Dairy products that are prescribed under Australia's export rules
- are milk or milk products derived from a bovine animal, and
- are intended to be exported as food.
Milk and milk products that are not prescribed under Australia's export rules
Milk and milk products which do not meet the criteria under the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021 are classified by Australia as non-prescribed goods. It is the responsibility of the exporter to confirm with the importing country if there are any specific requirements for the import of these products. Typically, non-prescribed goods include ice-cream, non-bovine milk and milk products, colostrum and products with a minor component of dairy.
Further information on
exporting non-prescribed goods from Australia is available on the Department's website.
In some cases, an importing country requires specific health certification and government oversight for what would typically be non-prescribed milk and milk products. When required, these products become prescribed under export legislation and must meet all export and importing country requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, the products being manufactured and stored at an export registered establishment and must have a valid export permit and health certificate for each consignment. Guidance on export registration can be found at
Dairy export registered establishments.
Health certificates for milk and milk products
For milk and milk products produced for human consumption (including milk and milk products classified as a prescribed good by an importing Country), use Health Certificate template ZD035.
ZD035T dairy health certificate
The ZD035T certificate contains the following attestations:
I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:
- In sound condition
- Fit for human consumption
- Of Australian Origin
For milk and milk products, the ZD035T Health Certificate can be used with optional endorsements; 300 or 5334.
Endorsement 300 – DAIRY – GENERAL radioactivity statement – 50 Bq/kg
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsement 5334 – DAIRY – Taiwan - animal health statement, foot and mouth disease, Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice
Animals from which these products were taken were clinically free from foot and mouth disease. These products were subjected to pasteurisation or a combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.
Exporter declaration
Whenever export documentation is obtained, the exporter must provide a declaration stating that all the information provided in the permit is true and complete. They must also state that they are in possession of a declaration of compliance that:
- applies to the milk and milk products
- complies with the requirements of the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.
Transit certification requirements
Milk and milk products transiting the European Union or the United States (US) may require transit documentation. These certificates are available as additional certificates through the NEXDOC system. If the product is transiting the United States, a ZDUS01 health certificate transit certificate is required. If the product is transiting a European Union member state, see the particular European Union member state regarding the certificate template to select.
When product transits a US port and the 'country of final destination' is not US, US transit certification, including sealing details, is required in addition to the 'country of final destination' certification.
If the product is transiting a US port and Department seals are applied, the US should be included as the discharge country or a transit country or a reference should be included in the exporter declaration or inspector comments to indicate that the product may be transiting a US port.
The US aim to prevent entry of foot-and-mouth disease and Rinderpest and their certification and sealing requirements reflect this. All dairy products to the US should be only of Australian or New Zealand origin and only processed in Australia or New Zealand. Enquiries for export of products containing raw milk produced or not wholly processed in Australia or New Zealand should be forwarded to
dairyeggsfish@agriculture.gov.au