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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Original passport
- Original Bill of Lading (OBL) or Air Waybill (AWB)
- Valid work permit or residence permit
- Immigration arrival card (completed on arrival)
- Duty-free certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (diplomats and UN/NGO/AID employees)
Specific Information
Expatriates must be employed by a registered company and hold a valid work permit or residence permit at the time of clearance. One air shipment and one sea shipment may be imported duty-free; duty is levied on new items or on items deemed to be in excessive quantities for personal use. All shipments must arrive within 3 months of the date of issue of the work permit or residence permit.
The owner of the goods must be present in Papua New Guinea to sign a statutory declaration before a Commissioner of Oaths. Any new items must be declared separately and are dutiable. Household goods and personal effects must be shipped separately from commercial goods.
All shipments are subject to inspection by both Papua New Guinea Customs Service and the Quarantine Department. Clearance cannot be completed until both authorities have approved release. All shipments must be ISPM 15 compliant; non-compliant wood packaging is subject to additional quarantine charges, treatment, or rejection.
Clearances are processed through the Customs ASYCUDA World (AW) system via a licensed customs broker. The import entry (Customs Form 15) must include the name, address, and Tax File Number of the owner; errors or omissions may attract administrative penalties, and deliberate false declarations can result in goods seizure and prosecution.
Shipments may be offloaded into a bonded warehouse at the port. Sea shipments take up to 30 days to clear; air shipments take up to 10 days. High demurrage charges can apply during this period -- coordinate timing closely with the destination agent.
Diplomats require a duty-free certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UN, NGO, and AID employees must obtain the same certificate through their sponsoring government department.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Pornographic materials
- Firearms and ammunition (without prior authorization and firearms licence)
- Fireworks
- Narcotics and illegal drugs
- Gambling instruments
- Subversive or offensive literature
- Uncanned foodstuffs of animal origin from countries other than Australia and New Zealand
- Any pig meat from New Zealand, whether fresh or canned
- All animals (excluding approved pets) and plants from countries other than Australia and New Zealand
- Agricultural products (subject to quarantine restrictions)
Restricted / Dutiable Items
Alcohol: Up to 1 litre of alcoholic beverages for persons 18 years and older.
Tobacco: Up to 260 cigarettes, 250 grams of cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco for persons 18 years and older.
Perfume: Reasonable personal quantities.
Firearms: Import requires a firearms licence and prior authorization. Confirm requirements with the destination agent; firearms should generally not be included in household goods shipments.
Currency: There are no restrictions on the import or export of the Papua New Guinea Kina (PGK) or foreign currencies. Import of travellers' cheques is permitted. Currency or valuables over PGK 20,000 must be declared to a Customs Officer on arrival.
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Purchase invoice
- Original Bill of Lading
Specific Information
There is no restriction on the import of used vehicles. All motor vehicles are subject to import duties and GST as follows:
Engine displacement up to 2,700 cc: 60% duty plus 10% GST. Engine displacement above 2,700 cc: 110% duty plus 10% GST. Buses, vans, and passenger vans: 10% duty plus 10% GST.
Confirm current tariff classifications and rates with the destination agent prior to shipping, as rates are subject to change via annual budget cycles.
Pets
- Vaccination record
- Veterinary health certificate
The import of pets is subject to prior approval from the Chief Quarantine Officer. Pets may only enter Papua New Guinea as cargo; they cannot travel as accompanied passenger baggage.
Dogs and cats arriving from Australia or New Zealand are subject to a 48-hour quarantine period. Dogs and cats arriving from all other countries are subject to a 9-month quarantine period, which must be served in Australia before onward movement to PNG. This makes direct pet relocation from most origins a significant undertaking requiring advance planning of a year or more.
The import of any animals, plants, and their products into PNG requires prior written approval from the Chief Quarantine Officer (Animals and Plants) of the Agricultural Protection Division. Confirm all requirements with the destination agent and PNG Customs/Quarantine well in advance of shipping.
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air and sea shipments.
PNG customs clearance is managed through the ASYCUDA World system; all importers must use a licensed customs broker registered with PNG Customs Service. Ensure the owner holds a valid work permit or residence permit before shipping, and that the permit issue date allows the shipment to arrive within the 3-month window.
All wood packaging and crating must be ISPM 15 treated and marked before departure. Untreated materials will trigger quarantine intervention, additional charges, and potential delays.
Dual inspection by Customs and the Quarantine Department is mandatory; allow for the full clearance timeline in your planning. Sea shipments can take up to 30 days and air up to 10 days; both are subject to port demurrage that accumulates from the time of vessel or aircraft arrival. Coordinate arrival timing and document submission carefully with the destination agent to minimise storage exposure.
Diplomatic and NGO/UN/AID shipments require a duty-free certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the relevant sponsoring department; this should be arranged and confirmed before the shipment is loaded.
The owner must be in Papua New Guinea to sign the statutory declaration. Do not ship ahead of the owner's arrival.
Cultural & Other Information
Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea plus numerous surrounding islands in the southwestern Pacific, just north of Australia. The capital and main port is Port Moresby. PNG is one of the world's most linguistically diverse countries, with over 800 languages spoken; English, Tok Pisin (Creole), and Hiri Motu are official languages. The currency is the Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK).
PNG is a constitutional monarchy with King Charles III as head of state, represented by a Governor-General. The country has substantial natural resources including gold, copper, oil, and gas, and a large agricultural sector. Infrastructure outside Port Moresby can be limited, and security considerations are relevant in some areas; new arrivals should take local advice.
Close ties with Australia are reflected in the customs framework -- particularly the favourable 48-hour quarantine for pets from Australia and New Zealand versus 9 months for all other origins. Australian and New Zealand food products also receive preferential treatment in some categories.
Note: No FIDI Global Alliance customs guide exists for Papua New Guinea. This guide is based on the IAM Country Guide, PNG Customs Service official documentation, and supplementary sources. Given the complexity of dual Customs and Quarantine inspections, early and thorough consultation with an experienced destination agent is especially important for PNG shipments.
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