Chemicals Customs Brokers

Chemical imports into Australia include industrial chemicals, specialty chemicals, laboratory reagents, cleaning products, and chemical raw materials. The regulatory framework for chemical imports is extensive, centred on the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS), which replaced the former NICNAS system in July 2020. All industrial chemicals imported into or manufactured in Australia must be assessed and registered under AICIS before introduction.

AICIS categorises chemical introductions by risk level — from very low risk (exempt category) through to high risk, with assessment requirements and costs increasing accordingly. Importers must register with AICIS before importing and lodge annual reporting of chemical introductions. New chemicals not on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (the Inventory) require pre-market assessment, which can take months depending on the risk categorisation. Your customs broker coordinates with your AICIS registrations to ensure border declarations align with your introduction authorisations.

Additional regulatory layers apply depending on the chemical type. Dangerous goods require specific packaging, labelling, and documentation under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. Scheduled poisons are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration under the Poisons Standard. Ozone-depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases require permits under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. Customs brokers handling chemical imports manage this regulatory matrix and coordinate with the relevant agencies to prevent border holds.