Australia has a clearly defined pathway for bringing medicine in for personal use — the TGA Personal Importation Scheme. If you are ordering a generic medicine from overseas, these are the rules that apply.
Is it legal to import prescription medicine to Australia?
Yes, within the Personal Importation Scheme. It allows individuals to import certain therapeutic goods that are not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for personal use, provided the quantity and prescription conditions are met.
How much can you import?
The limits are specific. A single import must be no more than a 3-month supply at the maximum prescribed dose, and the total imported in any 12-month period must not exceed a 15-month supply. To import more than a 3-month supply in one order, an Australian-registered doctor must apply to the TGA for Special Access Scheme approval on your behalf.
What documents do you need?
If the medicine is prescription-only in Australia, you must hold a valid Australian prescription or written authority at the time of importation. Keeping a copy with your order helps at customs.
Personal use only
The medicine must be for your own use or that of an immediate family member — defined as a parent, grandparent, spouse or de facto spouse, child, or ward. It cannot be sold, supplied or given away.
Customs & what to expect
The TGA and the Australian Border Force may check imported medicines. Staying within the 3-month limit, holding a valid Australian prescription, and importing only for personal use keep you within the scheme.
How OnlineMeds handles orders to Australia
However you order, our process is the same: a valid prescription is required and is reviewed by a licensed pharmacist before dispatch, we may ask for basic identity/address documentation, and we follow the local guidelines of your destination before any medicine is sent. Orders ship in discreet, tracked packaging. Full details are on our shipping & delivery page, and there is more general guidance in our guide to prescription regulations for global orders.
Because the TGA and Australian Border Force can inspect or hold shipments, keeping a copy of your prescription with the order and staying within personal-supply limits makes clearance smoother. Used as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TGA Personal Importation Scheme?
It is the pathway that lets individuals import certain medicines into Australia for personal use, without the product being on the ARTG (Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods), subject to quantity and prescription conditions.
How much can I import?
No more than a 3-month supply at the maximum prescribed dose in a single import, and no more than a 15-month supply in any 12-month period. Importing more than 3 months at once requires a doctor to apply for Special Access Scheme approval.
Do I need an Australian prescription?
Yes. If the medicine is prescription-only in Australia, you must hold a valid Australian prescription or written authority at the time of importation.
Can I import for someone else?
Only for yourself or an immediate family member (parent, grandparent, spouse or de facto spouse, child, or ward). The medicine cannot be sold, supplied or given to others.
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Personal-import rules and customs enforcement change and are applied case by case — always confirm the current rules with your national medicines regulator and customs authority before ordering, and use any medicine only as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.