South Africa: traveller's customs guide
Whether you're arriving in South Africa by air, sea or land, you have to pass through customs control, where you may be questioned and your baggage may be scanned or searched for dutiable, restricted or prohibited goods.
If you're found with undeclared, restricted or prohibited goods, you could be fined or even face prosecution. To help you avoid this, and make your arrival and departure from South Africa as smooth as possible, here's a quick guide to bringing goods in and out of the country.
- What you can bring in duty-free
- Once you're over the duty-free limit
- Goods that you have to declare
- Goods that you may not bring
- Which channel to choose: red or green?
- To be on the safe side
- Travellers in transit
- VAT refunds for tourists
- How much money can I bring in/take out?
- Duty-free temporary imports
WHAT YOU CAN BRING IN DUTY-FREE
You can bring the following goods into South Africa without paying customs duty or value-added tax (VAT):
Consumable goods in accompanied baggage
- Cigarettes – up to 200 per person.
- Cigars – up to 20 per person.
- Cigarette or pipe tobacco – up to 250g per person.
- Perfume – up to 50ml per person
- Eau de toilette (scented liquid lighter than cologne) – up to 250ml per person
- Wine – up to 2 litres per person.
- Spirits and other alcoholic beverages – up to 1 litre in total per person.
People under 18 can claim this duty-free allowance on consumable goods – with the exception of alcohol and tobacco products – provided the goods are for their personal use.
Medicines
You are allowed to bring in one month's supply of pharmaceutical drugs or medicines for your personal use. Any other pharmaceutical drugs or medicines must be accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician, and have to be declared.
Personal effects, sport and recreational equipment
You can bring in personal effects, sport and recreational equipment, either as accompanied or unaccompanied baggage, for your own use during your visit.
Note that, in the case of very expensive articles, you may be required to lodge a cash deposit to cover the potential duty/tax on their re-export. The deposit will be refunded on departure after a customs officer has inspected the items and verified that they are being re-exported.
You should notify the customs office at which the deposit was lodged at least two days before departure to ensure that the refund is ready. (Call the office number to be found on the documents given to you when lodging your deposit.)
If you are departing from a different port, the inspection report will be forwarded to the office where the deposit was lodged, and a cheque will be posted to the address you provided.
Additional goods
In addition to the personal effects and consumables duty-free allowances, you are allowed to bring in new or used goods in accompanied baggage to the value of R3 000. (This is valid only once per person per 30-day period.)
ONCE YOU'RE OVER THE DUTY-FREE LIMIT
Once the above limits are exceeded, all goods brought into South Africa are subject to the payment of customs duty and value-added tax (VAT) – including goods bought duty-free on aircraft or ships or in duty-free shops.
For goods of up to R12 000 in value, you will have the option of paying customs duty at a flat rate of 20%. Flat-rated goods are also exempt from payment of (VAT). (This is valid only once per person per 30-day period.)
People under 18 can opt for the flat-rate assessment, provided the goods are for their personal use.
Once you're over the additional R12 000 limit – or if you waive the flat rate option – then duty will be assessed and paid on each individual item you're carrying, and an additional 14% VAT will be charged.
Goods that do not qualify for the flat-rate assessment include:
- Firearms.
- Goods for commercial purposes.
- Consumable goods in excess of the quantities detailed above.
- Goods or gifts carried on behalf of other people. Not only are these are subject to duties and taxes, but they may also require an import permit.
GOODS THAT YOU HAVE TO DECLARE
Certain goods are restricted, and may only be brought into South Africa if you have the necessary authority or permit, and these must be declared on arrival. They include any firearms, as well as:
Currency
South African bank notes in excess of R5 000; gold coins; coin and stamp
collections; and unprocessed gold.
Endangered plants and animals
Species of plants or animals that are listed as endangered, whether they are
alive or dead, as well as any parts of or articles made from them.
Food, plants, animals and biological goods
All plants and plant products, such as seeds, flowers, fruit, honey, margarine
and vegetable oils. Also animals, birds, poultry and products thereof, such as dairy products, butter and eggs.
