The Dos and Don’ts of Shipping Cargo to Indonesia

Wherever you are in the world, rules and regulations will follow, with is as means of ensuring that law and order follows too. So, whether you are in Australia importing products in or exporting products to Indonesia, for instance, you will be asked to follow these rules and regulations to ensure a smooth transaction and to respect the laws of the land in question for prosperous endeavors.

Having said so, knowing the dos and don’ts of shipping cargo to Indonesia should be something that is on your know-how list, but if it isn’t, let us give you a quick crash course into shipping cargo to Indonesia.  Let’s break the do and don’ts of shipping cargo to Indonesia in terms of prohibitions for import,  duties & taxes, estimated transit times, and documents for shipping cargo to Indonesia to name a few.

Prohibited Items

When shipping cargo to Indonesia, you should be wary about the prohibited items, which means to say that the items are not allowed entry into the destination country, territory or region. The following list includes the prohibited list of items when shipping cargo to Indonesia from Australia.

  • Live Animals
  • Chain letters
  • Inorganic chemicals
  • Organic/inorganic compounds of precious metals
  • Obscene/immoral publications
  • Pirated books
  • Photographic/cinematographic content
  • Offensive Printed books/materials
  • Publications harmful to young individuals
  • Recording video cassettes/laser disks (by courier)
  • Food (by courier)
  • Lithium batteries (by courier)

A full list of dangerous items can be referenced here.

Import Restrictions

The following includes import restrictions for items when shipping cargo to Indonesia from Australia.

  • Animals/animal products
  • Anti-parasite products
  • Books, brochures and printed matter
  • Dangerous goods; comb or hazardous materials
  • Food/beverages
  • Narcotics
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • Plants/ parts of plants
  • Indonesia language/dialect Printed content
  • Chinese/Chinese character Printed content
  • Records, cassettes and videos
  • Telecommunication equipment
  • Steel copper/brass scraps and waste
  • Weapons
  • War memorabilia

Speak to a Transco Cargo representative should you have doubts or concerns about what you are shipping to Indonesia.

Duties and Taxes

When it comes to the pertaining items of cargo, there may be duties, taxes, and/or other fees involved. Indonesia has what is called a “de minis” value on imported items, whereby should your items of cargo be below the minimal value, then you are not privy to taxes or duties.

  • De minimis Value for Duty: 50 IDR*
  • De minimis Value for Tax: 50 IDR*

*excluding alcohol and tobacco where duty/tax apply

Transit Times

With concern to transit times when shipping cargo to Indonesia from Australia, on average without any extenuating circumstances, the following are estimated delivery times;

  • Express shipping: 3 to 7 business days
  • Standard or Economy shipping: 5 to 14 business days

Shipping Documents

In terms of important documents when shipping cargo to Indonesia, most often, the documentation pertains to the type or category of goods being shipped.  Primarily, you are required to fill out a customs form.

In terms of business to consumer imports, the following shipping documents are needed. They include commercial invoices, packing lists, airway bills (for air cargo shipments), insurance policy (if applicable), and other documents, relevant permits, licenses, and certificates pertaining to the goods being shipped.

If you are shipping gifts items and packages, it is important to include the words “gift parcel for personal use” with the addressees details to avoid delays or duties towards the recipient.