Information Density: Australia Post – Signal Evidence & AI Readability

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Connection matters

From free postcards to support services, Australia Post and Beyond Blue are helping to foster connection across the country.

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What Australia Post’s 2026 eCommerce Report reveals

Discover the key trends shaping how Australians shop online.

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Save and win with our travel insurance

For a limited time, get 10% off on our award-winning travel insurance and go in the draw to win $20k. T&Cs apply.

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Big results deserve a big stage

The ORIAS recognise Australia’s best in eCommerce across 19 categories. Entries now open.

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Delivery information

Read about delivery disruptions and service updates, and get information to help you choose the best service for your postal needs.

Delivery disruptions and service updates

Domestic delivery speeds and coverage

International delivery times and destination guide

Calculate postage and delivery time

Postage: Express Post, envelopes, stamps...

Collectables: Coins, stamp issues, limited editions...

Gifts: Personalised stamps, gift cards, wrapping paper…

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Buy online now

With multiple delivery and payment options, our Online Shop makes buying a breeze.

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Customs declaration forms

You need to fill out a customs declaration form for all parcels, International Courier letters and International Express letters you send overseas. Some destinations also require an Electronic Advance Data (EAD) to be sent in advance of your item. If you're sending an item to the European Union (EU) you can read about customs declaration requirements to avoid delays.
Choose from 3 options to fill out your form.

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Complete online

Complete your customs form online for all available services, then show your confirmation QR code when you lodge your parcel at the Post Office.

Online customs form

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Complete with MyPost

For International Express and International Standard, you can complete your customs form online with a free MyPost account, then lodge in a street posting box or Post Office.

Learn about MyPost

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Complete in store

Complete your online or paper customs form at the Post Office. For paper customs forms, our team will key in your declaration details into the system when you lodge your parcel over the counter.

Online customs form

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Complete the correct customs form

Check which customs form you need to complete when sending a parcel or letter overseas.

Forms
Delivery service
Forms to complete
International Courier
Parcels up to 20kg
Letters up to 500g
Forms to complete
CN23 customs form
Available at participating outlets (PDF 843kB)
International Express
Parcels up to 20kg
Letters up to 500g
Forms to complete
CN23 customs form
International Standard
Parcels up to 20kg
Forms to complete
CN23 customs form
International Economy Air
Parcels up to 2kg
Letters - not required
Forms to complete
CN22 or CN23 customs form
International Economy Sea Mail
Parcels from 2kg to 20kg
Forms to complete
CN23 customs form
International Post Registered
Forms to complete
Not required

[H2] Size and weight guidelines
Check our guide to confirm if your item is a parcel, small letter, large letter or greeting card/postcard. If your letter is larger than our maximum size and weight, it will be considered a parcel and require a customs form.

Size and weight guidelines

[H2] Guide to completing your customs declaration
Providing clear and accurate information on your International shipment helps your items clear destination customs. Without this information, your shipment may be held up or returned to you, resulting in unnecessary delays and a poor delivery experience for the recipient of your items.

It’s important to declare and provide a good description on the customs declaration form, of the item you’re shipping.
[H5] What is a 'description of goods'?
This is a detailed description of the goods you’re sending overseas. Each item must be clearly identified and should address the following questions:
What are the goods?
What are the goods made from?
[H5] What is a 'good' or 'insufficient' description?
A ‘good’ description is specific and concise and indicates exactly what the item is and what it’s made from. An ‘insufficient’ description is vague and unclear, and may result in your shipment being held by customs until more details are provided, or rejected and returned to you, the sender.
For example:
Insufficient description: Shoes
Good description: Men’s leather shoes, women's plastic sandals, kids' fabric shoes.
[H4] Examples of 'insufficient' and 'good' descriptions

