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Decision tool – Do I need to register with AICIS?

If you’re importing or manufacturing (introducing) chemicals into Australia, you’ll most likely need to register with AICIS. This means you’ll need to meet obligations and potentially pay fees and charges. However, there are some circumstances where you may not need to register.

Note: If you wish to save your completed decision tool as a PDF, select the print option in your browser and choose ‘Save as PDF’ or ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’. For Safari users, click 'File' and 'Export to PDF'. 

This decision tool will help you work out if you need to register with us. If you’re introducing a cosmetic, go to ‘Is my product a cosmetic?’ as it’ll also tell you if you need to register.

Depending on your answers, we’ll tell you if you need to register with us or not.

If you do need to register, we’ll give you instructions of what to do next.

There are a few things you need to know before starting.

  • We only regulate industrial chemicals. Products that contain industrial chemicals include cosmetics, pens, solvents, adhesives, plastics, paints and inks. Learn more about how we define industrial chemicals.
  • We don't regulate products and articles. But we do regulate the importation and manufacture (introduction) of industrial chemicals that are designed to be released from products and articles. For example, we don’t regulate plastic chairs but we do regulate chemicals in cosmetics, pens, solvents, adhesives, plastics, paints, fire extinguishers and inks. Learn more about how we define articles.

If your question is about soap, go to Do I need to register as a soap introducer?

If you’re introducing a cosmetic, go to ‘Is my product a cosmetic?’ to work out if you need to register.

Question 1

Will you be introducing (importing or manufacturing) industrial chemicals into Australia? 

Tip: Examples of when you need to answer yes:

  • soap made from cold- or hot-press methods
  • products that you bought from overseas that contain ingredients regulated as industrial chemicals (for example, cosmetics, cleaning products, paint, ink)
  • industrial chemicals imported for teaching or research 
  • industrial chemicals manufactured in a lab or classroom for teaching or research
  • you’re importing or manufacturing a low volume of chemicals – there is no threshold limit on volume

Examples of when you need to answer no:

Question 2

Are you introducing chemicals for a commercial purpose?

Tip: Answer yes if you introduce chemicals for the purpose of:

  • making a profit
  • promoting a business
  • carrying on an enterprise 
  • selling at local markets 
  • giving samples away for free to promote your business or product


 

Question 3

Are your chemicals used only for the following purposes?

  • pesticides
  • veterinary products
  • therapeutic goods
  • food or food additives for humans or animals

Question 4

Are all of your chemicals one or more of the following types?

  • meet the legal definition of a naturally occurring chemical. Tip: products containing 'organic' ingredients typically contain other chemicals that are not considered 'naturally occurring' – check our definition to make sure.
  • incidentally produced during manufacture of another chemical
  • an intermediate chemical when manufacturing another chemical
  • a radioactive chemical
  • imported incidentally by passengers of an aircraft/ship but taken out of the country within 25 working days of importation, used to support the aircraft’s/ship’s operation and not freight

We call these ‘excluded introductions’.

You don’t need to register with AICIS. 

This is because you’ve told us you’re not introducing (importing or manufacturing) chemicals into Australia.

You don’t need to register with AICIS.

This is because you’ve told us you’re not introducing (importing or manufacturing) chemicals into Australia for a commercial purpose.

You don’t need to register with AICIS.

This is because you’ve told us your chemical won’t have any industrial uses. You should read our guidance about what other government bodies might be able to help you.

You need to register your business with AICIS. This is because you’ve told us:

  • you're introducing chemicals in Australia
  • you're introducing chemicals for a commercial purpose
  • your chemical has industrial uses
  • your chemical isn’t an ‘excluded introduction’

You should read our guidance about introducing (importing or manufacturing) chemicals. This includes checking your chemicals in our chemical database, the Inventory, to make sure you’re following any restrictions.

If your chemical’s not on the Inventory, you’ve got to work out the risks to human health and the environment before you can introduce it. We call this process categorisation. You can read our guidance about categorisation.

You don’t need to register with AICIS.

This is because you’ve told us your chemical is an ‘excluded introduction’. You should read our guidance on this topic.

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