DAFF - IIAN 400-2025 December 2025 / January 2026 Holiday Shut Down Operating Hours

Monday, December 1, 2025



Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) wish to advise members that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has issued Import Industry Advice Notice 400-2025 to advise of their December 2025 / January 2026 Holiday Shut Down Operating Hours.

Who does this notice affect?

All internal and external stakeholders who may require Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulatory services during the December 2025 - January 2026 Christmas Holiday period.

What has changed?

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Canberra Office will cease operations from close of business on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will re-open at the commencement of business on Friday 2 January 2026.

Further information

The Canberra switchboard will cease operations from close of business Wednesday 24 December 2025 until the commencement of business on Friday 2 January 2026.

The Department's general enquiries line (1800 900 090) will not operate during the periods noted as 'Closed' in the table below.

Imports Document Assessment and Inspection

Online portals and lodgement systems will be available for use over this period. However, services will only be conducted by departmental staff during hours of operation specified above. All departmental functions will resume at the commencement of business on Friday 2 January 2026.

The forms to request to have import documents assessed outside business hours and treatment result assessment are available on the COLS page.

Self-Assessed Clearance assessment services will operate as normal over the shutdown period.

DateOffice StatusComments
Tuesday 23/12/25 and Wednesday 24/12/25OpenNormal regulatory services available.

Thursday 25/12/2025 and Friday 26/12/2025

ClosedLimited regulatory services available. Import and export inspection appointments for these days must be requested prior to close of business on Friday 19 December 2025.

Note: Requests to have import documents assessed outside business hours and treatment result assessment must be submitted prior to 11am on Wednesday 24 December 2025. Acceptance will remain subject to officer availability.

Public Holiday/Weekend – Fee bearing regulatory functions conducted on these days will be subject to overtime charges.
Saturday 27/12/2025 Sunday 28/12/2025ClosedLimited regulatory services available. Import and export inspection appointments for these days must be requested prior to close of business on Friday 19 December 2025.

Note: Requests to have import documents assessed outside business hours and treatment result for assessments must be submitted prior to 11am on Wednesday 24 December 2025. Acceptance will remain subject to officer availability.

Public Holiday/Weekend – Fee bearing regulatory functions conducted on these days will be subject to overtime charges.
Monday 29/12/2025 Tuesday 30/12/2025 Wednesday 31/12/2025Open – Limited Regulatory CapacityLimited regulatory services available. Import and export inspection appointments for these days must be requested prior to close of business on Friday 19 December 2025.

Requests to have import documents assessed outside business hours and treatment result for assessments between Wednesday 31 December 2025 and Thursday 1 January 2026, must be submitted prior to 11am on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

Acceptance will remain subject to officer availability. Public Holiday/Weekend – Fee bearing regulatory functions conducted on these days will be subject to overtime charges.
Thursday 1/1/2026ClosedRequests to have import documents assessed outside business hours and treatment result for assessments between Wednesday 31 December 2025 and Thursday 1 January 2026 must be submitted prior to 11am on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

Public Holiday/Weekend – Fee bearing regulatory functions conducted on these days will be subject to overtime charges
 
Friday 2/1/2026OpenNormal regulatory services available.


Exports Document Assessment Services

Assessment Services Exports will be closed on the following days
  • Thursday, 25 December 2025
  • Friday, 26 December 2025
  • Thursday, 1 January 2026
Assessment Services Exports will be open on the following days
  • Monday 29 December 2025
  • Tuesday 30 December 2025
  • Wednesday 31 December 2025
Our regular client service standards apply during this period. It is your obligation to submit correctly completed documents, allowing Assessment Services Exports:
  • 1 business day to process your air freight lodgement.
  • 3 business days to process your sea freight lodgement.
Clients requiring Request for Permit (RFP) authorisations and/or certificate collections on the days where our offices are closed will be required to submit an overtime request to:

For Plant Exports – email: plantexportsndh@aff.gov.au
For Food Exports - email: foodexports@aff.gov.au

Clients submitting overtime requests are required to use the following email subject header:
  • Client Query – OT Application; [insert day, date, time] Client: [insert client name]
Overtime request emails for service on 25, 26, 27 and 28 December 2025 (where our offices are closed), must be sent by 11am (AEDT) on Monday, 22 December 2025.

Overtime request emails for service on 2 January 2026 (where our offices are closed), must be sent by 11am (AEDT) on Monday, 29 December 2025

If you have any questions regarding the above information, please email the following.
For Plant Exports: plantexportsndh@aff.gov.au. For Food Exports: foodexports@aff.gov.au

Report a pest or disease concern

If you identify something of concern that may have entered Australia with imported goods report it to See Secure Report on 1800 798 636 or complete the online form. For urgent inquiries, please contact 1800 798 636.

General Information

Call 1800 900 090 or Contact us online

Please refer to any other advice issued via the department's website to specific services.

Unless otherwise specified, contact details for the department and regional offices can be found on the Contact us online link above.

Overtime fees (when applicable) will be charged in accordance with the department's charging guidelines, which can be found on the department's website.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry staff would like to take this opportunity to wish all our stakeholders the very best for the coming holiday period. 

We thank you for your cooperation throughout this year and look forward to continuing to work together to protect Australia's strong biosecurity status in 2026.

The full IIAN 400-2025 can be read here.

Sal Milici - General Manager – Trade Policy & Operations | Licensed Customs Broker - FTA / APSA

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