — almost always prohibited.

    Regulator: DAFF

  • Viable seeds, live plants & soil

    Prohibited

    Includes raw rice and unpopped popcorn (Khapra beetle risk).

    Regulator: DAFF

  • Raw/unprocessed meat & dairy

    Prohibited

    Mostly prohibited; commercial products from approved countries only.

    Regulator: DAFF

  • Objectionable / RC material

    Prohibited

    Refused Classification material; violent extremist material and prohibited symbols (2026 enforcement notices).

    Regulator: ABF

  • Products containing mercury above limits

    Prohibited

    Mercury content limits apply.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Prescription medicines & controlled substances

    Permit required

    Personal importation generally ≤ 3 months' supply with prescription.

    Regulator: Office of Drug Control / TGA

  • Tobacco & vaping products

    Permit required

    ABF import permit required; nicotine vaping products require a prescription — non-prescription e-cigarettes prohibited.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Alcohol (commercial quantities)

    Permit required

    Excise-equivalent duty applies on top of GST.

    Regulator: State/territory liquor licensing + ABF

  • Weapons & body armour

    Permit required

    Permits required; state laws also apply.

    Regulator: ABF / DFAT

  • CITES-listed wildlife products

    Permit required

    Ivory, coral, tortoiseshell, some timbers — CITES permits required.

    Regulator: DCCEEW (CITES)

  • Heritage items, antiquities & fossils

    Permit required

    Protected objects permits.

    Regulator: Arts/heritage regulators

  • Hazardous waste, ODS, PCBs, certain pesticides

    Permit required

    Licences required.

    Regulator: Environment department

  • Radioactive materials

    Permit required

    ARPANSA permits required.

    Regulator: ARPANSA

  • Certain dog breeds; cat & dog fur products

    Permit required

    Permission required.

    Regulator: DAFF / ABF

  • Ceramic foodware with excessive lead/cadmium leach

    Permit required

    Permission required.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Cosmetics with > 250 mg/kg lead

    Permit required

    Permission required.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Glazed ceramics, cigarette lighters, toys with toxic coatings

    Permit required

    Permission required for some categories.

    Regulator: ABF

  • Goods from sanctioned countries

    Permit required

    Sanctions permits; e.g., Iran, Eritrea, Libya; punitive tariffs on Russia.

    Regulator: DFAT

Prohibited vs restricted — the difference

Absolutely prohibited goods can never be imported — no permit pathway exists. Think illicit drugs, flick knives, laser pointers over 1 mW, asbestos in any form, fresh produce, viable seeds and soil. Restricted goods can be imported, but only with written permission from the right regulator, and the permit must be in your hands before the goods arrive — you present it to the ABF at clearance. Arriving without one means seizure, and you choose between getting the permit, re-export, or destruction.

Selling online? Screen every SKU

E-commerce sellers should screen every product against the ABF prohibited list and BICON before listing it for Australian customers, keep supplier declarations (asbestos-free, materials, origin) on file, and verify intellectual property rights — counterfeit goods are seized and destroyed. Remember that border clearance is not permission to use an item: state laws on weapons, lasers and similar goods apply separately.

This lookup summarises the main categories only and is not exhaustive. The legally authoritative sources are the ABF prohibited goods list, the BICON database for biosecurity, and DFAT sanctions.