Australia has a clear, established route for getting your medication: the Personal Importation Scheme. With a valid Australian prescription, you can import up to a three-month supply of a prescription medicine for your own use, by mail or courier, and the medicine does not need to be registered in Australia. SunnyPharma explains what is permitted and hands off to careaccessproject.org for the next step. We do not sell, ship, recommend suppliers, or arrange importation.
- The Personal Importation Scheme lets you import a medicine for your own use, by mail.
- Up to a three-month supply per order; up to 15 months across any 12-month period.
- The one firm condition: a valid Australian prescription.
- The medicine need not be on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
- More than three months, or closer oversight, goes through the Special Access Scheme.
- Schedule 8 controlled drugs are excluded; customs keeps discretion at the border.
What the Personal Importation Scheme permits
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) runs the Personal Importation Scheme, which lets an individual import a medicine for their own personal use. You may bring in up to a three-month supply at the maximum dose per order, and up to a 15-month supply across any 12-month period. The medicine does not have to be registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods — the scheme exists precisely so people can access overseas or unregistered product for their own treatment.
The one condition: an Australian prescription
The scheme is conditional, and the condition is straightforward: you need a valid Australian prescription for the medicine. That is what keeps the import inside the scheme. It is a permitted, conditional pathway — not an unconditional right to import anything in any quantity.
Beyond three months: the Special Access Scheme
If you need more than a three-month supply, or a product that needs closer oversight, the Special Access Scheme (SAS) is the separate pathway. Your prescriber initiates it on your behalf. It covers supply of medicines not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, including amounts beyond the personal-import limit.
No guarantee at the border
Permitted is not the same as guaranteed. The Australian Border Force and the TGA keep the power to inspect, detain, or seize a shipment where the conditions are not met or there are safety or authenticity concerns. When the conditions are met, personal importation is routine — but treat it as a permitted pathway subject to customs discretion, not an automatic clearance.
Which medicines are excluded
Controlled drugs — including Schedule 8 substances such as strong opioids — are excluded from the simple scheme and carry separate state, territory, and Office of Drug Control rules. Most HIV, hepatitis C, and cardiovascular medicines are non-controlled and fall within the Personal Importation Scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Australia’s Personal Importation Scheme, run by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), lets an individual import a medicine for their own personal use, by mail or courier, with a valid Australian prescription. The medicine does not need to be registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
Under the Personal Importation Scheme you may import up to a three-month supply at the maximum dose per order, and up to a 15-month supply across any 12-month period. Larger amounts, or products needing closer oversight, go through the separate Special Access Scheme.
Yes. The one firm condition of the Personal Importation Scheme is a valid Australian prescription for the medicine. That is what keeps the import inside the scheme. It is a permitted, conditional pathway, not an unconditional right to import anything in any quantity.
If you need more than a three-month supply, or a product that needs closer oversight, the Special Access Scheme (SAS) is the separate pathway. Your prescriber initiates it on your behalf. It covers supply of medicines not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, including amounts beyond the personal-import limit.
No. The Australian Border Force and the TGA keep the power to inspect, detain, or seize a shipment where the conditions are not met or there are safety or authenticity concerns. When the conditions are met, personal importation is routine, but it is best treated as a permitted pathway subject to customs discretion, not an automatic clearance.
Controlled drugs, including Schedule 8 substances such as strong opioids, are excluded from the simple scheme and carry separate state, territory, and Office of Drug Control rules. Most HIV, hepatitis C, and cardiovascular medicines are non-controlled and fall within the Personal Importation Scheme.
No. SunnyPharma is an information site. It does not sell, ship, dispense, recommend suppliers, or arrange importation. It explains what Australia permits and connects you to careaccessproject.org for the next step.
How we reviewed this page:
SunnyPharma follows strict sourcing guidelines and relies on primary regulatory sources, including the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Australian government guidance. This page was written in English and reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team. We use only credible, verifiable sources.
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