Zambia
1.3 Zambia Customs Information
Home

Duties and Tax Exemption

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below: 4.1 Zambia Government Contact List

Emergency Response

Agreements / Conventions Description

Ratified by Country?

WCO (World Customs Organization) member

Yes, 27 September 1978

Annex J-5 Revised Kyoto Convention

Yes

OCHA Model Agreement

No

Tampere Convention (on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations)

No

Regional Agreements (on emergency/disaster response, but also customs unions, regional integration)

Yes, 25 November 2016

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response)

The Republic of Zambia is not a signatory to any of the conventions for an emergency, to streamline customs processes. Regular processes will apply, though at the time of emergency the governing bodies will make local decisions on waivers. There is a Zambia Revenue Authority Customs Code used on Humanitarian Aid Commodities which exempt such aid from the payment of taxes. This is done with the support of a document called COMESA Certificate of Origin or SADC Certificate of Origin and Non Charge Commercial Invoice.

CE20 is a customs form used for declaration of imports and exports. It must have the following with it: 

  1. Certificate of origin for export into member states that have ratified particular preferential trade agreements with Zambia. These certificates can be obtained from the Customs International and Policy Office in Lusaka and the Assistant Commissioner Customs Services Office in Ndola. Currently, Zambia issues certificates of origin for the following trade agreements:
    1. COMESA
    2. SADC
    3. EU
    4. GSP
    5. China bilateral trade agreement
    6. AGOA
  2. Permits
    1. quality certificate from veterinary department (meat and livestock)
    2. phytosanitory certificate from Mt Makulu Research station (seeds, plants and fruits)
    3. permit for gemstone and scrap metal exports from Ministries of Mines
    4. and timber verification certificate for timber export.
  3. Other supporting documents such as
    1. packing list,
    2. consignment note,
    3. cargo manifest,
    4. commercial invoice,
    5. airway bill,
    6. bill of lading
    7. and any other document relevant to the export.

Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status

United Nations Agencies

 UN agencies are subject to Chapter 20 of the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act. NGOs and UN Agencies are allocated with a unique Tax Payer Identification number (TPIN) used to register both imports and exports and where duty is automatically waived.

Non Governmental Organizations

NGOs and UN Agencies are allocated with a unique Tax Payer Identification number (TPIN) used to register both imports and exports and where duty is automatically waived.

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure

NGOs and UN Agencies are allocated with a unique Tax Payer Identification number (TPIN) used to register both imports and exports and where duty is automatically waived. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is charged with responsibility to process all tax exemptions and normally the requesting agency submits such a request through a note verbale.

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificate Document Requirements (by commodity)

 

Food

NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)

Medicines

Vehicle & Spare Parts

Staff & Office Supplies

Telecoms Equipment

Invoice

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Packing Lists

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Other Documents

N/A






Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Information

Document Requirements

Sanitary and phytosanitary regulations are applied to imports of live animals, plants and seeds. A sanitary certificate from the exporting country is required as a prerequisite to the issuance of the veterinary permit.

Food imports must satisfy the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act of September 1978 which requires packaging and labelling requirement for food, and standards for maize sump, rice and bread.

A phytosanitary certificate is obtained from the Mount Makulu Research Station for seeds, stems, and fruits.

Embargoes

None

Prohibited Items

  • Narcotics
  • Pornography (please consider the term as used under the Islamic law) 
  • Counterfeit items
  • Cultural artefacts and other objects of cultural importance
  • Henna
  • Palm tree and any products thereof
  • Explosive material

General Restrictions

  • GMO commodities are not allowed into the country.
  • Live animals – health certificate required along with complete and valid inoculations.
  • Endangered species and any products or parts thereof as outlined by CITES maybe be brought in only with CITES permission.
  • Medication
  • Hunting weapons permissible only with authorisation obtainable from Ministry of Interior.

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Customs Clearance Document Requirements (by commodity)

 

Food

NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)

Medicines

Vehicles & Spare Parts

Staff & Office Supplies

Telecoms Equipment

D&T Exemption Certificate

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Invoice

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Packing Lists

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Phytosanitary Certificate

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Other Documents ( Export/ Import Permits)

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Yes, Original

Additional Notes: Export and Import Permits are required documents to facilitate import and export.

Transit Regime

  • Customs Entry Forms are done by the clearing agent with supporting documents like Import/ Export Permits from the originating country.
  • The Above is usually submitted as pre-alerts.
  • Depending on the country of destination, some humanitarian aid commodities are moved in bond and they go into the bonded warehouse in the country of destination where they are finally ex-bonded after being final cleared by the Customs Authority of the destination country.
  • Usual humanitarian aid commodity in Zambia is not escorted unless there is a Government ban on such a commodity, then, there is military escort to the border of exit.


 

Jump to top