# Carriers may be liable for costs of removal and deportation

> act-s213 — as in force on 2026-06-04 — C2026C00232 · Compilation No. 171 — https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026C00232/latest/text

213 Carriers may be liable for costs of removal and deportation
          (1) If a non-citizen who enters Australia:
                (a) is required to comply with section 166 (immigration
                    clearance); and
                (b) either:
                      (i) does not comply; or








                      (ii) on complying, is detained under section 189 as an
                           unlawful non-citizen;
               then, as soon as practicable after the Secretary or Australian Border
               Force Commissioner becomes aware that paragraphs (a) and (b)
               apply to the non-citizen, the Secretary or Australian Border Force
               Commissioner may give a carrier of the non-citizen a written
               notice requiring the carriers of the non-citizen to pay the costs of
               the non-citizen’s removal, or deportation, from Australia should
               that happen.
          (2) The notice is to:
               (a) give particulars of the calculation of the costs; and
               (b) state that an account for the costs will be given to at least one
                   of the carriers of the non-citizen when they have been
                   incurred.
          (3) If a notice is given, each carrier of the non-citizen is liable to pay
              the Commonwealth the costs described in the notice and for which
              an account is given.