Export · USA → Australia

Exporting a Ford F-150 from the US to Australia

Full-size US trucks are a booming Australian niche — with compliance that is anything but simple.

Sofia Berg
By Sofia Berg, Customs & compliance writer · 7 min read
Ford F-150 — USA → Australia cost guide
Ford F-150. Photo: Ermell · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer

A Ford F-150 costs about $73,154 all-in to export on the USA → Australia route in 2026 — a $55,000 purchase plus roughly $18,154 in shipping, 5% duty + 10% VAT/GST, compliance and registration.

Route
USA → Australia
Est. all-in cost
~$73,154
Duty & tax
5% duty + 10% VAT/GST
On a purchase of
$55,000

Beyond 5% duty and 10% GST, Australia may levy Luxury Car Tax above the threshold.

Compliance runs through the SEVS/RAWS scheme and is the dominant cost and timeline risk.

How much does it cost to export a Ford F-150?

Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $55,000 purchase price, add marine insurance at about 1.5% and ocean freight, then 5% duty and 10% VAT/GST on the duty-inclusive (CIF) value, and the broker, compliance and registration fees. Change the purchase price and everything else scales only modestly.

Estimated landed cost — Ford F-150, USA → Australia, 2026
Vehicle (purchase price)$55,000
Seller-side export documentation$150
Ocean freight$3,200
Marine insurance (~1.5%)$825
Australian duty is 5% (subject to thresholds/FTA)$2,951
10% GST applies on the customs value plus duty and freight$6,198
Customs broker & port handling$830
Type-approval / inspection$2,500
Inland transport & registration$1,500
Estimated all-in landed cost$73,154

On this Ford F-150, destination taxes are the real story: roughly $2,951 in import duty plus $6,198 in import VAT/GST — about $9,149 together, frequently more than the $3,200 of ocean freight and every handling fee combined. All in, budget around $18,154 on top of the $55,000 purchase price (about 33%) before the car is registered in Australia.

How to export a Ford F-150, step by step

  1. Agree the purchase and secure the title/export paperwork in USA.
  2. Book ocean freight — roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) is cheapest, a sole-use container is safest for a high-value car.
  3. Confirm the exact model is eligible under the SEVS register before you commit.
  4. Clear customs (roughly 5% duty plus 10% GST on the customs value, and Luxury Car Tax above the threshold).
  5. Complete RAWS compliance through a Registered Automotive Workshop; left-hand-drive cars usually need remanufacturing to RHD.
  6. Register in your state or territory once compliance is signed off.

Exporting a Ford F-150: rules & compliance

Most US trucks enter via a Registered Automotive Workshop for compliance; right-hand-drive conversion is often required and expensive.

Frequently asked questions

Duty and GST?+

~5% duty and 10% GST, plus possible Luxury Car Tax.

Hardest part?+

SEVS/RAWS compliance and any RHD conversion.

What is the total estimated cost to export a Ford F-150?+

About $73,154 all-in for a $55,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $18,154 in freight, insurance, duty, VAT/GST, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.

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