Most things that catch newcomers out are legal at home and illegal here, or the other way round.
These are the ones that matter most. Each card says where it comes from, so you can check it.
Checked 16 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Where are you? Pick your state for the local rules, or skip.
Pick your state or territory, type a postcode, or skip.
Rules differ by state
Australia has eight state and territory legal systems. Road rules, alcohol rules, fire rules and
fines change as you cross a border, and they change over time, so where this page and a sign or an
officer disagree, follow them. If you are in trouble, you do not need a lawyer to ask for help:
Community Legal Centres give free advice.
Alcohol, drugs and vapes
Where most newcomers get a fine, a criminal record or a visa problem.
Drinking in public
Varies by council
Rules differ by state and council. Many councils run alcohol-free zones and alcohol-prohibited areas on streets, in parks and on beaches.
Signs mark the zones. Look for one before you open a drink in a park, on the street or at the beach.
In NSW, police and rangers can tell you to stop, and can seize and pour out your alcohol.
In NSW, refusing to cooperate can lead to an obstruction charge, which can cost more than the drink did. Just comply.
Police use roadside saliva tests for drugs, including cannabis, in every state and territory.
Having a drug in your system while driving is an offence, even if you feel fine. In South Australia any amount of the drugs tested for is an offence, and refusing a test is a separate offence.
Cannabis and other illegal drugs are criminal offences in most places. Do not carry them.
Penalties vary by state, and usually include fines, a licence ban or both.
Pick your state above to see the rule where you are.
Nicotine vapes are regulated as medicines, and nicotine pouches can no longer be bought or brought in at all.
Nicotine vapes can only be supplied through an Australian pharmacy, for quitting smoking or managing nicotine dependence. Check the TGA for who can supply what.
You cannot order vapes from overseas, and bringing them in is tightly limited. Check the TGA before you pack them.
From 24 July 2026 there is no lawful way for consumers to buy or import nicotine pouches, unless a product is entered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. None was on 24 July 2026. Travellers cannot bring them in, and Border Force seizes them.
Many motorways have no toll booths. The toll is billed to the car’s registered owner, which for a hire car is the rental company, and it will pass the cost on to you with its own fees.
Before you drive, ask the rental company how tolls are charged, and what it adds.
If you have no tag or account, visitors can usually pay online for a few days after the trip. Linkt says up to three days.
Australia protects itself from pests and disease more strictly than most countries.
Declare your food, plants and animal products
Visa risk
You must declare food, plant material and animal products on your Incoming Passenger Card, even in small amounts, and even if it is packaged, home-made or a snack.
If you declare it, you will not be penalised under the Biosecurity Act, even if the item is not allowed in.
If you do not declare it, you can get an infringement notice or be prosecuted, and your visa can be cancelled.
If you are not sure, declare it, or leave it at home. Bins before immigration are there for things you decide not to bring in.
Rules about fire and aircraft that people break without realising.
Total Fire Ban days
Severe penalties
On a declared Total Fire Ban day you cannot light a fire in the open. Campfires and fires for warmth are banned.
Solid-fuel barbecues, pizza ovens and smokers are banned in the open air. Gas and electric barbecues are allowed in some states, with conditions.
Burning off, welding and grinding in the open are also banned. In Western Australia, so are fireworks.
Penalties are heavy, with fines in the tens of thousands of dollars and possible jail. Check the fire authority for your state before you light anything.
Pick your state above to see the rule where you are.