Exports of unprocessed wood and woodchips (wood export licensing)

The Export Control Act 2020, and the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips Rules) 2021 that fall under this Act requires that an exporter holds an export licence for the export of two tonnes or more of prescribed wood and woodchips.

The following are prescribed goods and require a wood export licence for the purposes of the Act:

• woodchips
• wood in the round
• wood with a cross-sectional area of at least 225 square centimetres

Prescribed goods will be prohibited from export unless they comply with prescribed export requirements and conditions.

• If wood or woodchips are sourced from an area covered by a Regional Forest Agreement.
• If wood or woodchips are derived from trees harvested outside Australian territory, including those transiting through Australia.
• If wood or woodchips are sourced from a plantation in a state for which there is an approved code of practice.
• If the wood or woodchips are shipped in a consignment of less than 2 tonnes.

Some forest products may require an inspection for which a phytosanitary certificate or other government certificate is required by an importing country. It is your responsibility as an exporter to find out the importing country’s requirements prior to export. For further information regarding phytosanitary certificates or importing country requirements, please visit the Exporting Plants and Plant Products page.

For further guidelines on illegal logging laws overseas, visit the Exporters of wood and wood fibre products page. This includes information on how to apply for a government certificate for the export of timber or timber products to Indonesia.

Important Changes

On 13 February 2025, amendments to the Export Control (Wood and Woodchip) Rules 2021 came into effect. These changes require that applicants or holders of a wood export licence be considered a fit and proper person (FPP) from 1 May 2025.

Applicants for and holders of a wood export licence should complete the FPP Questionnaire to enable us to assess whether they are a fit and proper person. Completed FPP Questionnaires should be provided to the Export Licence Officer. Further information about this process is provided below.

Wood Export Application Requirements

To apply for a wood export licence, please supply us with the following documents:

• A completed application form. This includes a declaration that the wood or woodchips intended for export have been harvested in compliance with Australian Government and state environmental requirements.
• Copies of all relevant state government-issued documentation that authorises the harvest and sale of the wood (such as harvesting licences, clearing licences and sales permits). This is required as evidence that the wood has been legally harvested.
• A copy of documentation relating to the overseas purchase (for example, a sales receipt, a confirmation of order, a letter of intent to buy or a tax invoice).

Applications and supporting documentation can be sent via email. Please retain your original signed application.

We have a legislated 30-day consideration period for assessing a wood export licence application. We strongly recommend that you apply for a wood export licence a minimum 30 days before your intended shipping date.

If all the required documentation is not provided or the application is incomplete, your application cannot be processed.

Background

From 1 May 2025, the Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips Rules) 2021 require an applicant or holder of a wood export licence to be a fit and proper person (FPP). This is done by satisfying the FPP test.

The FPP test in the Export Control Act 2020 allows our Secretary (or delegate of the Secretary) to decide whether a person or company is of a trustworthy nature and demonstrates the personal integrity to uphold Australia’s trading reputation.

Requirements

The FPP test involves the completion of a FPP Questionnaire which will be used to assist in assessing whether the FPP test is met. We strongly recommend the FPP Questionnaire be submitted to us at least 60 days prior to lodging an application for a wood export licence. This will enable the questionnaire to be assessed and finalised in a timely manner.

An annual FPP test is required for all exporters, regardless of previously lodged FFP tests.

A FPP Questionnaire (Modification to persons in control) must be lodged if any details from the original FPP Questionnaire have changed.

Further information of the FPP test can be found at the Understanding the fit and proper person test webpage.

Important Information

It is essential when you are making an application that you ensure all the information you supply is up-to-date, correct and complete. You must also notify us of key business or personnel changes.

It is an offence to make a false statement and this can also impact your eligibility as a FPP.

The Secretary of the department (or delegate of the Secretary) may refuse a wood export licence application or revoke a wood export licence if it is found the person does not meet the FPP Test.

The export licences we issue are not the same as harvesting and selling licences issued by a state government. We have no involvement in state-issued licences but do require an exporter to have this documentation to be granted a wood export licence.

You must contact the relevant state authority for further information.

If you are unsure which state authority is relevant for your export, please contact the Export Licence Officer.

Further information can be obtained from the Export Licence Officer at:

Email: wood.export@aff.gov.au 
Telephone: 02 6272 4353

The Export Control Act 2020 has a number of regulations covering wood export licensing:

• Sets out the overarching legislative framework for the regulation of exported goods, including food and agricultural products, from Australian territory.

The Export Control (Wood and Woodchips Rules) 2021:

• Details the requirements and establishes conditions relating to the export of prescribed wood and woodchips.

There is no cost for a licence.

The legislated period for a wood export licence application is 30 days, which starts the day after we receive a complete application.

We recommend submitting your wood export licence application a minimum 30 days before your shipment date. This allows enough time for us to complete the assessment, which can take up to 30 days to complete.

We aim to finalise assessments against the FPP Test within 60 days. However, this may take longer depending on the circumstances.

The FPP test is a requirement under section 6-2A of the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021. The requirements of the FPP Test are outlined in section 372 of the Export Control Act 2020.

Further information of the FPP test can be found on the Understanding the fit and proper person test webpage.

This assists us to understand the intended purpose and market of the wood being exported.

Examples of acceptable documentation may be a sales receipt, a confirmation of order, a letter of intent to buy or a tax invoice.

Applications and documentation can be sent via email: wood.export@aff.gov.au. 

Please retain your original signed application. The Secretary of the department (or delegate of the Secretary) may request the original signed documents or require you to retain the original documents for a specified period.