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Australian duty-free allowance after a trip to Japan

Travellers returning to Australia from Japan can bring in A$900 of general goods duty free per adult and A$450 per child under 18, plus fixed alcohol and tobacco concessions. Food, plant material and animal products are checked separately under biosecurity law. This guide summarises ABF, AUSTRAC and DAFF rules as of 28 October 2026.

By Mikako Yoshida ·Published 28 October 2026

Australian duty-free allowance after a trip to Japan
Haneda Airport Terminal 3 · Photo: MaedaAkihiko (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Duty-free concessions

ItemAged 18 or overUnder 18
General goods such as gifts, souvenirs, cameras, electronics, leather goods, jewellery, watches and perfume concentratesA$900A$450
Alcoholic beverages2.25 litresNo concession
TobaccoOne unopened packet of up to 25 cigarettes or 25 g of other tobacco, plus one open packet of cigarettesNot permitted
Clothing, footwear and personal hygiene and grooming items in your baggageFree of duty and taxFree of duty and tax
Cash in any currency and bearer negotiable instrumentsDeclare A$10,000 or moreDeclare A$10,000 or more
SmartGate arrivals, Sydney Airport
SmartGate arrivals, Sydney Airport · Photo: MDRX (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How the concession is counted

The A$900 and A$450 limits cover goods bought overseas, goods bought duty or tax free in Australia before departure, and purchases from the inwards duty-free shop on arrival. All alcoholic beverages in your accompanied baggage count towards the 2.25 litres, wherever you bought them. Duty-free concessions do not apply to commercial goods.

Families returning on the same flight may pool their individual limits if they stay together through Customs clearance. A family is a couple, married or de facto, and their children under 18. Two adults and two children have a combined allowance of A$2,700.

If you exceed a limit, duty and tax apply to all items of that type, not only to the amount over the limit. Japan’s tax-free shopping removes Japanese consumption tax only; the Australian concession is a separate system.

Biosecurity items you cannot bring in

  • Fresh fruit and vegetables
  • Meat and animal products
  • Seeds
  • Plants and plant products, including wooden souvenirs

Food and plant items to declare

  • Meat, poultry and seafood products in any form: fresh, dried, frozen, cooked, smoked, salted or preserved
  • Eggs, including dried and powdered egg
  • Cheese, milk, yoghurt, infant formula and mayonnaise
  • Rice, noodles and pasta
  • Nuts, seeds, beans and grains
  • Herbs and spices, including herbal teas and herbal medicines
  • Live plants, fresh and dried flowers, bark, leaves, straw and wooden articles

Useful before you fly

eSIM for Japan, installed before you leave home

Airalo Saily Yesim

JR Pass and Shinkansen tickets

Klook KKday

Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags

Klook Trip.com Welcome Pickups

Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight

Radical Storage

Hotels in Japan

Klook Trip.com

Coupons

Arrival in Australia

  1. Complete the Incoming Passenger Card

    Fill in the card in English, including the customs and quarantine declarations. A parent or guardian can complete it for a child. On Qantas flights into Brisbane and selected flights into Sydney and Melbourne, invited passengers can use the digital Australia Travel Declaration instead.

  2. Declare or bin risk goods

    Declare food, animal products and plant material, including wooden articles, or put them in the bins at the airport. A biosecurity officer inspects declared goods and returns them if they pose no risk.

  3. Declare goods over your concession

    Declare anything above your duty-free limits and show proof of purchase so the ABF can calculate the duty and tax.

  4. Declare cash

    If you carry A$10,000 or more in cash or bearer negotiable instruments, complete the AUSTRAC online form before Customs and save the submission receipt.

  5. Pay duty and tax

    At the counter you can pay in Australian dollars cash, by Mastercard, Visa, American Express, JCB or UnionPay. From 1 October 2026 the department no longer adds surcharges to card, PayPal or UnionPay payments.

Undeclared food and plant material

Biosecurity officers use x-ray machines, detector dogs and inspections. A false or incomplete declaration can lead to an infringement notice, civil penalty proceedings or criminal prosecution, and visa holders can have their visa cancelled and may be unable to return for up to 3 years. Travellers who declare and present all goods are not penalised under the Biosecurity Act 2015, even if the goods are not allowed in.

Fruit at Omicho Market, Kanazawa
Fruit at Omicho Market, Kanazawa · Photo: dconvertini (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my purchases total more than A$900?
Duty and tax apply to all your general goods, not only the amount above A$900. Declare the goods and show proof of purchase. Failing to declare goods above the concession can result in penalties, prosecution or visa cancellation.
Can our family combine allowances?
Yes, if you return on the same flight and stay together through Customs clearance. A couple with two children under 18 can pool A$2,700 for general goods. Alcohol and tobacco concessions are not available to children.
Can I bring wagyu or beef jerky from Japan?
DAFF lists meat and animal products among the items travellers cannot bring into Australia, and meat in any form, including dried, must be declared. If you declare it, you are not penalised even if it is refused.
Do Japanese snacks and instant noodles need to be declared?
Yes. The declaration covers commercially packaged food, snacks and cooking ingredients, even in small amounts, and specifically lists rice, noodles and pasta. Declared goods that pose no biosecurity risk are returned to you.
Can I bring heated tobacco sticks from Japan?
Heat-not-burn products are prohibited imports in general, but travellers aged 18 or over do not need a permit for tobacco they carry. The duty-free amount is one unopened packet of up to 25 cigarettes or 25 g of other tobacco plus one open packet. Above that, duty is payable on all your tobacco.
Do I need to declare medicines bought in Japan?
Herbal medicines and herbal teas must be declared for biosecurity. For over-the-counter and prescription medicines, DAFF refers travellers to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Before you leave Japan

Tax refund kiosks at Japanese airportsWhere the customs check for the consumption tax refund takes place on departure.How the Japanese refund is paidPayout options for the refunded consumption tax.Common tax-free shopping mistakesErrors that cost travellers their refund in Japan.

Read this next

Claiming your tax refund at the airportWhere to find the tax-free kiosk at Japanese airports, what green and red results mean, using Visit Japan Web, and what to do on connecting flights and cruises.What you can and cannot buy tax-free in JapanWhat qualifies for Japan’s tax refund from 1 November 2026: gold bullion and coins no, jewellery and iPhones yes, meals and hotels no, business use now allowed.Airport duty-free in Japan and how it differs from tax-free shoppingNarita, Haneda and Kansai duty-free shops are not part of the new refund system. What each removes, who can buy, pre-orders, arrival shops and allowances.

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