We issue several types of invoice documents to clients to notify them of payment due.
The payment options available are dependent on the invoice type. The bottom of the first page of the invoice will show you what payment options are available. Follow the instructions of your chosen payment option to make a payment.
You might get a Notice of Assessment or Payment Advice asking for payment if you have:
- imported alcohol and/or tobacco through international mail
- imported goods on an Unaccompanied Personal Effects (B534) form
- imported goods via a Carnet
- submitted an Air, Sea or Postal Import Declaration
- imported goods via a Security
- been issued a manual debit note relating to compliance action.
Single payment option
This option is generally for infrequent clients who need to make a one-off payment. To use this option locate your Customer Reference Number (CRN). You can find the CRN in the payment options section at the bottom of the Notice of Assessment or Payment Advice you receive from us. ICS clients can locate the CRN in the following locations:
- on the Financial Transactions view
- on the Outbound Message view
- on the Information view screens, and
- in the Import Declaration EDI outbound message in ICS.
A new Customer Reference Number is generated for each new invoice and should not be used more than once. Failure to quote the correct Customer Reference Number may lead to a delay in processing your payment.
The system will display a receipt number at the end of each online transaction. You can print this as a record of payment. As you don’t log in to this facility, no historical record of payments made using this option are available to you in this system. If you are a regular client and need historical record of payment, you can verify your identity with a Digital ID and use the Digital ID Payment Facility.
Make a single payment
A Quick Reference Guide is available to help with the single payment process:
Make a single payment Quick Reference Guide
Digital ID Payment facility
The Digital ID online payment facility offers a secure and convenient way to pay one or more invoices related to:
- Assessment Notices
- Border Receipting
- AMIB
- Integrated Cargo System (ICS) (including direct debit payments).
You can pay by:
- debit/credit card
- PayPal
- UnionPay
- direct debit (Integrated Cargo System (ICS) users only).
To use this system, you need a Digital ID from
Australia’s Digital ID System. A Digital ID is easy to get, and you can use it to connect with organisations other than the Department of Home Affairs.
Each time you log in to this system, you will see a list of invoices that have been paid using your Digital ID. Integrated Cargo System (ICS) EFT users will also see a list of invoices awaiting payment.
Digital ID Payment Facility - login
A User Guide is available to help with the Digital ID process:
Payment Facility using Digital ID - User Guide - Source
Integrated Cargo System (ICS) EFT users can also register for direct debit separately if they don’t want to use Digital ID Payment Facility. For more information, see
Integrated Cargo System (ICS) EFT payments below.
Integrated Cargo System (ICS) EFT payments
This payment option is only available for ICS EFT generated invoices. This allows you to pay invoices by direct debit using pre-approved client bank accounts. If you want to use this payment option you must complete
Direct Debit registration form. Send the completed form to Cargo support using the contact details provided on the form.
You can give permission for a specific invoice to be paid using this payment option through the ICS. At midday each weekday (excluding national public holidays) we generate a bank file which lists all invoices that have been identified for payment. Commonwealth Bank collects the monies from your account on the same day.
Payment processing timeframes
Our systems process payments by Credit Card, PayPal and Union Pay straight away.
BPAY payments and direct debit (through the registered user option of the Digital ID online payment facility) are processed once a business day. BPAY and direct debit might have additional delays depending on your Financial Institution and their processing timeframes. Usually, payments made through BPAY and direct debit by 6 pm AEST on a weekday are processed overnight.
We release goods imported through International Mail to Australia Post the business day following receipt of payment into the financial system. Allow about seven working days for delivery of your article.