Examples of ‘insufficient’ and ‘good’ descriptions
Insufficient description
Good description
Apparel
Good description
Men’s shirt, lingerie, girl's vest, boy's jacket
Appliances
Good description
Stove, microwave oven, coffee machine
Documents
Good description
Passports (or any other kind of documents)
Electronics
Good description
Computer, CD player, Walkman, tape recorder, mobile phone, monitor, printer
Food
Good description
Prepared cakes, rice, tomato sauce, powdered eggs
Gifts
Good description
Dolls, remote control cars (describe type of gifts)
Merchandise
Good description
Cotton facemasks, name stickers for children, women’s dress shirt
Plastic goods
Good description
Plastic kitchenware, plastic houseware
Sporting goods
Good description
Football shoes, boxing gloves
Toys
Good description
Plastic Barbie doll set

View the European Commission’s guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable terms for the description of goods.

All goods intended to be exported from Australia with a value of $2000 or more must be declared to Australian Customs Service (Customs) on an export declaration (EDN). Any goods that require a permit for export must be reported on an export declaration, regardless of value.
Find out more about documentary export declarations

An HS tariff number is an internationally recognised code that classifies international shipments. You enter the HS tariff number on your customs declaration form to help customs authorities assess which taxes, duties and restrictions may apply to the delivery of your goods.
As different countries may subdivide items into more granular categories, a HS tariff number may be 6, 8 or 10 digits, and may not be the same in every country, even if your product is the same.
Do I need an HS tariff number?
All eCommerce shipments need an HS tariff number to help the destination country’s customs authority assess which taxes, duties and restrictions may apply.
If you’re sending a gift with no commercial value, you will still need to provide the HS tariff number to help your items clear destination customs for faster deliveries, to avoid delays and/or returns.
Is a TARIC Commodity Code the same thing as an HS tariff number?
Yes, a TARIC Commodity Code is used by the European Union (EU) to describe the HS tariff number. They both reference the same harmonised set of codes to classify goods.
How do I get an HS tariff number?
It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct HS tariff number is used. If an incorrect tariff code is used, the item may incur additional taxes or be returned to sender.
Confirm HS tariff numbers on either of the following external websites:
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Irish (An) Post
For business sending, you can find your HS tariff number when creating your shipment through MyPost Business or Parcel Send. If you’re an API integrated customer, you can leverage our International Export Tools to look up and classify your products.
For personal sending, you can find your HS tariff number when you enter your description of goods when declaring online.
What does an HS tariff number look like?
HS tariff numbers are usually six digits, however some countries – including Japan, Germany, Ireland and the US – add extra digits for further classification. You’ll need to ensure that you’re providing the correct HS tariff number for your destination country. This information is available through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Sometimes the HS tariff number is presented with a full stop in the middle (example 8517.12). Our system accepts digits only, so leave out the full stop and submit just the digits (851712).
Examples of HS tariff numbers:
mobile phone 851712
knitted cotton T-shirt 610910
laptop 847130.
What happens if I put in the wrong HS tariff number?
If you enter or select the incorrect HS tariff number, your shipment may be delayed at customs. In the event of an incorrect declaration of an HS tariff number, where you have registered as an offshore supplier (example EU IOSS), you – or the receiver – may be required to pay additional taxes to clear your shipment from customs, or your shipment may be returned to sender.

Check out the video below to learn how to prepare an online declaration.

