Weapons subject to sanctions
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) administers Australian sanctions.
Weapons fall under the definition of 'arms or related matériel' under Australian autonomous and Charter of the United Nations sanctions frameworks. A number of these sanctions frameworks impose import or export measures on arms or related matériel.
Australian export sanctions apply to weapons that are directly or indirectly supplied to a sanctioned country.
Australian import sanctions apply to weapons that:
- are exported from a sanctioned country or
- that were manufactured or originated in a sanctioned country, and were exported from a non-sanctioned country (e.g. if a weapon was made in a sanctioned country, but was being imported into Australia from the United States of America or the United Kingdom).
A list of sanctioned countries and the sanctions measures that apply to them is available on the DFAT website.
A sanctions permit is required to import or export weapons between Australia and a sanctioned country. Sanctions permits are a separate requirement to other permits issued by government agencies regarding imports and exports. You should obtain a sanctions permit prior to importing or exporting weapons into, or from, Australia. Importing or exporting sanctioned goods without a permit is an offence under Australian sanctions law.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs may grant a sanctions permit provided the import or export meets specific criteria outlined in the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 or regulations enabled by the Charter of the United Nations Act 1945.
You can find information on permits, including how to apply, on DFAT’s Sanctions Permits page.
