To ensure a smooth import customs clearance process and avoid costly port storage fees or biosecurity penalties, please review our mandatory documentation requirements. We require all standard documents before we can accept and lodge your clearance job.
1. Minimum Mandatory Documents (Required for All Shipments)
Regardless of your cargo type, value, or origin, our operations team must receive these four core documents before processing your clearance:
- Commercial Invoice (CI)
Must clearly state item descriptions, unit price, currency, total value, and the transaction Incoterms (e.g., FOB, EXW, CIF). - Packing List (PL)
Must detail total package counts, packaging types (pallets, cartons), net/gross weights, and physical dimensions.
- Bill of Lading (B/L) or Air Waybill (AWB)
The official contract of carriage. For ocean freight, we require either an Express Release Seaway Bill or a surrendered Original B/L. - Letter of Authority (LOA)
A legally required form authorizing our customs brokerage team to lodge declarations on your behalf.
2. Specific Document Requirements by Cargo Type
Locate your specific cargo type below to identify the additional biosecurity, health, or safety declarations required for your shipment.
🍎 Food, Beverages & Agricultural Products
Highly regulated by border biosecurity to control disease and ingredient thresholds.
- Manufacturer’s Declaration: Must be issued on the manufacturing company’s official letterhead, detailing specific processing steps, heating parameters, or shelf-life statements.
- Ingredient Percentage Statement: A formal document showing the exact 100% weight-by-weight percentage breakdown of all ingredients. Essential for assessing restricted components (e.g., dairy, egg, or meat content).
- Phytosanitary or Health Certificate: Official government-issued certificate from the exporting nation verifying the cargo is free of regulated pests and safe for consumption.
🪵 Wooden Products & Sea Freight Packaging
Required to clear quarantine border checks for raw timber and seasonal hitchhiker pests.
- Container Packing Declaration: Mandatory for all FCL/LCL ocean freight container shipments to declare if timber packaging (like pallets or crates) is present.
- Fumigation / Treatment Certificate: Required if raw timber packaging is used or if the goods are targeted under seasonal pest regulations (such as Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – BMSB mandates). Must prove treatment within valid expiry timelines.
🏗️ Building Materials, Automotive & Machinery
Subject to safety enforcement policies regarding prohibited minerals and environmental threats.
A comprehensive ban applies to all building materials, tiles, panels, gaskets, clutches, and brake pads. A specialized manufacturer declaration is required.
- Asbestos-Free Declaration: Must be issued by the manufacturer explicitly certifying that the imported goods contain 0% asbestos content.
- New and Unused Field Testing Declaration (NUFT): For brand-new agricultural, mining, or construction machinery to satisfy quarantine laws and avoid extensive physical examinations.
- Used Machinery Cleanliness Declaration: Mandatory for second-hand equipment. The seller must verify that the machinery was thoroughly steam-cleaned and cleared of all internal/external soil, seeds, and organic matter prior to dispatch.
🧪 Chemicals, Liquids, Powders & Batteries
Used to evaluate dangerous goods safety criteria, transport compliance, and environmental impacts.
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Must be the complete, current 16-section document. Our brokers use Section 14 (Transport Information) to capture the correct UN number, Dangerous Goods (DG) Class, and Packing Group details.
- Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) License: Required if importing equipment containing pre-charged refrigerant gases or synthetic greenhouse components (e.g., air conditioning units, heavy cooling systems).
🚗 Pneumatic Tyres
Targeted to mitigate risk profiles associated with invasive pest breeding.
- Mosquito Declaration: Mandatory when importing new or used pneumatic tyres. The supplier must verify that the tyres were stored undercover, kept clean, and remain free of pooled water or pest larvae.
🌍 Preferential Duty Rate Documents (Optional)
- Certificate of Origin (COO) / Origin Declaration: If you are claiming reduced or 0% customs duty under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), you must supply a valid Certificate of Origin that strictly matches the required FTA formatting rules before declaration lodgement.
☣️ AQIS (Department of Agriculture) Additional Requirements
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Please note that should there be any additional requests from AQIS (Department of Agriculture), the importer must be prepared to provide any further information or documentation as required.
Need a Documentation Pre-Check?
Avoid port storage fees due to missing details. Send your drafted paperwork to our freight operations team prior to cargo departure for a compliance review.
Interactive Import Documentation Checklist
Use this interactive worksheet to prepare your import paperwork. Complete all required fields and ensure your documents match the checklists below before submitting your job to Uni Air Cargo.
⏱️ Your Submission Timeline
Collect supplier documents *before* the cargo is packed or treated.
Cross-check values, weights, and descriptions across all sheets.
Send complete files to us at least **7 days prior** to port arrival.
📋 Checklist Worksheet
(Tip: You can check the boxes below on your screen as you gather your files.)
📌 Phase 1: Core Mandatory Files (Everyone Must Complete)
Check: Details currency, unit values, buyer/seller addresses, and explicit Incoterms.
Check: Quantities match invoice exactly; lists piece weights, dimensions, and packing profiles.
Check: Shipped clean on board; consignee details match your legal corporate trading name.
Check: Form signed and stamped by an authorized director of your company.
🍂 Phase 2: Packing & Biosecurity Requirements
Required for: All sea freight container arrivals. Must be issued on the supplier’s letterhead.
Required for: Any raw timber packaging components or target seasonal pest products (BMSB).
📦 Phase 3: Commodity-Specific Files (Check Only If Applicable)
Requires: Food Manufacturer Declaration, Ingredient Percentage Statement, or Phytosanitary Certs.
Requires: Asbestos-Free Declaration (building/auto goods) or full 16-section Safety Data Sheets (chemicals).
Requires: New and Unused Declaration (NUFT) or Used Machinery Cleanliness Verification.
Requires: Official Certificate of Origin (COO) to qualify for zero or reduced import duties.
📥 Quick Download: Official Blanks & Templates
All Documents Marked Off?
Please bundle your completed paperwork file package together and submit it to our logistics clearance portal for technical verification.