Medicines
You are allowed to bring in one month's supply of pharmaceutical drugs or medicines for your personal use. Any other pharmaceutical drugs or medicines must be accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician, and have to be declared.
It is illegal to bring the following goods into South Africa:
- Narcotics: any narcotic or psychotropic substances, including drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine, mandrax or ecstasy; or any paraphernalia relating to their use.
- Any fully automatic, military or unnumbered weapons, as well as explosives, fireworks or weapons of mass destruction.
- Any poison and other toxic substance.
- Cigarettes with a mass of more than 2kg per 1 000.
- Any goods to which a trade description or trademark is applied in contravention of any law (for example, counterfeit goods).
- Unlawful reproductions of any works subject to copyright.
- Any prison- or penitentiary-made goods.
WHICH CHANNEL TO CHOOSE: RED OR GREEN?
The above information should help you decide whether to select the "red" or "green" channel through South African customs control. To help you further, here's a quick checklist:
Choose the green channel if:
- You have nothing to declare.
- Your goods qualify for the duty-free allowances detailed above.
- You are not carrying goods or gifts on behalf of others.
- You are not carrying restricted or prohibited goods.
- You are not carrying commercial goods (goods brought in for trade purposes).
If you can't tick all the above, then choose the red channel. If you are in any doubt, still choose the red channel and ask the customs officer for assistance.
Where the red/green channel system is not in operation, report directly to a customs officer and declare all the goods in your possession.
You can avoid problems by making sure that you:
- Always declare all goods in your possession.
- Produce receipts for goods purchased abroad (including goods bought duty-free on aircraft or ships or in duty-free shops).
- If you are unsure of the value of goods which you should declare, ask for assistance from the customs officer on duty.
REMEMBER: failure to declare goods, under-declaration of the value of goods, or production of false receipts or invoices could lead to the seizure of your goods as well as criminal prosecution or fines of up to three times the value of the goods.
NOTE: While we do our best to keep this information up to date, it remains subject to change without prior notice. If you are in any doubt as to whether the goods you intend to bring into South Africa are restricted, contact your nearest South African embassy or high commission abroad (see links in box on right).
Travellers in transit to countries outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) – Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland – do not have to comply with customs formalities in South Africa.
This applies only if you have been booked from an airport outside the SACU, and you are not travelling to your final destination by road.
These passengers may not leave the transit area of the airport between flights. Their baggage will automatically be transferred from their international flight.
Note, however, that customs officials may still search travellers in transit and their baggage for any illegal drugs or counterfeit goods. Anyone found with such goods will be detained and handed over to the South African Police Service for prosecution.
Value-added tax (VAT) at a rate of 14% is levied on the purchase of most goods in South Africa. However, as a foreign visitor you may apply for a refund of the VAT you pay while in the country – provided you apply before you depart.
To apply, make sure you get tax invoices for your purchases. Then present these to the VAT Refund Administrator at your point of departure. If he/she is not available, present your goods to a customs officer, who will inspect the goods, stamp your invoices and deliver them to the VAT Refund Administrator, who will correspond with you on the matter.
For full information on how and where to apply for VAT refunds, visit www.taxrefunds.co.za
HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I BRING IN/TAKE OUT?
As a foreign visitor, you can bring in up to R5 000 in South African currency (rands), plus an unlimited amount in foreign currencies and traveller's cheques, provided you declare this on arrival.
On departure, you can also take out R5 000 in South African currency (rands), and up to the amount in foreign currencies and traveller's cheques that you declared when you arrived (provided you didn't stay more than 12 months).
South Africa acceded to the ATA convention in 1975. Foreign visitors (companies and individuals) can therefore approach their local chambers of commerce for advice regarding the issuing of an ATA Carnet for the temporary import of certain goods in a simplified method, for example, in the case of broadcasters or sponsors of international sporting events taking place in South Africa.
SAinfo reporter. Source: South African Revenue Service
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