Video: The red Australia Post logo appears on a white screen.
Text: Sending Parcels Overseas, Online Declaration Form.
Audio: Upbeat music.
Video: A young woman places parcels on a table, then uses a laptop to navigate an Australia Post website.
She clicks on ‘Send overseas’, then scrolls to “Customs forms & regulations”. Under ‘Prepare forms online, she clicks ‘Get started now’.
Voiceover: If you’re sending a parcel overseas with Australia Post, rather than filling out a paper customs form, you can complete your customs declaration form online at auspost.com.au/DeclareOnline.
This will help you save time during your next visit to the Post Office.
The online option is also tailor-made for countries like the US and China, where electronic customs data is now required by Customs authorities.
Here’s how the new online process works.
Video: The voiceover's instructions are demonstrated on the website.
Voiceover: Start by selecting the country you’re sending to.
You’ll see an overview of the steps involved in preparing your declaration.
These steps will vary slightly based on the country you’ve selected, because different countries have different data requirements.
When you’re ready, just select ‘Get started’.
Video: She fills in the “Sender details” form, which includes name, address, email and phone number.
Voiceover: Now, enter the sender’s details… that might be yourself, or you could be completing the form on someone else’s behalf.
Either way, giving us your contact details — like an email address and phone number — means we can keep you updated on your delivery.
Video: She fills in the “Receiver details” form, which includes name, address, email and phone number.
Voiceover: Next, you’ll enter the receiver’s information. This time, those contact details help our delivery partner in the destination country.
They can provide updates and options to the receiver, or get in touch if there’s nobody around for delivery.
Video: She fills in the “Parcel contents” form, which includes description, weight, value and quantity.
Voiceover: To help make sure your parcel gets through Customs without delay, it’s important that you declare everything that’s in your parcel.
For example, if you’re sending two t-shirts and a pair of shoes, you’ll need to add the t-shirts and the shoes as separate items.
Video: She fills in the “Customs declaration” form.
Voiceover: Next, tell us why you’re sending the parcel, and what you’d like us to do with it if it can’t be delivered.
It is also your responsibility as the sender to ensure that your parcel doesn’t contain dangerous or prohibited items.
No explosives, flammables, corrosives, aerosols. Those types of things. This may include items like perfume or nail polish.
Video: The information on the forms appears on a webpage titled “Review your information”.
The woman clicks a box confirming she understands Australia Post’s dangerous good policy.
Voiceover: Finally, it’s a good idea to check that your information has been entered correctly.
Once you’re satisfied, go ahead and submit your declaration.
Video: The woman takes labels from a printer.
Voiceover: OK, now your customs declaration label is ready to be downloaded — so you can print it at home or at work.
Video: The woman carries her parcels and the labels to a Post Office.
Voiceover: You can bring your printed declaration label to your nearest Post Office, along with your parcel.
Video: At the counter, an Australia Post staff member scans the woman’s custom’s label. She places a barcode sticker on a label, then puts the label inside a plastic sleeve and sticks it to a parcel.
The woman smiles and leaves.
Voiceover: Or, if you’re sending to the US or China, you don’t even have to print your declaration label.
Just bring your confirmation email or SMS to the Post Office counter, and our staff will print a label for you.
The red Australia Post logo appears on a white screen.
Text: auspost.com.au
Audio: Upbeat music.

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Important information for sending items overseas

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Dangerous and prohibited goods

Check our Prohibited and Restricted item list and packaging guide (PDF 1.1MB) for the country you’re sending to.
You can also check our International post guide for destination specific prohibitions.

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Security and ID regulations

We use screening technology to check every outbound international item, so you don’t need to show ID when sending overseas.

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Letter of indemnity

A letter of indemnity (available only at Post Offices) needs to be completed when sending items International Express to Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea (DPR), Russia and Syrian Arab Republic.

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Sending wine overseas

If you’re sending wine by International Express to any of the destinations listed below, you'll need to complete a Wine Export Declaration Form (PDF 140kB) and include it with the item.
Call 1800 007 678 for more information.

If you are sending wine by International Express to one of the destinations listed below, you'll need to complete a Wine Export Declaration & FDA Notification Form (PDF 140kb) and include it in the item.
If you have any questions, please call us on 1800 007 678.

Destinations
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua & Barbuda
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Belize
Benin
Bolivia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Canary Islands
Cabo Verde (formerly Cape Verde)
Chad
Colombia
Comoros
Congo (Rep.)
Congo (Democratic Rep. Of The)
Costa Rica
Cuba
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Faroe Island
French Guiana
Gabon
Georgia
Gibraltar
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Italy
Jamaica
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia (Fyrom)
Madagascar
Malta
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Moldova
Monaco
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Netherlands Antilles & Aruba
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Panama
Paraguay
Reunion
Romania
Rwanda
S