Do I need an ITAC import permit for these goods?
Most new goods enter South Africa without an ITAC permit, cleared on a customs code alone. Used and second-hand goods, waste and scrap, and specific controlled categories such as certain machinery, tyres and chemicals require an ITAC import permit applied for before shipment. Permits are issued per consignment or per period and cannot be granted after arrival.
Are you importing or exporting?
How this is decided in law
Cross-border trade in South Africa runs on two separate systems that are easy to confuse. Customs administers the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964 and controls registration, declaration and duty. The International Trade Administration Commission, ITAC, administers the International Trade Administration Act 71 of 2002 and controls whether certain goods may be imported or exported at all.
A customs client code is the baseline. Section 59A of the Customs and Excise Act requires registration for commercial importers and exporters, and no declaration can be lodged without it. Registration takes a few weeks, so it should be arranged before goods are ordered rather than after they arrive.
ITAC import permits apply to goods on the import control list. The clearest rule is condition: used, second-hand, refurbished and waste goods are controlled where their new equivalents are not. Importers of second-hand machinery are the group most often caught by this, usually after the goods have already been shipped.
Certain categories are controlled regardless of condition. Tyres including retreads, specified chemicals and ozone-depleting substances, dual-use and strategic goods, and agricultural products under quota all require a permit tied to the correct tariff heading.
Timing is not negotiable. ITAC will not issue a permit for goods that have already arrived, and there is no retrospective cure. An unpermitted arrival becomes a customs detention, then potentially a seizure, and the cost of storage and demurrage while it is resolved routinely exceeds the value of the permit work several times over.
Tariff classification drives everything downstream: whether a control notice applies, what duty is payable, and whether a rebate or drawback is available. A written classification opinion is inexpensive relative to a post-clearance audit assessment, and it is the document that makes your declarations defensible.
Export control catches sellers by surprise more often than import control catches buyers. Waste and scrap metal exports are tightly controlled through the price preference system, and used vehicles, equipment and certain minerals require permits before they leave.
Our trade fees are fixed and agreed in writing before work starts, government fees included. Where goods are already detained the matter moves to our customs detained goods triage, because the deadlines there are measured in days.
| Goods | ITAC permit | Timeline | Indicative fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| New machinery and equipment | Not usually required | Clearance only | R6,500 – R15,000 opinion |
| Used or second-hand machinery | Required before shipment | 4 – 8 weeks | R18,000 – R45,000 |
| Used vehicles | Required, tightly restricted | 6 – 10 weeks | R25,000 – R55,000 |
| Tyres, including retreads | Required | 4 – 8 weeks | R18,000 – R38,000 |
| Waste and scrap for import | Required | 6 – 10 weeks | R25,000 – R48,000 |
| Waste and scrap metal for export | Required, price preference system applies | 6 – 12 weeks | R30,000 – R60,000 |
| Chemicals and ozone-depleting substances | Required | 6 – 10 weeks | R22,000 – R48,000 |
| Importer or exporter registration | Not applicable | 3 – 6 weeks | R9,500 – R22,000 |
The process, step by step
- 1Classification
We confirm the tariff heading for the goods, because that determines whether a control notice applies at all.
- 2Control check
We check the heading against the current ITAC import and export control notices and confirm in writing whether a permit is required.
- 3Registration
Where you are not yet registered with Customs, we obtain the customs client code so declarations can be lodged.
- 4Permit application
We compile and lodge the ITAC application with invoices, specifications and motivation, and answer ITAC's queries.
- 5Clearance pack
You receive the permit, the classification opinion and a clearance pack your forwarder can act on without further questions.
Questions people ask
Do I need an ITAC permit to import used machinery?
Yes. Used, second-hand and refurbished goods are controlled where their new equivalents are not, and the permit must be issued before the goods are shipped.
Can I get a permit after the goods have arrived?
No. ITAC does not issue permits retrospectively. Goods that arrive without a required permit are detained by Customs and the matter becomes an urgent detention and release exercise.
How long does an ITAC permit take?
Four to eight weeks for a complete application on ordinary controlled goods, and six to twelve weeks for scrap metal exports, used vehicles and chemicals.
What is a customs client code and do I need one?
It is your registration with Customs under section 59A of the Customs and Excise Act. Any commercial importer or exporter needs one, permit or no permit, and registration takes three to six weeks.
What does an ITAC permit cost?
Our fixed fee is R18,000 to R45,000 per application depending on the goods, with government fees included. Registration is R9,500 to R22,000.
Are scrap metal exports restricted?
Yes, significantly. Scrap metal exports run through ITAC's price preference system, which requires that the material first be offered to domestic consumers before an export permit is considered.
Who is responsible if the tariff heading is wrong?
The importer of record, not the clearing agent. A post-clearance audit assessment lands on you, which is why a written classification opinion is worth having on file before you ship.
My goods are already detained — what now?
Move immediately. Detention has short deadlines and daily storage and demurrage costs. Use our customs detained goods triage tool and call us the same day.
Registration 2016/074955/07. Registered with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and an applicant for EAPASA registration. Regulatory and licensing advisory across South Africa — Pretoria offices, serving Gauteng, the Western Cape and all other provinces. 087 153 6207 · support@dlegal.co.za
This page is general information on the applicable legislation, not legal advice on your specific facts. Fee ranges are indicative; your fixed fee is agreed in writing before any work starts.