How to import a motorcycle to Australia for over a year.
 

Hello.

We are a spanish couple traveling around the world and we are going to stop for one or two years in Australia to study english and do english exams before jump to America to ride the Panamericana.

Please, if you can help us, we have these questions.

1. Can we import the motorcycle to Australia for over a year? We will have a Student Visa.
2. What is the process to import the bike? Customs > Insurance > etc.
3. Can we renew the stay of the motorcycle in Australia for more than one year? We have the Carnet de Passages for one year. Our spanish Autoclub told us that we can do a new Carnet de Passages when exceed the year. And when we leave Australia, the customs stamp the old and new CPD and the spanish Autoclub return the money. Do you know something about the CPD in Australia for over a year?


Thank you,
Diana and Javier.

Complicated question and it may not be possible to give you an answer that the Federal and State governments can agree upon.


The Federal Government controls the entry of all vehicles into Australia either by use of the CDP for "tourists" or Import Approvals for approved residents. CDPs can be validated for as long as the tourist visa is valid - so renewing the CDP is possible if you are on a tourist visa. So you need to ask the Customs department whether they will allow a vehicle to enter with a CDP whilst the owner is on a student visa.


If you do a weblookup on "VSB10" this document will give you a lot of information.


The State Governments will probably tell you that if you are resident in one place for more than 3 months then you need to comply with vehicle registration and licencing requirements.

We have been down in Geelong for over 12 months now running around in our Land Rover with GB plates. Never been stopped once or ever asked about paperwork in any capacity. :thumbup1:

Thanks for your answers!

Griff, You might have got away with it, but it does not mean it's strictly legal. Sorry to be a downer.

If your car has been approved for an import permit your overseas registration is null and you are supposed to register the vehicle in Australia. Unless you have been granted a long term Unregistered Vehicle Permit. If caught driving unregistered then the Police frequently impound the car. Hence if you are pulled over then for heaven's sake do not mention you have an import permit for the car!

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/regi...ported-vehicle

I live not far from Geelong and I'm pulled over at least once a year just for Random Breath Tests and registration checks. So I'm surprised you have got away with it this long.

It might interest you to know that a TDi engined D90 is rare in Australia. If you have a personal import permit for the truck and choose to sell it here you should easily find a buyer.

Cheers,
Brett.

Brett, the 90 came in on a Carnet de Passage for 12 months. There is no need to register it. The paperwork was carried in the vehicle at all times including the 3rd party insurance required for overseas vehicles to be compliant in Australia.

The seems to be some confusion over temporary and permanent import here. The OP was referring to the CDP and TEMP import, not Permanent. The CDP can be extended from 12-24 months but you do need a good reason to do it and it is very time consuming so I advise anyone doing this to engage in conversation with the AAA aprox 3 months before their current CDP expires.

For the record, you cannot even ship your vehicle to Australia without either a VIA (Vehicle Import Approval) or CDP (Carnet de Passage). Your shipping agent wont allow it as customs will refuse to let it enter the country.

When we got our Residency we put in for VIA on both the 90 and our trailer before the 12 months were up on the CDP.

All above board here beer

G

Just out of interest how did you get customs to stamp "out" your CDP? if the vehicle remained in the country.

When I got the VIA approved and sent through I paid the custom duty then took both the receipt and the VIA to Customs House in Tullamarine Airport (and the CDP) to get it stamped out. As the vehicle was moving to a perm import they agreed to stamp and finalise the Carnet for both the Defender and Trailer.

RAC in the UK refunded part of my bond and all is done and dusted :thumbup1:

The 90 is on Vic plates, I still need to take the trailer in to get it registered (when I finish working on it).

G

My apologies. I thought you had finalizsed the CDP but were still running around on GB plates.

You would be surprised how many people manage to put a car on a ship bound for Australia without a CDP or a VIA. They don't realize it will never make it off the docks. A good mate imports cars for a living and he has e-mails all the time: "I bought a Toyota Ipsum from Japan online. Its on the ship and it arrives soon. What do I need to do?" :rolleyes2:

The trailer will be easy. No RWC required. Just make sure the chassis number is visible, the lights work and the tyres are all good and you will walk out with a plate.