Here is everything you need to know to ensure your entry into South Africa is hassle-free.

Customs Duty

From 01 July 2026, all travellers entering or leaving South Africa are required to complete and submit an online traveller declaration prior to travel, unless you qualify for limited paper-based exceptions. This declaration forms part of the Customs process and enables travellers to meet their legal obligation to declare goods, currency, and any other relevant items in their possession. 

Duty-free Goods

Visitors to South Africa: Personal effects, sporting and recreational equipment, new or used, imported either as accompanied or unaccompanied baggage, for your own use during your stay.

South African Residents: Personal effects and sporting and recreational equipment, new or used, exported for your own use while abroad and subsequently re-imported either as accompanied or unaccompanied baggage.

  • The following goods may be included in travellers’ baggage by residents or non-residents, up to the following limits:

    • Wine: 2 litres per person
    • Spirits and other alcoholic beverages: 1 litre per person
    • Cigarettes: 200 cigarettes per person
    • Cigars: 20 cigars per person
    • Cigarette or pipe tobacco: 250g per person
    • Perfume: 50ml per person
    • Eau de toilette: 250ml per person
    • Other new or used goods to a total value not exceeding R5 000 per person, excluding consumables.
    • Allowances may not be pooled or transferred to other persons

    Visitors may be required to pay a cash deposit to cover duties and tax on expensive articles such as video cameras. The deposit on the goods is refunded on departure from South Africa.

    • Children under 18 may claim duty free allowances on goods used by them
    • They may not claim allowances for tobacco and alcohol
    • Parents may make a customs declaration on behalf of their children

    • Select either the red or green channel upon arrival in South Africa.
    • By selecting the red channel, a traveller indicates that he or she has goods to declare.
    • The customs officer must ascertain the value of the goods declared and the duties payable according to duty free allowances.
    • By selecting the green channel, a traveller indicates that he or she has no goods to declare.
    • Random searches of travellers and baggage in the green channel are conducted.

  • Vegetables, groundnuts, firewood, honey, used pneumatic tyres, raw animal wool and hair, electric blankets, coins, video recorders and reproducers, revolvers and pistols.

  • (unless special permits are obtained from the relevant government department)

    Human bodies or body parts; meat and edible portions from cattle, sheep, goats or pigs; meat and edible animal offal salted, in brine, dried or smoked; edible flours and meals of meat or offal; cane or beet sugar and chemicals; pure sucrose in solid form; raw hides and skins of bovine or equine animals (fresh or salted, dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment-dressed or further prepared), whether or not dehaired or split; bank notes, securities or foreign currency.

  • The exportation and importation of a wide variety of goods is either totally prohibited or is subject to inspection by other authorities and/or production of special permits and licences, issued by certain authorities only. A comprehensive list of prohibited and restricted imports and exports is available on the South African Revenue Service website (www.sars.gov.za)

  • Customs Declaration

    From 1 July 2026, travellers entering or leaving South Africa must submit their traveller declaration online before they travel, unless they qualify for one of the limited paper-based exceptions. The declaration forms part of the Customs process and helps travellers meet their legal obligation to declare goods, currency and other relevant items in their possession.

    For more information, see the FAQs for the Required Online Traveller Declarations from 1 July 2026 webpage.

    Customs Traveller Management System

    There are several ways to complete the traveller declaration; please visit the SARS website for detailed information:

    https://tools.sars.gov.za/sarsonlinequery/traveller

    Duty Free Allowance

    • Goods up to R5 000 per person may be imported without paying duty or VAT.
    • Additional goods up to R20 000 may be allowed but may be subject to duty and VAT.
    • If the total value exceeds R25 000, normal Customs duties and VAT will apply.

    This allowance is only valid once per person during a 30-day period and does not apply to goods imported by persons returning after an absence of less than 48 hours.

     

  • To learn more: